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2013 and earlier Nissan Murano Lease Questions

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Comments

  • boomer451boomer451 Member Posts: 10
    I leased a 07 Murano yesterday, I live in NE, here are the details. 07 SL AWD, msrp, $31,910, cap cost, $28,410, MF .00016, residual 47% for 39 mo./15k per year lease. Dealer kept the $500 rebate. Monthly payments $354 per mo. not including tax. If you have a dealer that still has 07's to sell they may be ready to deal. Up front cost, first payment and doc. fees of $199.
  • stevenj815stevenj815 Member Posts: 8
    That sounds really good. Is daeler anywhere near Southern NJ. I'm gettying prices of $425.
    Steve
  • dip007dip007 Member Posts: 15
    I agree with you, you should the least money down as possible. Is that a true statement that if you total the car then you will lose your money? The dealer will not replace your vehicle?
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    The dealer has nothing to do with it. It's between you, your insurance company and the lease company.

    Pretty much all leases now include gap insurance which means the leasing company will cover the difference between what your insurance company pays vs. what you owe on the vehicle.

    So if you total a leased vehicle there's no advantage to having put down a down payment. Gap insurance has you covered in this respect to make sure you don't have to write a check to the lease company between what the insurance paid on the car and what's left on the lease payment plus residual value of the vehicle.

    And yes, if you total a leased vehicle, you aren't getting a check at all, regardless of how much money you put down on the lease. You get to start all over again with a new lease or purchase and your down payment counts for nothing which is why it's stupid to put any money down on a lease beyond what's required to drive off with the car.
  • rich82976rich82976 Member Posts: 3
    A week ago I leased a 07 Murano S AWD
    Dealer is instaling leather
    I put 2,000.00 down and am paying $389 a month tax included.
    Just wondering if this was a good deal?
    MSRP 30,500.00
  • rich82976rich82976 Member Posts: 3
    PS it is a 15k per year lease.
  • bkanskybkansky Member Posts: 14
    My 05 Murano SL lease is ending this month and I have driven both the new 09 Murano LE AWD and the 08 Infinit FX35 AWD. The monthly lease price on 09 Murano LE AWD for 36 mo w/16-17 K miles with $2k plus fees down will run $608. Equivalent Infiniti FX35 AWD will only cost $529 because car is not new and money factor is so much lower. I like both vehicles but I would really prefer to get the new Murano but I cannot justify the monthly lease cost difference. I am also worried about the difference in new EPA mileage estimates with city rated 18 for Murano but only 15 for Infiniti.
    That's a big diference when gas is going to be high $3's this summer.

    Any advice on getting a better lease rate from sources other than Nisssan/Infiniti or is Infiniti FX35 the best bet for lease right now? Where do you think 09 Murano money factor will be in 2-3 mos?
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    Two really different cars in my opinion. My wife has a leased FX35 that she's been driving for three years now.

    FX has much sportier ride and many complain it rides too harsh on anything but super smooth pavement. The engine in the FX is a beast, much, much more power than the Murano's engine.

    FX has much better interior than the Murano, although the 09 Murano has improved in this area quite a bit. Murano has far better tech features than the FX with things like power hatch, bluetooth integration, ipod interface, etc.

    FX is a better lease candidate not only because of lower money factor but also because of higher residual value after 3 yrs and 36-50K miles.

    As far as gas mileage goes, my wife is averaging 17-19 mpg with her FX in 50/50 city/highway driving. She only puts around 10K miles a year on a car so gas price is not the factor it would be if she was a high mileage driver.

