There is no simple correct answer to the lease/buy question, just as there is no simple answer to the question: should I wear a white sweater while eating Spaghetti Bolognese? Making the right decision for yourself is a matter of your personal desires, values, current financial status, and your ability to avoid making a mess of things.

Cars lined up

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Auto leasing has been around for decades and once upon a time offered small business owners significant tax advantages. Those days are long gone, but leasing has caught fire in the last few years, spurred by manufacturers who use special lease deals to promote their vehicles. Industry experts estimate that next year leasing will represent as much as 35% of the new-car market. Among the luxury brands it’s often as high as 80%.

Certainly with this kind of acceptance Read more . . .

North Americans’ love affair with the car remains undiminished and sales are on track to continue strong throughout 2004, with approximately 60 million new and used vehicle sales forecasted. Two nice carsYet while most shoppers enjoy poring over the styles and features of their dream car, they often ignore one of the most critical parts of the transaction: financing.

“Buying a car can be an emotional process, but consumers really need to do their homework and take a strategic approach if they want to get the best possible deal on their loan,” says Scott Denman, Managing Director, AAA Financial Services. “Many car buyers don’t pay close enough attention to their financing, and it can be a costly oversight.”

“Consumers routinely use the Web in their car selection process, researching models,

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