thanks, guys. you're right, $350 a month is not unmanageable. but given my monthly budget, i'd really like to be spending more along the lines of $200-250 a month on payments and a LOT less on maintenance. the brembos and 18s just mean i'm shelling out every time my brakes or tires go, which seem to be a lot more frequent on this car than past cars. probably partially bc of the way i drive, but i know it's partially the car.

i used to have an RSX but i had the base model and traded up to a G, bc at the time, the payment didn't intimidate me and i was spending thousands on dumb mods that weren't even giving me the performance i wanted. i figured better to spend $150 more a month and just get the performance i needed. but i'm not in college anymore, and so my priorities have shifted... putting money into savings is a greater priority than being able to kill my buds on a canyon run.

what entices me is just seeing these crazy lease offers for $200 a month or less with nothing down... and i know i'll sacrifice in performance for sure, but maybe it's worth it.

that's why my question to you is... what's a good compromise? some of the answers til now have been very helpful.

 

for maintance i do my own oil changes which are easy ($30 for synthetic with filter), i have brembos and i pay about 30 for a set and they are great pads (satisfied pro ceramic from tire rack), tires i get off line used with good thread, if you look for the deals, maintance on this car isnt that big of a diff compared to a s2k, civic, etc.

 

Tires and brakes should last you at least 2 years, but pads are cheap, and you can make your tires last longer by buying good all-seasons vs. ultra-sticky summers. Many all-seasons should last you 45K+.

Most of those low price leases you see advertised are for base model cars with few options. For a Mazda3, it's going to be the 2.0L I4, not the 2.5L I4. A Mazda6 will be the 2.5L I4, not the 3.7L V6. At best you'll find a lease for $300 per month for the higher tier model of a particular car, but very few leases have a $0 down option.

A $50 per month savings isn't really worth all the hassle of a lease. You get all of the responsibilities of ownership, like maintenance costs, replacing brake pads, and replacing tires before you return it (they'll charge you for tires if they're worn too much), but you get few of the benefits (like equity and actual ownership once it's paid for). There are only a few situations where a lease makes sense, and lowering your monthly payment by a significant amount can be one of them, but that means leasing a base model vehicle for $199.

 

Current lease offerings that might work for you (as of 4/8/2010). Real cost = monthly payment + (down payment / lease length). All are 12K per year mileage and 36 months unless specified. All are base models (more or less). One thing I forgot to mention. The shorter the lease the better, and nothing longer than 36 months, so I've excluded any that are longer than that. This should only be a bridge until you can afford to buy a car. And never, EVER, lease a car for longer than it's warranty.

Honda Accord LX Sedan - $250/$199 per month, $0/$1800 down, $250 real cost.
Honda Civic LX Coupe - $210/$169 per month, $0/$1530 down, $210 real cost.
Honda Civic DX-VP Sedan - $190/$159 per month, $0/$1250 down, $190 real cost.
Honda Civix LX Sedan - $220/$179 per month, $0/$1620 down, $220 real cost.
Hyundai Elantra GLS Sedan - $159 per month, 24 months, $1840 down, $236 real cost.
Hyundai Sonata GLS Sedan - $199 per month, $2200 down, $260 real cost.
Mitsubishi Lancer ES Sedan = $179 per month, $2400 down, $246 real cost.

If you're really looking to save money, then one of the Civics or the Hyundai Elantra are the best way to go.