New-car leasing drops in second quarter, breaking years-long rise
Leasing share of the retail new-vehicle market fell to 30 percent in the second quarter from 32 percent a year ago. The analysis is by Ford Motor Co., based on figures from Power Information Network.
Although that may not seem like a big decline, it marks the first drop-off since before the Great Recession in 2009. The record lease numbers of the past few years helped drive up total retail sales. A lease allows a customer to have a lower monthly payment $100 less on average, according to Experian. Or a lease customer can opt to get more car for the same monthly payment.
Of course, lease customers have no trade-in and therefore no equity at the end of the lease. That may be sufficient downside for some to consider a move to buying their next car.
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