    Dealers will straight up tell you that they can't lease Murano right now... why would you lease a Murano when you could have an Infiniti, Acura or Lexus for less money per month with similar features and a better warranty? Volume on Murano will have to build before lease incentives start to come up for the new Murano, probably end of summer or early fall.
  • dreggmandreggman Member Posts: 4
    Well after driving our 04 Murano around for the past 4 years - we decided to upgrade. Worked out perfect as our lease was up this past Feb. We wound up leasing a LOADED 2009 Murano LE AWD with EVERY option - moonroof, navigation, mats, cross rails, cargo protector, tire flaps, etc. We were really upset that you could not get a DVD player and the navigation system or moonroof. Tried to config online - but selecting overhead DVD greys out BOTH moon (makes sense) and navigation (does not make sense!). The dealer said it had something to do with the wiring. So we added the OEM DVD Players (INVISION) to the back of each headrest. Looks even BETTER to be honest than the factory option. So we literally have EVERYTHING in this car. (DVD NOTE: The DVD players were installed by the dealer and look amazing. Nissan considers INVISION DVD to be a NISSAN "dealer port" option. Only the dealer offers this option and they match the factory specs. INVISION items can ONLY be ordered and installed through the dealership. 3rd party companies and consumers CANNOT buy them and do it yourself. For this reason they are not considered aftermarket and convered under the NISSAN manufacturer warranty as well.)

    We got the LE with the Super Black Exterior with Beige Leather Interior. Looks great in this combination. Dark interior looked good in old model - but we thought beige interior looks better in 09s.

    Original Sticker was $40,511.00 and DVD Player was $1500.00. Cap Cost Came to $38,200.00. All this in a 42 Month Lease with 12K miles annually - $5,529 down - out of pocket (first payment - the 529-, taxes, titles, tags, etc.) and a Monthly payment of $529.00 I believe the buyout at the end of the lease is $19K and change. For a car with this many options - I believe we got a great deal. I know the DVD Players in the Headrest option was like $1500. I live in Virginia and shopped around at 6 dealers - the best we were offered in VA was $6200 down and $570 a month for the same lease - I took this deal back to the dealer where we originally leased our 04 Murano - Herb Gordon Nissan in MD and they beat it - no games and no hassle - did everything over the phone. I just showed up to pick up my car!! They gave me the model customer experience - twice! They have amazing customer service. I would obivously deal with them again in a hearbeat.

    By the way - I have also test driven the Acura, Lexus and Infiniti this year. Thought maybe it was time to leave Nissan. My parents have the lexus and i drove it in Florida for two solid weeks prior to test driving the 09 Murano. I can honestly say - money aside - I felt the 09 Murano drove and felt better than ALL OF THEM. Maybe a personal preference. But even if cost was not a factor - I felt the 09 Murano was the best one. It is a truly amazing car. Just did a road trip up to NYC last weekend and this car was perfect. The bluetooth was awesome for answering calls with no effort, ipod connecter was very cool for listening to our library of tunes and controlling it through the vehicle, the traffic navigation helped us avoid some major tie ups on the beltway, the dvd players were great for keeping the little happy with dora the explorer, the duel moonroofs were great for taking in the views in NYC and overall the roomy seats and great handling made for a wonderful trip!!

    I HIGHLY recommend this car.
  • dcbengaldcbengal Member Posts: 4
    I test drove the FX35 hoping I was going to love it because I really like the FX body style over the Murano body style. To say I was extremely disappointed would be an understatement. I drove the sport version with the 20" wheels first - this car was extremely twitchy (you couldn't breath on the steering wheel) and the ride was very hard. Then I drove the model with the 18" wheels - better then the first but still not even in the same ballpark with the 09 Murano. I thought the Murano had a ton more get up and go then the FX - and you just can't beat the CVT transmission on the Murano! I am hoping that they are going to upgrade the Infiniti to the level of the Murano (isn't it ironic that they upgraded the lower end car before the Luxury car??) in time for my next car.

