Lease Vs Buy a Subaru

2023 Forest Parked driveway

The question you’ve been asking yourself is: should I lease or buy my next Subaru?

Whether this is your first car or just your next one, you have already heard plenty of offers and details about a lease on a new car, or a better plan to purchase another one. When it comes to getting into a new car, consider leasing a new Subaru instead of buying.

When you lease a new Subaru, you are saving yourself the headache down the road that all cars over the age of 8 begin to run into, with major repairs and parts replacements. You may also get a better deal at our dealership here in Bend, OR because your monthly payments are not the overall value of the new car, but the value from the time of you lease and to the end of it, as we use the guaranteed residual value of the car when you bring it back. You also benefit from having a warranty that covers the length of your lease, so if anything does happen to the car during your lease, you are most often still under warranty, saving money yet again.

Statistically, the majority of Subaru owners purchase their vehicle because that is what they have always done. Actually, about 75% of Subaru owners buy their new car. This space is intended to show you why leasing has become an increasingly popular option. Not everyone is a good candidate for leasing, but many Subaru buyers are.

In this space, we’ll give you some facts about leasing to enable you to determine if a Subaru lease is right for you. Here’s some of the information you can review:

Learn what a car lease is.
Learn what makes Subaru leases unique and how Subaru’s Owner Loyalty Program could save you money.
Understand what your three options are at the end of a Subaru lease.
Follow some simple rules for when you should lease and when you shouldn’t.
Ask our lease experts to give you a lease vs purchase quote on any new Subaru in our inventory

What is an Automobile Lease?

Think of leasing as if you are borrowing a vehicle. You pay for the part you use. With a lease, you are financing the use of the car and not the car itself.

Lease vs. Purchase:

When you lease a Subaru:

– Generally LESS up front money

– LOWER monthly payment

– No trade-in negotiation

– Less maintenance cost (always under warranty)

– GAP protection included

– Update safety & technology every three years

– Receive Subaru Lease Loyalty Incentives

– No chance of negative equity

– Sales tax applied to monthly payment and
spread out over term of lease

When you Purchase a Subaru:

– Generally MORE up front money

– Higher monthly payment

– Negotiated trade-in value

– Responsible for maintenance costs after
warranty expires

– GAP protection NOT included – added
expense to purchase

– Safety & technology does not change

– No loyalty incentives

– Potential negative equity when you sell if
value is less than payoff

About Subaru Leases

A typical Subaru lease is 36,39 or 42 months at 10,000, 12,000 or 15,000 miles per year. You may pre-buy additional mileage at .10 per mile at the time of your lease. Excessive mileage is currently charged at .15 per mile at the end of the lease
There is NO security deposit required.
A $300 disposition fee is waived if you purchase or lease another Subaru.
Subaru offers lessors a loyalty bonus equal to the first month of your next lease free (up to $500).
Subaru is very generous with $1,000 “wear and tear” allowance when you turn your car in. This covers typical scratches, dings, and minor deferred maintenance items.

Options at the end of your Subaru lease:

Lease or Purchase a New Subaru at Lease End

If you want to stay in the Subaru family when your current Subaru lease is up, we’re more than happy to help! Simply return your current Subaru to Subaru of Bend when your current lease ends, and we’ll show you our wide selection of new inventory so you can find your next new Subaru model. You’ll get the benefits of a fresh warranty and all the latest safety and technologies along with the confidence of owning a Subaru.

Prior to your lease end: Research the new Subaru models that interest you and develop a short list so you can get right down to business when your lease is up. Schedule a test drive at our dealership and get a hands-on feel for the new Subaru models that best fit your lifestyle and we’ll also take that time to finalize your lease-end process.

Return my Subaru Lease

Whether you’re planning on shopping elsewhere or you just don’t need a new vehicle after your Subaru lease expires, you can always return your Subaru to our dealership. We’ll be sad to see you go, but if you decide to rejoin the Subaru family in the future we’ll be right here to help you yet again.

Prepare to return your leased Subaru: Visit or contact our dealership and discuss the steps required to return your leased vehicle. As the date approaches, reach out to schedule a date and time to return your Subaru and complete the lease-end process. On your appointment date, make sure you have the keys, owner’s manual and maintenance records, an inspection report, and your lease contract.

Buy Out Your Subaru lease

If you’ve truly fallen in love with your current Subaru and want to keep it beyond your lease term, you can opt to buy your vehicle once the term is over. Simply follow these steps:

Arrange an appointment at our dealership
We will draft a payoff quote to determine your purchase price
Present payment or apply for financing to complete the sale

You should NOT lease a Subaru if you:

Tend to drive more than 15,000 miles per year.
You can pre-pay for additional miles @ .10 per mile at the time of leasing but the penalty afterwards is .15 per mile for overage.
Expect a change in your job or family status.
Changing status (job, family, baby) could alter the requirements of your current vehicle. Early termination of your lease could be costly.
Like to keep your cars for a long time.
This allows you years of no car payments.
Mistreat your cars or don’t maintain them.
You are responsible for maintaining your leased vehicle according to Subaru’s specifications
Want to customize your car.
What goes on must come off without damaging or altering the car when you turn it in. This commonly happens with performance vehicles like a WRX/STI.

Consider a Subaru lease if you:

Want a lower monthly payment or more car for your money
Desire less maintenance headaches.
Subaru’s 3 year, 36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty covers everything (even wiper blades) except for regular scheduled maintenance – which you would do anyway whether you bought it or leased it.
Have fairly consistent mileage history so as to not incur mileage penalties.
Enjoy the latest safety, features, technology and mileage improvements.
Just like the smell of a new car.

Conclusion

There are many factors to consider when deciding if a Subaru lease is right for you. We recognize that every customer has unique requirements. Our goal is to listen to your requirements and provide helpful information to enable you to make a good decision. Stop by or give us a call. We’ll be happy to explain all your options and help you find the vehicle and the acquisition option that’s right for you.

Apply Now

Value Your Trade