Tips on Buying Cars: re-financing on a lease car?, toyota highlander hybrid, 2007 toyota highlander

Question
hi robert,

i'm active duty serving the military and i'm deployed overseas. i'm currently in
california just for a vacation...and i think i made the biggest mistake of my
entire life. a have a 2003 mitsubishi eclipse gts in very good condition it has
only 19,000 miles on it since it was mostly in storage since i'm deployed
overseas most of the time. i've been wanting to get a hybrid for a long
time...to make the story short i traded-in my old car which i still owe $16,000
and leased a 2007 toyota hybrid (not the LIMITED one but they put a navigational
system on it, which they said they have put it for free...yeah right). but still
a bought in into their lies. i will be leasing a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid
for $750 a month for the next 5 years. what are my options now...i bought it 11
DEC 06...i know that i cannot return it, so what are my options for the next
years to come? is there such a thing as re-financing for a lease car? if there's
such a thing, how can i do that. i really don't know what i was thinking...maybe
i thought they truly respected what i do and they would not take advantage of
me...since i didn't put any money down plus i'm upside down on my old car...and
i don't have a good credit...but after i bought it and after asking some
experts, that's when i realized that i made a mistake.

please, robert...help!!!

thank you and God bless.  

Answer
Yea, not sure why you leased a vehicle when you still owe on your other... are you leasing to own, or just leasing? I do not know the terms on your lease so its hard to be specific... I would talk to the dealer or whomever your are leasing from and ask them if you have any other options, they may let you terminate the lease early given a certain fee (could be worth it depending on how much...) as far as refinancing... I've never heard of doing it, but it may be possible, i dont know what it would help though... either way you are paying for a vehicle you wont/dont own... should have sold rather than traded in the eclipse, bought a cheap car until you paid it off (or just paid it off while keeping it) and then bought the hybrid... and just out of curiousity.. why would you want a hybrid SUV... unless its 4wd and you do alot of pulling boats, off roading, etc.. (which basically negates the point of getting a hybrid) there is no need... might as well get a minivan or a car... much cheaper and better gas mileage... if you have bad credit you should forget what you want and aim for what you need... a 2 wheel drive suv is just a higher, larger, wagon... might as well have a wagon.. and save the money...  just my 2 cents... anyways, talk to the people you lease from, look at the contract, see if there is a way out, or any clauses involving refinancing/ending the contract... thats about the only way you can find out all your options..
good luck!