    All that being said, after test driving the FX35, Lexus RX350, Toyota Highlander, Ford Edge and the Murano, I have ordered my 09 Murano LE fully loaded and paid $300 over invoice. I am getting a lease through my credit union for 5 yrs/15K per year for no money down and $550 per month; $16K residual.
  • flightnurseflightnurse Member Posts: 2,217
    WHy a 5 yr lease ? Reading everything I can on leases, that makes no sense, the most you want to do is 4, and most leases are for either 2-3 yrs. The payments can't be that much of a difference.
  • dcbengaldcbengal Member Posts: 4
    I agree in most cases right now the most cost effective appears to be the 39 month lease; however, as I flat out refuse to put money down on a lease, the best deal that I found on the Murano was from my CU for 5 years - going through Nissan is not an option since there are no incentives yet. I have done 5 yr leases for the last 20 years and the money I have put into the cars in tires and brakes (these are the only expenses I have ever had besides oil changes) has been far less then the money I see people putting down on 2 and 3 year leases.
  • bkanskybkansky Member Posts: 14
    After 3 yrs using the Intelligent key and not needing key in ignition, I won't go back to the older technology. Neither Acura MDX or Lexus RX350 have upgraded to that technology yet. The only other comparable vehicle to have that is the new Toyota Highlander and that vehicle does not excite me. The FX seats are more comfortable but the lower mileage and the vroom vroom plus the rough ride have made me reconsider and pushed me back to the 09 Murano LE AWD. Maybe this is the year I stop leasing and buy a car.
  • rich82976rich82976 Member Posts: 3
    Car_man,

    A week ago I leased a 07 Murano S AWD
    Dealer is instaling leather
    I put 2,000.00 down and am paying $389 a month tax included.
    15K per year
    Just wondering if this was a good deal?
    MSRP 30,500.00
  • mikefurmmikefurm Member Posts: 6
    Dear Car Man

    On 2/27/08 I posted a message # 660.
    Could you please give your opinion or advice regarding the 2009 Murano lease?
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    I can't quite understand why you would put that kind of money down on a lease, or why you (or anyone else for that matter) would spend thousands of dollars adding extra options to a leased vehicle that in all likelihood you will turn in at the end of the lease.

    Money spent adding DVD players, aftermarket leather, etc, to leased vehicles is money poured down a drain, it won't add anything to the residual of the car.

    If you put $5K down on a low residual lease you would have been better off putting down $10K cash and simply buying the car outright.
  • CarMan@EdmundsCarMan@Edmunds Member Posts: 38,514
    You're very welcome, tazgirl3.

    Car_man
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  • CarMan@EdmundsCarMan@Edmunds Member Posts: 38,514
    Yes, tigger5753, NMAC's 12,000 mile per year residual values are 1% higher than its 15,000 mile per year resids.

    Car_man
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  • CarMan@EdmundsCarMan@Edmunds Member Posts: 38,514
    Hey rgustafs. NMAC's lease program for the '09 Murano is already a little better than it was. Its March buy rate for it is .00260, which is equivalent to an interest rate of around six and a quarter percent. Its 36 month, 12,000 mile per year residual value is 51%. You may want to ask dealers about lease programs that are being offered by independent banks. They seem to have become a lot more attractive over the past several months as the Fed's rate cuts have kicked in. You might be better off leasing through a non-captive bank.

    Car_man
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  • CarMan@EdmundsCarMan@Edmunds Member Posts: 38,514
    Hello jmpage2. Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp.'s current buy rate lease money factor and residual value for a 36 month lease of a 2009 Nissan Murano LE AWD with 12,000 miles per year are .00260 and 51%, respectively.

    Car_man
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  • CarMan@EdmundsCarMan@Edmunds Member Posts: 38,514
    Hi azpackfan. Let me begin by saying that $5,000 is way too much money to put down on a lease. I always advise consumers not to make any sort of capitalized cost reduction when leasing. Those who make them risk losing them if their vehicle is totaled in an accident or stolen and never recovered. You would be much better off going with a zero down lease, even through it means that your monthly payment will be higher.

