Help--2003 AR, 51,500 miles near excellent condition--no mechanical or elec problems--6 month old tires. Lease is over March 4th--$21,352 to buy. Edmunds says trade in $23k retail $28k--I would like to keep it another year --what do you guys think it will be worth in another year as a trade?? If I turn it in I will replace it with a Murano.($34k list) I got some prices for ext warrenty from the dealer-I think if I keep it I will buy the warranty. I really like the car buy worry about problems--
What would you do?

Your lease value is about its true trade-in value +/- 500. Your already over 50K which is where the value (due to warranty expiration) greatly declines. Its been good to you so I would actually not get an aftermarket warranty, but take the money for the cost of the warranty and the differential in extra payment you would make for the Nissan and set it aside for a repair slush fund. A year from now the car might be worth $3-4K less, about average depreciation - that equals about a $333 a month - not a bad ride for $333 a month - like I said take the difference of this from the murano payment and set that into your repair fund. If you don't need any major repairs you will have some nice cash in a year. Thats what I would do.

Talk to your Dealer about getting it CPO'd, which will cost you $400-500 bucks, and then you'll have it in warrenty for 3 more years and up to 100,000 miles. You may be buying a used car, but you know the original owner real well.

if that's what you want.

I bought our A4 after the lease ended and regreted it quickly. Not because the car had problems, quite the opposite. I was just too busy to deal with looking for another car at that time and buying it was the easiet thing to do. Selling a car is a hassle and that's what you would end up doing (unless you trade it in and take the hit).

If you want another car in 6-12 months, I would not buy the AR. If you can extend the lease, great. If not, I'd just turn it in and go find what you want.

My advice is strictly a result of my time vs money theory. I don't like to spend time buying, selling cars. I make more money spending that time at work or want to spend that time on hobbies, family, etc.

I favor keeping a car as long as it runs well. When the cost of maintenance becomes near the cost of investing into a new car then it is time to change otherwise keep the nice ride and save $.....

The Murano has no room and is ugly.

dunno how well the ARs are holding, but them seem to be dipping...not as badly as C5 A6s.

Actually the Murano is larger inside--more shoulder and head, room front and back--and 9 more cu ft of cargo room in a vehicle that is slightly smaller on the outside. according to Edmunds! The allroad is of course still grear looking for its age--but I would not say the Murano is ugly. Ugly is the Subie Tribeca!! Dogs bark at it! I just don't know if Iwant to drop $34k on a new vehicle..

The Murano is the closest vehicle that I could find to the Allroad in build quality and driveability--and for about $12k less.

Keep it...

so if that is what you are looking for (your highest return) you should turn it now.

Are you serious?

but damn is that thing ugly (the Murano). Almost makes me wonder if Chris Bangle did some moonlight at Nissan/Renault.

rear wheel drive (G35) platform for FX, Altima front wheel drive for Murano.
In common: beauty of each is in the eye of the beholder. More trendy than Audi design, in my opinion, but both valid choices for that type of vehicle. Nissan may lack Infinity's prestige and platform's performance heritage, but nice packaging and better value.

negotiated good buyback terms. I need to contact one for you to get both handles.

J.
greatnewcar at yahoo dot com

You are talking about 2 different vehicles--the FX is Infinity and is a dopey looking vehicle--FX35 is a v6 and 280hp, FX45 is 315HP v8--the fastest SUV as of now. They do not resemble each other at all.

Many times I found the AR roof too low to load stuff in the back!!!!So whats your point?? There is more room behind the back seat in the Murano..

his name is Jamie from Colorado. I cen't recall his AW name.
Jay.

Retail (private sale) was more than the buyout so we decided to buy it. Checked on an extended warranty (third party, not CPO) but it was $3500 from Warrantech through the dealer. IF we had bought the extended warranty, we'd still have the allroad, we liked the car fine. We didn't buy the warranty and the possibility of repairs to the turbos or air suspension scared me.

Was thinking about a new A4 4.2 to replace the allroad when I saw a used CPO'd S6 with 18k that the local dealer had. Drove it and decided to roll the dice. The S6 in in a class by itself, amazing car, less $$$ than a new A4 4.2.

I'd be afraid to have an allroad without some sort of extended warranty.

Jim