Buy, Lease Or Subscription? What Will Your Next Car Be?

The Los Angeles Auto Show is the only major U.S. show that isn't overseen by the local dealer association. And this year, it showed, with more automakers promoting alternatives to the basic retail sales model and the American tradition of personal car ownership.

Volvo and Lincoln said they are diving into the business of monthly vehicle subscriptions, which are more flexible than leases, though not necessarily less expensive. Their announcements come on the heels of pilot programs launched this year by Cadillac, Hyundai and Porsche and plans sketched out by Volvo affiliate Polestar and some electric vehicle startups.

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TomM - 12/4/2017 11:44:35 AM

+4 Boost

WHen I get a car for myself - I pay in full.

SanJoseDriver - 12/4/2017 1:34:29 PM

-4 Boost

Leaning towards lease or subscription (if that is an option), with the pace of innovation I'll want to upgrade every couple years or so.

MDarringer - 12/4/2017 6:50:32 PM

+10 Boost

So the new trend is to pay out the ass for renting cars???

SanJoseDriver - 12/5/2017 3:00:20 AM

-7 Boost

It will move to pay-per-user when level 5 autonomous cars are in full swing, and costs should be lower per mile than what we pay today to buy or lease a car.

MDarringer - 12/5/2017 8:32:38 AM

+9 Boost

And I know that makes your little Socialist hart happy to believe such nonsense. If a new pricing scheme is being offered, it's NOT going to benefit customers first.

SanJoseDriver - 12/6/2017 4:30:01 AM

-7 Boost

It will happen for sure and I think it will have to benefit customers first. Everyone is going to be afraid to use a self-driving car with no driver initially, companies will have to discount to get initial customers. After that, competition will keep prices down since every automaker will in essence be an UBER. (Oh and Google just invested 1.5 billion in Lyft, they will be a big part of the market too). If level 5 can cut down the cost of what you pay for a taxi today in half or a third, this is how most people are going to commute. It could be less than public transit.

PUGPROUD - 12/5/2017 10:36:02 AM

+2 Boost

Lease the family SUV which stays outside and buy the toys that stay in the garage. The latter only being stock the day it leaves the dealer's lot.