    Let's take a look at the other aspects of this deal. The 2009 Murano that you are interested in probably has a spread of around $3,000 between its full MSRP and its dealer invoice price. The $2,650 discount that you were quoted on this truck looks very attractive to me. Just make sure that the dealer that you are working with uses NMAC's current buy rate lease money factor of .00260 to calculate your monthly payment and you're in business.

    Car_man
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  • bkanskybkansky Member Posts: 14
    Hi car_man,
    My 05 Murano lease is up and I want to lease the new 09 Murano LE AWD The MSRP with options is $40,200 and the "invoice" is $36,874 per Edmunds and the dealer will either lease or sell me the 09 for invoice. But he said residual was only 49% and that's low. I buy 16K a year but usually go over. This is my 5th lease but first with such a high money factor because vehicle is so new. I found an internet site that uses USB for leasing with lower money factor (about 5% but they won't divulge) and no acquisition fee and only $196 in fees but I am not very comfortable using a non-captive lender. Too many unknowns. What's your experience with outside banks and service on the lease if there is a problem? I am considering purchase but I like leasing new technology and the Murano with no trade means high payments for 60 months and then a car with 85K and new sets of 20" tires plus maintenance costs. Any advice would be appreciated.
  • CarMan@EdmundsCarMan@Edmunds Member Posts: 38,514
    Hi rich82976. You never mentioned what this truck's selling price is, so let's work up what I would consider to be a good lease and compare it to what you are paying. A base 2007 Nissan Murano S AWD has a spread of around $2,300 between its full MSRP and its dealer invoice price. Plus Nissan is providing $2,800 lease cash on it right now. Let's assume a $2,500 discount for this exercise. According to my calculations, if you were to lease a 2007 Nissan Murano S AWD that has an MSRP of $30,500 and a selling price of through Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp. right now for 36 months with 15,000 miles per year, your zero down, pre-tax monthly payment would be around $378. Once sales tax is added in, this is pretty close to what you are paying. The problem is that this is a zero down lease. Is the $2,000 that you paid entirely a capitalized cost reduction or is that how much was due at lease signing. If it is the amount that you paid at signing, this is a pretty good deal because it includes your vehicle's first month's payment, NMAC's $595 acquisition fee, and a security deposit.

    Car_man
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  • CarMan@EdmundsCarMan@Edmunds Member Posts: 38,514
    Hey Mike. $250 over dealer invoice is an excellent selling price for a 2009 Nissan Murano. I am surprised that you were offered such a low money factor on this model. Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp.'s current buy rate for it is .00260, which is obviously much higher than the .00112 that you mentioned. I wonder if the dealer is running your lease through an independent bank. One wouldn't think that an independent bank would step up to the plate with such a low money factor though. Editor's note :), I see that you mentioned that this deal is through an independent bank. Impressive money factor. The negotiable aspects of this deal, the selling price and money factor, look great to me. I would be happy to double check the monthly payment that you were quoted, but you never mentioned what this vehicle's MSRP is. I need it to do the calculations. Given how unusually low this money factor is, I am not surprised that the acquisition fee is about $500 higher than normal.

    Car_man
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  • aflindaflind Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I am new here and looking for information. I have a 2004 Murano that I am turning in at the end of a lease in September. The care is in very good shape has new tires and will be at least 15,000 miles under allotment in September. I was just looking over my lease and there is a $395.00 penalty if I do not buy the car when I turn it in. Does turning it in with 15,000 miles left on my allotment give me any negotiating power in getting that fee waived or should I go across the country in it a few times? Foolish me for not noticing that penalty when I signed but it was never mentioned...of course. That fee makes me so angry I feel like jacking the car up and letting it run even though the fuel would be more than the penalty. Thank you in advance for any suggestions or help.
  • flightnurseflightnurse Member Posts: 2,217
    I have never heard of a lease that charges you if you do not purchase the car, are you sure its not a pently for early termination ? Also if you are going to be UNDER miles by 15K, then you have a car that is worth more then the resutal I would check to see what the Kelly BLue Book is, you well be able to use the 04 as a trade in and not have anything out of pocket..
  • mikefurmmikefurm Member Posts: 6
    Dear Car Man:
    In addition to my Posts # 660 & # 684 here is the info you have requested
    to check the dealer`s lease calculations:
    MSRP with mentioned in Post # 660 options - $33260.00 (according to windshield sticker). And the name of the bank offering this lease program is US Bank.

