OP, you should never make a decision like buying or leasing a car at the last minute when tired and stressed.

Hindsight is 20/20, but I wish you'd come to DCUM for advice BEFORE signing that lease:

1. Renting a car is not $350 a week. I have done it before when our car's in the shop (in expensive close-in Arlington) and it's about $200/wk max for a full-size (you can get better deals than that, too). "Unforeseen issues" with the car shipping company sounds like a reason to get them to foot the bill for the rental. If they messed up, you make them pay.
2. Zipcar and car2go. Look it up.
3. If you're inside the beltway, I doubt you're not within range of a bus that can take you to metro. If you're outside the beltway, I would never have planned to have your car shipped (should have had one person drive it)! Outer burbs require a car from the get-go, but you could have planned for that.
4. Seriously, even a cab to work/metro would have been a better idea than leasing a car at the last minute.

Also, most of us transplants don't have any family help in the area and a lot of us have one or no car.

But no, I cannot see any way for you to take this car back unless you are signing up for a more expensive lease and exchanging (like PP mentioned). Leasing is almost never a good idea. Like, ever. We just bought a brand-new Outback literally this weekend for $20K (after negotiating with several dealers) and will get a lot more out of it than you will for the $17K you are spending for just 3 years!!

Life lessons

Don't bring children with you to buy or lease a car

Don't lease a car

Ugh, wow! 5000 down for a LEASE - that seems crazy. You'll be out a lot of money over 3 years and have nothing to show for it. This doesn't sound like a good deal to me at all. I know people do this in order to drive luxury cars they can't really afford, but an Outback isn't really that fancy.

So you'll be paying 16700 over three years and then have nothing. I'd rethink this. 16700 could get a you a pretty decent car from Carmax, then you'll be able to sell it if you don't need it any more and at least recoup part of that.

Fwiw, I did return a car to a dealership a day or two later, but I exchanged it for the same car, different color options. I'd gotten pressured into taking what they had on the lot, but it wasn't what I wanted. A neighbor did the same thing. In her case she upgraded to keyless entry so was spending more than on what she was returning. Mine wasn't a lease situation, not sure about my neighbor's car.

I don't know if you got a good deal or not. I've never leased a car and, as a fellow mom of a toddler, I can't imagine trying to maintain it in good enough condition to return. Whatever you decide to do, you must do asap.

You don't lease a car with a toddler. You lease a car if it's only going to be used by a very neat adult.

OP, are you from another country?

Anonymous wrote:This is our first lease. So what I think I'm hearing is (mostly) that someone just shouldn't lease a car.

I need a car to get to work tomorrow, so if I can give it back to them should I? and then what? rent another week and look to buy something used? or some other likely cheaper new car?

-OP

OP You are not making sense. They will not let you use the car for a week and then return it. How old are you?

If you can get out of it, do.

Can't you just use zip car or car2go or something like that? or do a long-term rental from enterprise. Leasing sucks and is stupid. Buying a crap 2nd car is a better deal, which you could do for $5000 down and the least payment. Then you could see that car later. Leasing means they own it, not you.

This is our first lease. So what I think I'm hearing is (mostly) that someone just shouldn't lease a car.

I need a car to get to work tomorrow, so if I can give it back to them should I? and then what? rent another week and look to buy something used? or some other likely cheaper new car?

-OP

It is very difficult to get out of a lease. Sometimes they will let you upgrade, but overall that will be more money. You must have wanted the car or you would not have done it, as your logic does not make much sense. So enjoy the car, and do not worry about the back up camera.

Anonymous wrote:it's a 3 years lease and we decided to lease vs buy because we wanted a newer safer car than what we have and we can just hand it over in three years. Our needs should be different by the time the lease is up.

Have you ever leased before? It only sorta works this way.

You have to return it to them in the condition you got it from them. That' means pretty darn close to new or they start racking up damages and will say that it exceeds "normal wear and tear". The exception is usually if you are going to lease or buy a car from them again. Then my experience was they pretty much don't charge you anything on lease return and just work with you on the new lease or purchase.

it's a 3 years lease and we decided to lease vs buy because we wanted a newer safer car than what we have and we can just hand it over in three years. Our needs should be different by the time the lease is up.

Yes, you got a horrible deal because leasing is always a horrible deal.

Second, the back up camera - come on, people have lived without these forever and really it's not something you need, it's just a want.

Lastly, check the contract, I think you get 3 days. But going back to the dealer they will just try and convince you to keep your current car or rope you into something more foolish.

Leasing in nearly always a bad deal but it just for a few years. Getting out of a lease is tough, I did it once in my 20s and it was expensive to get out of it. How long is the lease? Maybe just live with it for the three years or whatever and then next time buy a car. No more leasing!

Hello Everyone,

I hope you can give me some advice. We just moved here and we were a single car family. Due to some unforeseen issues with the car shipping company our car is not yet here (might be 2 weeks). We flew in Tuesday from across the country our 16 month olds schedule is a mess and we have no family help here. So we are overtired stressed and in need of a car by tomorrow to get to work (Tuesday). We rented a car for the week (which is like 300-350) for the week. which is like a months lease payment on a mid-levelish car.

we like the 2014 outback because of its safety record and that the second car seat a radian RXT fits well). our son was melting down and we definitely felt the pressure to get something, anyway there are a ton of factors, but here are the facts of it. We walked in and signed the same day which took forever and our son was melting down. I think we overpaid.

Here are the details.
we leased a 2014 the 2015's are due to come out this summer.
We got the limited trim level and didn't get a backup camera....we now think that would have made our lives much much easier.
We put 5000 down and our monthly payment is 325 a month.
I got nervous about it before I even left the lot,k i feel like the stress just got the best of me and now we are completely stuck.
think that if we had the trim level up and the backup camera the "price of the car" high 27,000 i think i don't have the paper work right in front of me would have been more fair.

anyway, I drove it home from 13 miles to like 29 and I don't know what my options are. I fear I don't have any options.

what do you think?

did i get a horrible deal or is it (ok but not great).

-worried new comer