Early adopter lease, purchase hesitation

[Obacher]

I know leasing has been discussed. It looks like an option at some point. Like most on this forum I have already reserved my Scout the first hour that it was a possibility. Everything I have seen and learned since then has made me more confident that a great vehicle is coming.

The one thing that is causing me some hesitation is knowing mine will be model year one, there will be tweaks, improvements, new colors and maybe even new models in the first four model years. This will leave me thinking I should have waited. As an early adopter I have a history of doing this.

An early adopter lease that allows me to to swap and just extend my lease to the original term would completely alleviate any concern. Full disclosure, I will be buying mine regardless of the finance options.

However, it seems like a limited lease option like this in year one could;

Drive some more early sales

Maintain/extend the excitement about whats coming

Create a small pipeline of available used Scouts bringing people to the brand at a lower entry price

Lock in a subset of owners for the long term

Reward the early adopters (Scouts) that signed up immediately

 

[cyure]

Yep that’s the concern when buying any vehicle, brand new to the market or not. Vehicles get refreshed, new colors for a new year, added features etc. My husband has always said that is the test when buying a new car. Make sure you love it so much that if new model years change things you don’t care.

I have never leased a vehicle and don’t plan on leasing my Scout.

Here’s my question, is leasing something new car brands do right out of the gate? I don’t think Rivian did. They do now, but I think it took a while for them to start offering leases.

I feel like leases are more expensive in the long run if you decide to purchase the vehicle. I have always been under the impression that leases are good for people who want to get a new car every 2 or 3 years. So what about this, what if Scout said buy an early model year and we will guarantee a trade in value if you decide you want a new one in a few years. So you wouldn’t lease but you would know how much your trade in would be if you traded it in for a new one in say 2, 3 or 4 years. Just a thought.

 

[Obacher]

Yep that’s the concern when buying any vehicle, brand new to the market or not. Vehicles get refreshed, new colors for a new year, added features etc. My husband has always said that is the test when buying a new car. Make sure you love it so much that if new model years change things you don’t care.

I have never leased a vehicle and don’t plan on leasing my Scout.

Here’s my question, is leasing something new car brands do right out of the gate? I don’t think Rivian did. They do now, but I think it took a while for them to start offering leases.

I feel like leases are more expensive in the long run if you decide to purchase the vehicle. I have always been under the impression that leases are good for people who want to get a new car every 2 or 3 years. So what about this, what if Scout said buy an early model year and we will guarantee a trade in value if you decide you want a new one in a few years. So you wouldn’t lease but you would know how much your trade in would be if you traded it in for a new one in say 2, 3 or 4 years. Just a thought.

I think leasing is more expensive than paying cash, there is interest in that payment somewhere. I don't like to borrow money on a depreciating asset, so I typically pay cash for cars.

When I have done leases in the past the terms included a buy out residual that gave me a favorable price to buy the vehicle outright at the end of the lease term.

I would consider leasing my Scout only because it is relatively new technology so advancements in everything could come very quickly and it is model year one, so improvements in the first couple years would be fair to expect.

So yes I would be spending more just to insure myself against some "must have" change.

 

[cyure]

I think leasing is more expensive than paying cash, there is interest in that payment somewhere. I don't like to borrow money on a depreciating asset, so I typically pay cash for cars.

When I have done leases in the past the terms included a buy out residual that gave me a favorable price to buy the vehicle outright at the end of the lease term.

I would consider leasing my Scout only because it is relatively new technology so advancements in everything could come very quickly and it is model year one, so improvements in the first couple years would be fair to expect.

So yes I would be spending more just to insure myself against some "must have" change.

Totally understand where you are coming from. That’s why I hope they have options. My plan is to purchase and keep for the long haul. By the time I get my Scout my Jeep will be almost 15. Im planning on my Scout being in my garage for just as long.

 

[J Alynn]

Yep that’s the concern when buying any vehicle, brand new to the market or not. Vehicles get refreshed, new colors for a new year, added features etc. My husband has always said that is the test when buying a new car. Make sure you love it so much that if new model years change things you don’t care.