    Thanks, I`ll look forward to your result.

    Mikefurm
  • bruiser2bruiser2 Member Posts: 1
    Dear car man

    Just leased a 09 murano after my 05 lease was up and I this deal was for an SL with Prem. Package with no money down for 448 a month including T & T. went to several dealerships and this seamed like the best deal. Looks like US Bank helped this deal to happen. What do you think? thanks
  • lovemymuranolovemymurano Member Posts: 4
    Hi Car_Man - Was wondering if I got a decent lease price on this vehicle.

    MSRP 36,955.00
    2009 SL FWD
    Premium Pkg.
    Leather Pkg.
    Technology Pkg.
    Dual Panel Moonroof
    Navigation Pkg.

    Agreed Upon Price of Vehicle 33,761.36
    Amount Due At Lease Signing 1500.00
    39 Months $558.58 which is 522.04 plus 36.54 tax = 558.58

    capitalized cost reduction 671.26
    gross capitalized cost 35,055.36

    The dealer quoted me thru Huntington vs. Nissan - said they are getting better lease deals thru them.

    Would appreciate your input. And also trying to figure out how much I got it for in relation to invoice. Thank You
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    You've already bought it, what does it matter now whether you got a "good deal" or not? If you wanted to know if you were getting a good deal you would have done some research before buying it.

    And no, you didn't get a good deal. While you got the car for only $800 above invoice it sounds like you got the lease with an extremely low residual and/or a not so great money factor. Additionally you cap reduced this lease by another $700. You should not be putting any money down on a lease beyond 1st month lease payment and acquisition charge, if required by the leasing bank.

    $500+ a month lease payment should be on a $40K luxury vehicle, not on a $33K Nissan.
  • socallimeysocallimey Member Posts: 10
    I too have been considering leasing the '09 Murano but I have been toatlly turned off by the lack of reasonable deals out there. I have now turned my sights on the Infiniti EX35 or FX35. With Infiniti the money factors are excellent as are the residuals and there is more negotiating room on price. More car for less money.
  • flightnurseflightnurse Member Posts: 2,217
    Regarding the lack of Nissan deals on the 09 Murano, why would they, they are selling every since one of them.

    Regarding the EX, yes Nissan (opps Infiniti) has deals on them because they aren't selling as well. A fully loaded Murano is less then a EX, its bigger, and rides betters. the FX get a redo in 09....
  • newcarguy5newcarguy5 Member Posts: 14
    You're right...the lease deals on the Murano are poor. Also, keep in mind the lease deals are better on the SL than the LE (the residual on the LE is lower than a less expensive SL).

    My lease on my '04 Murano is up in April, but you can get an Acura MDX for a slightly higher payment than the SL and lower payment than the LE. In addition, with 15K mi/yr I get a full warranty with the Acura, but not with Nissan. However, the gas mileage appears to be quite a bit worse on the MDX.

    Don't kid yourself...all cars are not selling very well...even the Murano. If you are willing to buy you can get a good price, but Nissan is not willing to push the leases so soon after the release of the new styling.

