May I ask how old you are?
I have both leased and purchased. I found from my experiences, that it was cheaper to lease until the point of return. If you lease with no intention of purchasing that particular vehicle, or another from the same dealership for that matter, said dealership will hit you with every surcharge they can think of.
-Paint damage
-Extra mileage
-Interior damage
-Regular maintenance issues(on dealership terms, not following protocol can void warranty)
-replacement of wearable items such as tires, brakes, rotors, calipers, clutch/trans, etc…
These are all things that a dealership can or will hit you with once you return the vehicle, if you have no intentions of purchasing from “said” dealership.(unless stated in your lease contract)
^this is based off of my own personal experiences.
Its also cheaper to lease if you have your own business, as part of the vehicle (sometimes all) can be written off as a business expense, gas included. Also you would have the luxury of owning a new vehicle every few years.
That being said, If you do not think that any of the above fits your situation, then I would highly recommend you consider purchasing the vehicle outright, as it may be less stressful to own and operate.
Kazz** perhaps you can share some of your personal experiences with regard to leasing and purchasing.
Cheers,
R