I have never leased a vehicle and don’t plan on leasing my Scout.

Here’s my question, is leasing something new car brands do right out of the gate? I don’t think Rivian did. They do now, but I think it took a while for them to start offering leases.

I feel like leases are more expensive in the long run if you decide to purchase the vehicle. I have always been under the impression that leases are good for people who want to get a new car every 2 or 3 years. So what about this, what if Scout said buy an early model year and we will guarantee a trade in value if you decide you want a new one in a few years. So you wouldn’t lease but you would know how much your trade in would be if you traded it in for a new one in say 2, 3 or 4 years. Just a thought.

I’d go one step further and only offer the BEV. Get more buyers behind wheel and convert them and if not-they can get their harvester at trade in time. I think like many of us, once you listen to learn or experience it first hand you quickly will learn how much better the BEV is-for most people. I know Midwest and mountain owners have legit concerns due to minimal infrastructure

 

[cyure]

I’d go one step further and only offer the BEV. Get more buyers behind wheel and convert them and if not-they can get their harvester at trade in time. I think like many of us, once you listen to learn or experience it first hand you quickly will learn how much better the BEV is-for most people. I know Midwest and mountain owners have legit concerns due to minimal infrastructure

Oh that’s a good idea.

 

[J Alynn]

I think leasing is more expensive than paying cash, there is interest in that payment somewhere. I don't like to borrow money on a depreciating asset, so I typically pay cash for cars.

When I have done leases in the past the terms included a buy out residual that gave me a favorable price to buy the vehicle outright at the end of the lease term.

I would consider leasing my Scout only because it is relatively new technology so advancements in everything could come very quickly and it is model year one, so improvements in the first couple years would be fair to expect.

So yes I would be spending more just to insure myself against some "must have" change.

There is a valid argument to that POV for leasing. My only hesitation is I’d like an early edition and hold on to it and hope some day-when on my death bed my kid can sell it and make a few bucks

 

[cyure]

There is a valid argument to that POV for leasing. My only hesitation is I’d like an early edition and hold on to it and hope some day-when on my death bed my kid can sell it and make a few bucks

Or keep it because they love it so much and it reminds them of dad.

 

[maynard]

Or keep it because they love it so much and it reminds them of dad.

even better!

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I think it would be great if Scout offered the BEVs with a 24 or 36 month 0% APR balloon payment loan and an option to trade in before paying the final balloon. This loan would come with a down payment, origination fees, etc., so it wouldn’t be Scout carrying all the risk. But it would give people a chance to drive a Scout for less cost and it would open the door to more customers, IMO. And it would likely create a healthy used car market within a few years.

 

[cyure]

I think it would be great if Scout offered the BEVs with a 24 or 36 month 0% APR balloon payment loan and an option to trade in before paying the final balloon. This loan would come with a down payment, origination fees, etc., so it wouldn’t be Scout carrying all the risk. But it would give people a chance to drive a Scout for less cost and it would open the door to more customers, IMO. And it would likely create a healthy used car market within a few years.

I’m all for options.

 

[Mousehunter]

I can see your point - and will admit I have thought about it before. I don't really want to purchase a vehicle only to be a beta tester. But leasing to be a beta tester seems more palatable. That said, I think that initial orders will consume quite a few months of early production (especially before production ramps up). At that point, perhaps leasing would work well to get the second wave sold. But there is a trade off - it will potentially flood the used market after the lease term - hurting resale and even new sales then.

Just a risk. I like how Tesla helped people explore their vehicle via Hertz. I am sure it helped some people make the decision to buy. But flip side, the former Hertz Tesla's are not doing helping much anymore. They are depressing the used market and making EV's in general look like they are terrible investments.

 

[bakdraft8231]

yes definitely dont want to be the canary in the coalmine,which is really pushing me to the Yukon Denali Ultimate,then maybe to swing back in 3 or 4 years from now and try the Scout,also still have range anxiety, not sure if I could hunt around for a charger at 10pm when I pull into my destination, just not sure yet and Scout is NOT showing me much lately???? ..So for now Ill stick with my 1978 SSII from Anything Scout..