    Drove the Ford Edge, but it is not the same. Anyone have any suggestions?
  • synsatsynsat Member Posts: 7
    Hi Car_man, thought I'd give you some info on what I thought was a pretty good lease deal I got on Saturday for an 07 SL FWD Murano with SL Touring Pkg with XM, mats, splash guards, cargo protector, and sunroof deflector. List $35,540. Agreed upon price was invoice less $800 or $31,694. MF of 0.00016 and residual of 46%; 12k/yr for 39 months. Zero down (I have listened to you before on this point). Being in TX, the best part was Nissan paid the tax. My only cost was first payment of $428.98. So, from my perspective, what I read earlier about deals being had on the 07's is true. Hope this helps others looking and not wanting to spend more on an 09. The 07 is still a great drive.
  • techdudetechdude Member Posts: 87
    I am debating between the 09 Murano and 08 RDX. I will be leasing and i can lease the rdx for no money down for 36months/12k for less than $500, including tax. I just got this quote from a local Nissan dealer for the Murano...

    09 Murano SL AWD with Leather, Tech, Premium and Moonroof packages. Also based on no money down and 12,000 miles/year.

    A 36 month lease is going to be $649.39/month and 1st payment due at signing.

    Is it just me or is something wrong with these numbers? Don't get me wrong the Murano is a nice vehicle, but it's not $650/ month nice. Any others out there with better pricing for the same model and trim?
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    That lease payment seems high for the Murano, even with current terrible lease deals on the '09 model. You would need to know what price the Murano was actually calculated at for the lease payment. With the current lease deal on the RDX there is an $1800 reduction from MSRP that's automatically done by the dealer and of course you can negotiate down from that.

    You should easily be able to negotiate an RDX without Nav and with no money down for under $500 a month.

    As far as the Murano goes, the interest rate (called money factor on a lease) from Nissan is around 6-7% and the residuals are quite poor, around 50% I believe.

    RDX and MDX base models both enjoy residuals for 3 yrs 36K miles of around 57-59% currently, which means you are paying for much lease of the vehicles depreciation to drive it for 3 yrs and 36K miles compared to the Nissan car.
  • socallimeysocallimey Member Posts: 10
    The dealerships here are loaded with '09 Murano's, 60 at last check. Quality of ride is very subjective, I personally prefer that of the EX as it is a lower more car like vehicle and is a few hundred pounds lighter, gets better mpg, also.
  • socallimeysocallimey Member Posts: 10
    You might also want to check out the Infiniti FX35, they are dealing on those right now and they have good residuals and MF's.
  • techdudetechdude Member Posts: 87
    Thanks for the input all. I would consider the EX if there was more cargo space. I'll probably concentrate on the RDX at this point.
  • shifter1shifter1 Member Posts: 7
    And thats on an SL, what would the LE be, $700.+ I am in the same boat, i am crossed between the murano and the rdx. I just wish the rear seats in the rdx reclined and the rdx had some smoother lines, not so jeep looking.
  • techdudetechdude Member Posts: 87
    I hear that. I prefer the room inside the murano over the rdx. Both are luxurious inside and the i'm not a big fan of the exterior of both, but since both fit the bill for us and within our budget, we'll have to pick one. My wife is expecting soon and I just don't have the time to wait for newer models to come out or for the pricing to drop. I'll probably give it another month before I pull the trigger on the RDX, but I wonder if better deals would be available closer to Memorial day. Good luck with your decision.
  • ttpilotttpilot Member Posts: 3
    Hi, we are looking at a 2009 Murano LE, MSRP is $39,920 but the dealer will take $37,500.

    Is this a reasonable price? What would good ballpark lease numbers look like, for, say, a 36 or 48 month lease? Zero down is the way to go?

    Thanks for helping the newbie!
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    The new '09 Murano is a poor lease choice at the moment due to low resale value (residual) and high money factor (interest rate) from Nissan. Even at invoice price the monthly lease payment on an LE will be over $600 a month. There are many other upscale mid-size SUVs with much lower monthly lease payment.

    If you are really interested in the Murano you might consider purchasing it instead of leasing it, since you will likely get a better interest rate.
  • ttpilotttpilot Member Posts: 3
    Hi, and thanks very much for the quick reply.

