IntelliChoice Announces July Gold Star Lease Winners
13 July 1998
IntelliChoice Announces July Gold Star Lease Winners
CAMPBELL, Calif.--July 13, 1998--Despite the popularity of leasing, which currently accounts for 36% of all vehicle purchases, July marked the smallest number of leases qualifying for "Gold Star" status in the two-year history of the award.
Heading the July list is the first of the 1999 models, a Saab 9-3 5 Door available at an effective net interest rate under four 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(R) 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.
The July Gold Star Lease winners are:
Model Ttl Net Ad Rate Term Up Front Expiration Availability
Int. Rate Month Costs(a) Date
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1999 Saab 9-3
5 Door 3.50% $299 39 $2,048 07.31.98 National
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1999 Saab 9-3
Convertible 5.15% $429 39 $2,928 07.31.98 National
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1998 Acura
3.2 TL 5.22% $369 39 $2,193 07.31.98 National
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1998 Acura
3.0 CL 5.80% $299 39 $2,048 07.31.98 National
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1998 Acura
2.5 TL 5.87% $339 39 $2,138 07.31.98 National
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(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.