I used to believe the assumption that owning the car was better than paying for it for 3 years and then not owning anything, but if you are in a place in your life where 3 years down the road is not fully mapped out (which, let’s face it, is most of us), then renting without owning can be the financially savvy way to handle things. Especially when you consider how much of the purchase price is immediately discounted the instant you drive the car off the lot.
Another life circumstance that makes it practical: the kind of car you need when your children are first born is often different than the one you need when they’re going to school which again is different than when they are teens. Unless you’re the type of person to buy a new car every 3 years, leasing can make a lot more sense to keep up with those changes.