    Actually, we just got back from the dealer. They made us this offer:

    2009 Murano LE AWD
    48 month lease
    15,000 miles/year
    Money factor .00270
    MSRP $40,205
    Residual $16,886 (42%)
    Drive away cost $2000
    Monthly payment $589 including tax

    So, as far as leases on Muranos (Muranoes?) go, do you think this is this a relatively good deal? Or are we still better off to buy? This is mainly going to be used as a business vehicle, and I've been told there's generally a tax advantage to leasing.

    Thanks!
  • ttpilotttpilot Member Posts: 3
    Oh, perhaps I should also mention:

    Another dealer has an almost identical Murano and has given us this offer on a purchase:

    2009 Murano LE AWD
    MSRP $39,920
    Selling price $37,500
    APR 5.09%
    60 months
    Down $14,885
    Monthly $500

    How would you say this stacks up against the other dealer's lease offer?

    Sorry for all the questions, still learning about this. I appreciate your help!
  • mikefurmmikefurm Member Posts: 6
    Hi, Car Man
    On 2-27-08 I posted a question (Post # 660) regarding 09 Murano lease calculations
    It was partially answered and then I added more info (see Post # 687 from 3-13-08).
    Is it possible to get your opinion on lease calculations made by the dealer
    versus my calculations in which I used method recomended by several on-line sites.

    Thank you in advance.

    Mikefurm
  • greggbluegreggblue Member Posts: 8
    Hi all,

    Just stumbled on this message board, and it looks awesome! I am relatively ignorant on leases currently, even though I'm in a lease now. My car comes up in 1 1/2 months, and I want to lease a new 09 Murano LE AWD with nav and no overhead DVD. I was offered a very ridiculous 660/month with 3k down on a 09 LE. Based on the comments on this board, money down is a bad idea. Going with this dealer's "deal" is a bad idea too.

    I have several questions:

    1. What can I lease for 500/month with no $ down? I really want the Murano LE, but I can't find anyone to give it to me for less than 600/month (checked 2 dealers so far in VA). Anyone have a dealer in DC area that will deal with me on this?

    2. I went to the Lexus dealer in VA and he offered me a 08 RX350 for 599/month. Still not in my price range. What's the best strategy for getting this lease payment down, short of paying money?

    3. Any other suggestions for a comparable car to an 09 Murano that would give me similar space/features/performance?

    I want to pull the trigger today (rainy day, last day of the quarter, etc).

    Thanks in advance,

    Gregg
  • jmpage2jmpage2 Member Posts: 268
    When negotiating a lease the monthly payment is obviously important but you don't know if you're getting a good deal unless you understand how a lease works.

    Lease payments are derived based on the residual value of the car negotiated at the time of the lease, and the money factor, which works like an interest rate.

    To get a good lease payment you want to pick a vehicle that;

    1. Has great resale value (residual) based on the number of miles in the lease.
    2. Is being sold at or close to invoice price.
    3. Has a low money factor (triple zeros are ideal but anything under .002 is good).

    The problem with the Murano is that it has a poor residual AND it has a crappy money factor. Blame the current economic situation and value of the dollar for this. Nissan isn't willing to subsidize the Murano (yet) to make more leases happen. They also might have a more negative view of where the US economy is headed and have adjusted production accordingly.

    Now, on to vehicle choices. Nothing out there is going to have exactly the same features as the LE Murano, especially for under $40K. You need to prioritize which of those features is most important to you.

    I can tell you that the Acura RDX, MDX, Lexus RX350, etc, are all great vehicles that can be leased with no money down and payments of $400-$550 per month depending on pricing of the vehicle and what credit level you qualify for on your lease. Entry level on all of these cars would generally include heated leather seats, driver seat memory, dual (or triple) zone climate control, and many other features. The biggest feature to AVOID when leasing a vehicle is navigation, as it actually makes the residual on the car WORSE than the same car without navigation.

