Website Gives Car Owners Inside Track on Best Deals, Understanding Lease Provisions

CINCINNATI, Oct. 1 -- Americans love their automobiles and now they are also learning to love leasing their cars. With so many Americans leasing vehicles rather than going with a traditional bank loan to purchase a car, consumers need to understand that there are several important considerations when negotiating a lease, according to Tarry Shebesta, owner of Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS) and provider of a website, www.LeaseCompare.com .

"As many consumers lease for the first time they may be unaware of all their options and may simply decide to accept what the dealer has to offer without comparing. They may well be spending more than they should," says Shebesta.

Six major leasing considerations as noted at www.leasecompare.com are as follows:

Is Leasing for You? - Individuals who are accustomed to always having a car payment, who like cars under warranty, or who need their vehicle for business purposes often see leasing as an advantage. Leases are difficult and costly to break. Customers should consider vehicles that hold their value and should take the time to test drive the vehicle before committing. While many people focus on the finding the lowest lease payment, negotiating a good price for the car prior to arranging for the lease terms lowers the overall cost of the deal. 36 month leases are standard but for some people who are considering cars with a good reliability history, a longer lease might make sense. Consumers should try to estimate accurately the miles they will be driving to avoid paying mileage overage fees. Large down payments may make the monthly burden easier, but lump sums are lost in the case where a vehicle is totaled or stolen. It makes more sense to bank the down payment and slowly use it for payments over the life of the lease. "Once shoppers have decided to lease their car, they should compare between a number of financing sources," says Shebesta.

Dealers are one traditional leasing source, but websites such as LeaseCompare.com can be a cost saving alternative. This site is educational and provides a tool to evaluate financing options from a number of sources in real time for new and used vehicles.

Customers can actually lock in the lease quote they like and in a matter of minutes apply for credit online. LeaseCompare.com allows consumers to facilitate the leasing transaction online. Once contracts are signed and received by LeaseCompare.com, the next step is to pick up your car.