Which car would you lease for 3 years?

[sportin_life]

I'm finally finishing up my training so will get a "real" job in about 6 months. My plan is to trade in my current car for a leased car, then purchase a larger car when my income is more stable since I'm seeing a large uptick in income this year but want to save for a couple years first.

I'm having an extremely difficult time deciding which car to lease for 3 years. I don't have any family or kids yet, so which would you guys recommend if you were in my shoes:

BMW 3 series (the new coupe isn't out yet)
BMW 5 series (with the bump in 3 series prices, the 5 series price seems close to a loaded 3 series)
Audi A5 (heard performance is bad though?)
Mercedes C-class coupe (doesn't look that great, but I want a relatively smaller car)
Mercedes E-class coupe (much better than C-class, but might be too big since I don't have family)
Other (not sure what else to consider)?

I'm leaning more toward the BMW's since I wouldn't have to worry about maintanence either during those 3 years. I'm after a small-mid size car with decent performance but low hassle. What do you guys think?

 

[Gambino]

I'd hold on to the car you have now til' you can afford to buy a new one. that's just me though
If i had to choose though, it'd be the 5 series

 

[sportin_life]



I'd hold on to the car you have now til' you can afford to buy a new one. that's just me though
If i had to choose though, it'd be the 5 series

That was my initial plan, but my current car (Acura TL) is 6 years old. I want to try to trade it in before it has any major problems and I'm getting a large bump in pay this year (my salary multiplies by 6x), so I see the lease as a loaner until my finances are fully stabilized.

 

[KurtS90]

Coming from a cheap SOB. Calculate how much the car would cost over 3 years and then pay cash for a car in that price range,

~Kurt

 

[Sazerac]

The BMW's are great drivers, but austere and very pricey. They're also -- forgive me, because they're truly a blast to drive -- a bit cliche. The 3-series especially screams junior account exec with his first bonus. The Audi is elegant, and probably has the best interior, but I don't care for turbocharging, especially in city traffic. As for Benz, well, they're also cliche while also being relatively sedate.

I have an Audi A4 Avant and love it, and though it's gorgeous to behold, I think it's underpowered. (Handling is good, though.)

My wife has an Infiniti G37 sedan. And, frankly, it's the best car we've ever had. You can't argue with 328 horsepower, and the exterior styling is fantastic. It has also been 100% problem-free. My only gripe is the interior, which is nice, but not nearly as nice as the Audi's. (Then again, it was also several grand less expensive and boasts more features.)

If you haven't tried the Infiniti, get thee to a dealership.

 

[norcaltransplant]

Finishing residency or fellowship (cards)?

 

[okay.w0w]

i was in a similar position. i went with the c-series. the interior was way better than anything else i sat in.

 

[ettebe]

When it comes to cars, I am quite biased. I like Lexus over the competition (i.e Audi / MB / BMW). Seeing my parents had two different GXs over the years. When I start making some good money, I'd probably get myself the CT.

 

[catside]

Love 335 if you are into driving and not too much comfort. Blast to drive.

 

[shadesofbeige]

I agree with catside, the 335i is the way to go on that list. That twin-turbo inline 6 engine is phenomenal, really powerful with decent gas milage and hardly any turbo lag. If you're looking for a small, sporty, luxurious car, you can't go wrong with the 3 series, seeing that they basically invented that segment. That said, they have become a bit bourgeois in the last decade or so, but I don't think that's a deal-breaker.

My girlfriend has a 2006 Audi A4 with the same (2.0T) engine as the current A5. Although it's a really really nice car, it lacks the speed and handling of my far from pristine 1997 M3, but the ride (with the sport package) is just as hard. The turbo lag is pretty annoying, put your foot down in 5th or 6th gear and nothing happens for about 4 seconds.

Mercedes is mainly selling you a badge, they fall behind BMW and Audi in performance and quality; I'd look elsewhere.

If you're not as concerned with performance, you may want to look at the Acura TSX. My friend just got a new 2012 and I was amazed at how well equipped and comfortable it was. Another friend has a new Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 that he's thrilled with. It seems like it would be pretty much on par with the A5 - better performance (41 more horses) less luxury - for a whole lot cheaper.

Hope my two cents can help. Good luck and congrats on the promotion!

 

[GreenNYC]

Cars are a personal taste but I find the current Acuras to be among the ugliest ever made. Have you considered the S5?

 

[stevent]

A six year old TL shouldn't really have any issues.

You can pick up a lease return 5 for just a bit more than the price as leasing a low end 3 for three years

 

[StephenHero]

I would find much cooler **** than cars to blow my money on, like art, furniture, rhinestone-encrusted pocket pussies, or first edition copies of Moby Dick. At the very least, I'd spend it on stuff that comes with ownership.

 

[Macallan9]



I would find much cooler **** than cars to blow my money on, like art, furniture, rhinestone-encrusted pocket pussies, or first edition copies of Moby Dick. At the very least, I'd spend it on stuff that comes with ownership.

 

[HRoi]

if you're not one of those 'car guys' who obsesses over lap times and horsepower and "mod-ability", all those options are similar enough while city driving. just test drive all of them and something will grab you about one of them - whether it be looks, the interior, the way it drives or some killer feature. either that or someone (most likely BMW) will offer you a killer lease deal and you'll just stop looking.

if i were faced with those options, i'd probably end up with a 335 coupe.