Tips on Buying Cars: special leasing offer

Question
Roger, I never got an answer to my follow-up question, so couldn't rate you. But I have a much more urgent question because I'm getting ready to lease very soon. The Nissan dealer here is advertising a 'special' for leasing a 2013 Nissan for $159 mo. for 36 months with $1500 down. They are moving out the 2013's. I've read that before discussing monthly payments, always get the price of the car before anything else. But if it's a special deal and the monthly payment is already set, do I still need to do that? Wouldn't it in a way keep me from getting their 'special'?  Thanks

Answer
The answer to your follow up which I didn't see in my queue is that you are not required to change the oil at all ...all of the maintenances are only suggested and no one is going to ask you for documentation of any of them ...they are just going to look at the general condition of the car for damages that go beyond normal wear and tear and if there are any then they will address them... if any...and charge you accordingly.

The second part of your question ...the most recent one is this... whenever you see a lease payment advertised the dealer is required to also give you all of the details ....they are

- The MSRP before discounts
- The money factor   ( a decimal like .00142)
- The residual factor (a %)
- The Lease end value (LEV)
- The total amount of your payments via the term of the lease plus the money down including rebates or factory dealer cash...this will give us the number called the "Cap Cost" whichis synonymous with "price"

These lease payment promotions are done by the captive financing arm of the automaker (Nissan Financial) and the payments are as low as they are because of enhanced or subvented residuals and money factors combined with (usually) a large down payment including the first months payment and fees and a really low price ...if you send me the numbers they list in the ad above and the yr make and model of the car you are thinking about leasing I will tell you exactly what they are going to make on the deal... hopefully you aren't trading anything in

Roger