    Another option for you would be to buy out your car at lease end, drive it for a while longer and see if deals on the Murano sweeten in the next 6-12 months as the economy worsens. Nothing is going to motivate Nissan faster than thousands of these cars sitting unsold on their lots.

    Good luck.
  • cloudfancloudfan Member Posts: 1
    just leased a 09 Murano S AWD standard pkg (capitalized cost $29710, residual value $17425)
    I wish I found this thread before I signed the contract
    I got it for 399/mo for 39 months @12k miles/yr (got ripped off, right?)
    here is my question
    when I signed the contract, I paid $14xx as "sales tax" (plus first payment and some other fees with no money down, total $36xx)
    does it mean I've paid all the sales tax for all my monthly payments? (i.e. only pay 399/mo without tax?)
    thanx in advance

    P.S.
    just thought of another thing
    originally they put my financing through Han Finance(or Hann, not sure about the spelling)
    then they called me a day later saying they changed it to NMAC
    is it normal?
    thx again
  • dreggmandreggman Member Posts: 4
    Gregg (greggblue),

    I just started leasing a LOADED 2009 Murano LE AWD with EVERY option - moonroof, navigation, mats, cross rails, cargo protector, tire flaps, etc. We were really upset that you could not get a DVD player and the navigation system or moonroof. Tried to config online - but selecting overhead DVD greys out BOTH moon (makes sense) and navigation (does not make sense!). The dealer said it had something to do with the wiring. So we added the OEM DVD Players (INVISION) to the back of each headrest. Looks even BETTER to be honest than the factory option. So we literally have EVERYTHING in this car. (DVD NOTE: The DVD players were installed by the dealer and look amazing. Nissan considers INVISION DVD to be a NISSAN "dealer port" option. Only the dealer offers this option and they match the factory specs. INVISION items can ONLY be ordered and installed through the dealership. 3rd party companies and consumers CANNOT buy them and do it yourself. For this reason they are not considered aftermarket and convered under the NISSAN manufacturer warranty as well.)

    We got the LE with the Super Black Exterior with Beige Leather Interior. Looks great in this combination. Dark interior looked good in old model - but we thought beige interior looks better in 09s.

    Original Sticker was $40,511.00 and DVD Player was $1500.00. Cap Cost Came to $38,200.00. All this in a 42 Month Lease with 12K miles annually - $5,529 down - out of pocket (first payment - the 529-, taxes, titles, tags, etc.) and a Monthly payment of $529.00 I believe the buyout at the end of the lease is $19K and change. For a car with this many options - I believe we got a great deal. I know the DVD Players in the Headrest option was like $1500. I live in Virginia and shopped around at 6 dealers - the best we were offered in VA was $6200 down and $570 a month for the same lease - I took this deal back to the dealer where we originally leased our 04 Murano - Herb Gordon Nissan in MD and they beat it - no games and no hassle - did everything over the phone. I just showed up to pick up my car!! They gave me the model customer experience - twice! They have amazing customer service. I would obivously deal with them again in a hearbeat.

    By the way - I have also test driven the Acura, Lexus and Infiniti this year. Thought maybe it was time to leave Nissan. My parents have the lexus and i drove it in Florida for two solid weeks prior to test driving the 09 Murano. I can honestly say - money aside - I felt the 09 Murano drove and felt better than ALL OF THEM. Maybe a personal preference. But even if cost was not a factor - I felt the 09 Murano was the best one. It is a truly amazing car. Just did a road trip up to NYC recently and this car was perfect. The bluetooth was awesome for answering calls with no effort, ipod connecter was very cool for listening to our library of tunes and controlling it through the vehicle, the traffic navigation helped us avoid some major tie ups on the beltway, the dvd players were great for keeping the little happy with dora the explorer, the duel moonroofs were great for taking in the views in NYC and overall the roomy seats and great handling made for a wonderful trip!!

    I HIGHLY recommend this car.
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