The concept of leasing is fairly simple, yet many automotive consumers don't completely understand. People are quite often skeptical and even afraid of leasing. A lot of people see it as being similar to a “rent-to-own” scenario but, for some reason, on a much more sinister level. There are even well-meaning but misinformed "experts" who are quick to advise against leasing, denouncing it as a scam, professing that it’s a waste of money like renting or suggesting that it only really benefits the businesses.
While leasing certainly does have similarities to renting and rent-to-own plans it’s far from sinister or cheating. In fact, leasing is a well-respected and common financial concept that has been used in the commercial world for decades as a method of financing buildings, equipment, and vehicles—although it is still relatively new to most automotive consumers.