Okay, I got it. I heard you, people. And I will answer your questions now. But please, don’t bowl me over, okay?

Here’s what you need to ask yourself when you’re thinking of leasing and everyone tells you no. Oh well, not just plain and simple “no,” but “NO!!!” You need this, buddy, ’cause it all boils down to what you need and want: not what THEY tell you.

First question: Do you have the cash, or can you afford a monthly payment without losing a house or something to that effect?

If your answer is no, then leasing is for you.

Do you keep the vehicle for more than five years?

If yes, then go buy a car instead. Leasing is usually good for two to three years only.

Do you drive a lot?

If you drive more than 20,000 to 25,000 km per year, leasing can be such a pain in the ass. So go get a used car instead.

Does your dealer show you “full disclosure” lease agreement?

If no, go find another dealer somewhere else. All contracts no matter how tough are fair. Be sure you see that in your dealings with any lessor.

But, hey, the most important question to ask is this:

Have you done your part? Go ahead and do some reading before you say leasing sucks.

When you face the dealer, be sure you know your trade-in value. Don’t stand there and act dumb. You are inviting hell to break loose.

Keep that dealer invoice price for the car you want in your pocket always. Let nobody tell you, you don’t know the trade.

Don’t pretend that you know how to calculate monthly payments unless you really know; negotiate for the price, not the monthly payments for your own peace.

Feel comfortable to walk out when the negotiations don’t work for you.

Let the dealer know that you know leasing and that you know what you are doing.

If the salesperson seems to be playing games with you, tell that person to stop. But restrain yourself from kicking his butt.

Don’t give the dealer any deposit during the negotiations.

You can always ask for another salesperson to negotiate with; if not, then walk away, right away!

Never give a dealer what you can afford for monthly payments. Give him an exact price instead.

Never agree to bring home a car for a night without settling a deal.

Make sure your well-being is intact during negotiations. When you feel tired, confused, or pressured during these times then you’re doomed.

When that dealer starts telling you that lease prices are not negotiable that means he is bluffing. Same as when he says that your source of invoice price is wrong.

Say no to extended warranties, add-on services, credit insurance, and other “miscellaneous fees.”

Always compare the dealer’s calculated monthly payment with your own, to make sure it’s accurate.

A slow day, like when it’s rainy or on a weekday, is a good day to negotiate. Always negotiate the price up from the dealer’s cost.

You are now a certified lease negotiator!

What goes inside your head when you’re about to sell a car?

A lot of things: how is the most basic though.

Here are some ways to make it a tad easier for you to start a process every car owner seems to avoid:

1. Get the professional details of your car’s make-up. You can ask for professional assistance that will cost you $75 to $100. This will bring out the best in your car and make it a show-stopper for shoppers.
2. Write a classified ad, focusing on the car’s strong points. You may include the phone number and price but not the address. Simply put, protect your privacy unless you want somebody knocking on your door when you’re still in your nighties.
3. Know  the retail value of your car at Yahoo!Autos and other reliable sources. Just bear in mind that there’s no fixed price. You have to come up with a price you can settle for.
4. As much as possible, pay off the car first before you sell it; but if in case this is not the case, just make sure that you don’t use the pay-off price as the selling price; or you’ll never sell it.
5. When you still have a pending payment on the car and you’re itching to get rid of it, then you can have the amount carried over to the new car loan.
6. Make sure the fluid levels of your car are intact, take special consideration of the oil. Oil is the greatest measurement of cleanliness for your car.
7. When there’s an outstanding loan on your car, bring the buyer to your bank. Let the buyer pay the loan and sign off the title to be transferred to the new owner.

You may want also to increase your car’s online presence by listing it in high-traffic sites. It’s a proven tactic.

Used car buying and leasing have gained footing in the manufacturing industry. With its advent comes the popularity of a major source of information for this transaction:The Vehicle History Report.

Of course, like anything happening for the first time, questions swarm people’s minds about what on earth is a vehicle history report. To help you keep your peace of mind, here are some answers:

A vehicle history report is your greatest source of information from CarFax about the history of a used car you want to purchase or lease. It includes the car’s insurance and DMV records. It’s where you can see if your car had major accidents, flood damages, or simply if the car is a lemon.

There’s simply a need for you to avail of the vehicle history report to know if your car has no issues regarding title and test passes for safety and emissions. You can also track if the car had accident history, too much mileage or anything that can pass off as evidence for heavy usage, and other valuable information that may have an effect on its functioning later on.

You need the vehicle history report, whether you’re selling or buying the car. In selling, you have to know the vehicle history report of your car to know the marketable price for it, based on usage and its standard market price. Buying, on the other hand, requires you to know possible problems the car may have due to some factors like heavy usage, accident history, and others. CarFax also offers a title guarantee. If in case there are some discrepancies on the car’s report or the title itself, you can ask for a payout.

And hey, the good thing is, all vehicle history reports go back to late eighties. Its database is that huge. If ever you wanna check on a car older than that, try to run the VIN anyhow.

Take note of the emphasis on APR: Check the annual percentage rate of the car. Making sure that it’s good will ensure a hefty saving for you.

Mileage is important. Calculate the nearest approximation you have for mileage. Underestimating it will make you pay soaring excess mileage rates; overestimating it will also make you pay more monthly than what’s necessary. Then you’ll be thinking I could have spent that money playing poker instead.

Figure it out; are you a long-range, high-mileage driver? If that’s the case, then you better include servicing as part of the package. You just have to pay additional on your monthly payment for this. But if you only have short trips in a city terrain, then you can pay on your own for the annual service and any additional ad-hoc bills.

Check if tax is part of the monthly payment; and if it is, how much are you being charged for it?

Sometimes to end the agreement is better than staying on with the contract. Just make sure that the penalties will not be more expensive than the interest and monthly payments til the end of the contract.

If you happen to have a personal contract purchase policy included in your contract and you want to give up your vehicle, you can opt to sell it to a buyer of your own choice; then you can sell it with a slightly higher price that will guarantee you profits.

They say the street-smart is more likely to survive; this is all the more true in car leasing. Knowing the nitty-gritty about dealers and some hidden issues in car leasing will be a surefire way of going through leasing hurdles unscathed.

Finding the best car lease is like open pit mining; half of your life (peace of mind) is at risk. Most car buyers ask the same question: Which is better: car buying or leasing? or Help! I can’t find a good car to lease! (Most of the time it’s in broken English. Check YahooAnswers.)

So to set things straight for all lessees and buyers at that, let me list down the sources you need to look into for that most sought-after yet elusive great car lease.

Prime but not primitive sources of leasing info are radio, newspaper, TV ads, and of course—the Net. Car manufacturers are fond of giving special leases for limited offer, not to mention subsidized or subvented leases. These companies usually offer these through discounting the price, boosting residual value, or by lowering interest rates. The thing is, you should work harder on your credit score; they only take in those that have 700+.

Next in line for the best car lease source are pricing or auto referral services in the Net. All you need to do is tell them the car you want and they can give a list of the best purchases or leases from the dealers who have agreed to your set price; the best part is, they will call you, not the head-splitting other way around. Another source, CarsDirect, when you like their offer lets you go to their dealership, sign the papers, and drive away, no sweat!

Top 3 among the sources is the nondealer lease sources. This simply means independent car lease companies. They may not be at par with car dealers’ promotional deals, but they can be good at hard-to-find, high-priced luxury cars. If this is not a guarantee that you will end up with your most-coveted car lease, then you might as well sue us for legwork.