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IntelliChoice Announces October Gold Star Lease Winners

12 October 1998

IntelliChoice Announces October Gold Star Lease Winners

    CAMPBELL, Calif.--Oct. 10, 1998--With interest rates falling, auto manufacturers are offering consumers great leasing deals on new 1999 and leftover 1998 models.
    Heading the list of automotive lease values for the fourth consecutive month is the 1999 Saab 9-3 5 Door available at an effective net interest rate under three percent when all leasing costs are considered. These costs include lease term, monthly payment, down payment, end of lease purchase price, net capitalized cost, vehicle price, residual discount, fees and deposits, mileage penalty and maintenance discount.
    Every month, IntelliChoice announces the best deals (Gold Star Leases) across the U.S. for leased cars. Lease evaluations and reports are based upon information supplied by manufacturers and secured from nationally advertised lease offers. Each lease must meet two standards to receive designation as a Gold Star Lease recipient: it must be in the lowest 25th percentile of the lowest net interest rates of all evaluated leases; and the net interest rates must be at least two percentage points less than the average bank loan interest rate or average credit union loan interest rate, whichever is lower. This month, eight vehicles made the list.

              The October Gold Star Lease winners are:

Model                      Ttl Net     Ad Rate   Term   Up Front  
                           Int. Rate    Month            Costs (a)     

1999 Saab 9-3 5 Door         2.57%       $299     39     $2,048    
1999 Saab 9-3 Convertible    3.81%       $397     39     $3,596    
1998 Isuzu Trooper S         4.22%       $289     48       $784     
1998 Acura 3.5RL Premium         
     Navigation              4.37%       $499     39     $2,948
1998 Acura 3.0CL             5.33%       $299     39     $2,048    
1998 Acura 3.5RL Premium     5.62%       $499     39     $2,948    
1998 BMW 740I                5.63%       $678     36     $6,378    
1998 Acura 3.5RL             5.77%       $469     39     $2,893    


Model                     Expiration         Availability 
                             Date

1999 Saab 9-3 5 Door       10.31.98            National
1999 Saab 9-3 Convertible  10.31.98            National
1998 Isuzu Trooper S       11.03.98            National
1998 Acura 3.5RL Premium   
     Navigation            10.31.98            National         
1998 Acura 3.0CL           10.31.98            National
1998 Acura 3.5RL Premium   10.31.98            National
1998 BMW 740I              10.31.98            National
1998 Acura 3.5RL           10.31.98            National

(a) Does not include tax, license or registration. Totals may be higher in some areas. Please see Gold Star Lease Evaluation for details


    Founded in 1986, IntelliChoice is the only company that develops and distributes consumer automobile ownership and leasing cost data. Gold Star Lease evaluations and AutoLease evaluations are available at no charge in an easy-to-read format on the IntelliChoice web site (www.intellichoice.com).
    Ownership information can be found in the annual editions of The Complete Car Cost Guide and The Complete Small Truck Cost Guide and are available (at a suggested retail price of $49 each, plus shipping and handling) by calling 1-800-CARBOOK (227-2665). IntelliChoice also publishes Just the Facts(tm) reports which are new and used vehicle purchasing summaries available on paper or at IntelliChoice's web site. IntelliChoice is a Primedia company.