[RWebb]

Not always.

When I did my first lease (MB ML40), I put the exact amt. of $$ as the purchase price into a G&I stock fund and made all the lease payments out of that.

It was simple way to test - at the end of the lease, there was still a lot of $$ in the fund. Enuff to make a good comparison, let's say.

For a Boxster S lease I had, the value of the car fell like a stone (technology bubble), so I was very happy to hand it back and say "here is your fun, but not valuable car back - now you dispose of it."

But generally, you will be better off if you do not lease - often depends on taxes