joanneagra

মঙ্গলবার, ২৩ জুলাই, ২০১৩

Car leasing is back with a vengeance - Fortune Features

By Doron Levin, contributor

Get one cheap.

FORTUNE -- The Newport Beach, California periodontist who trades regularly among the latest Mercedes, BMW and Lexus sedans is typical of a client that prefers to lease, rather than to buy, vehicles. Now her assistant, who keeps his Honda Civic for a long stretch, is leasing as well.

The recovering U.S. auto market has been characterized, in part, by a rising percentage of customers who are leasing cars, notably non-luxury buyers. Last year the percentage of those leasing reached 22%; this year it could break through 25%, according to Edmunds.com. Low interest rates and strong pricing for used cars are two factors behind the trend.

"Luxury brands have for a long time relied on leasing to maximize their sales volumes. Now mainstream brands are riding that wave, drawing buyers with the promise of lower monthly payments through leasing," says Jessica Caldwell, an analyst for Edmunds.com.

MORE:?Detroit's bankruptcy is an utter defeat

Many younger buyers have been attracted by lease deals because they can more easily understand a monthly payment and the simplicity of returning a vehicle after a set period of time?as opposed to a fixed price that is complicated by a down payment and several financing options. Many also like the option of buying the car at a set price at the end of the lease period.

But those holding the lease (often the automakers themselves) may get burned if the so-called residual value of the car?the projected price at the end of the lease period?doesn't live up to expectations due to a soft market for used vehicles. Sometimes automaker lending arms create low monthly payments and unrealistically high residuals to disguise what actually is a financial incentive to buy.

Monthly payments for lease vehicles are usually lower than payments for purchased vehicles that are financed with a loan. But (as Edmunds.com points out) if a motorist decides to drive a car for six years or more, the purchase of a slightly used vehicle is more cost efficient than new or leased vehicles.

MORE:?The subtle art of managing your annoying boss

Larry Dominique, president of ALG, a company that tracks residual values and lease rates, said "we have seen automakers that traditionally didn't lease, such as Hyundai and Kia, are embracing the practice due to increased residual values." Rising quality and tight availability of Korean brands has raised transaction prices of new vehicles, making used vehicle prices stronger as well.

A vehicle lease is an agreement whereby a third-party financial institution owns the car, the user of the vehicle agreeing to pay a monthly rate and return the vehicle after a specific period of time, with no more than a set number of miles on the odometer. The agreement usually contains a financial penalty for exceeding the mileage limit.

ALG is bullish on the continued increased in the strength of residual values, which comes from rising demand for vehicles. Used-car supply is tight, Dominique said, "which is causing an unnaturally high value on used cars. We don't expect the supply of used cars to return to where it was in 2007 [when the car market tanked] until 2017."

MORE:?Is there a silver lining for Detroit?

A big disadvantage of a vehicle lease, getting stuck for a long time with a vehicle you don't like, has an up-to-date digital remedy. For a fee, Swapalease.com matches motorists who want to get out of their lease with those who might be interested in assuming them.

The auto companies have too fresh a memory of the last collapse to tempt a new one with residual values that wildly unrealistic. Still the threat of a new bubble is never too distant, which is why lower and lower monthly payments may trigger alarm bells.

Source: http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/22/car-leasing-is-back-with-a-vengeance/

Secret Life of the American Teenager zynga PNC Bank floyd mayweather Romina Puga Red Wedding The Fosters

সোমবার, ২২ জুলাই, ২০১৩

Google invests in maker of Google Glass components

1 hour ago

Anthony Quintano / NBC News

Google Inc will take a 6.3 percent stake in the unit of Taiwanese chipmaker Himax Technologies Inc that develops display technology for devices such as Google Glass, Himax said.

The investment will help fund the production of liquid crystal on silicon chips and modules used in head-mounted devices such as Google Glass, head-up displays and pico-projectors, Himax said in a statement.

Google, which reported lower-than-expected results last week, is pushing forward with Google Glass, a product which CEO Larry Page has described as vital to the company's future success.

The agreement also allows Google to raise its stake in the unit, Himax Display Inc, to 14.8 percent within a year, Himax said.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

Google Glass, announced in June last year, is a stamp-sized electronic display mounted on the left side of a pair of eyeglass frames that can record video, access messages and retrieve information from the Web.

With this investment, Google will join Intel's Intel Capital Corp, Khosla Ventures I LP and KPCB Holdings as a core shareholder of the chipmaker's unit.

The transaction is expected to close in the current quarter.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663301/s/2effaf49/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Cgoogle0Einvests0Emaker0Egoogle0Eglass0Ecomponents0E6C10A70A0A0A37/story01.htm

HMS Bounty dominion power Heather Clem Con Edison LaGuardia Airport the weather channel national grid

Novated Lease Calculator and Other Car Lease Options ...

Buying a new car can be expensive but there are other options than simply buying the car outright. As the modern world moves forward and financing becomes available you can simply opt to lease your car and pay a little each week off the total price. At the end of the lease you will own the car outright. There are different leasing and financing options and whether financing is the right choice for you will depend on your situation. Novated car lease options are also a popular choice for those in employment you can use the novated car lease calculator to work out how much money you will spend and how much you will save.

Finance Lease

When you opt to buy a car on finance you will sign a contract to say that you will pay a certain amount each month. This amount must be paid or the car will be taken away. The rate is usually negotiable dependent upon how many months you want to pay off the car. This is a good option for those who want a new car but want to cover the cost over time.

Novated Car Lease

A novated car lease is a n even better option for those who want a new car. A novated car lease is an agreement between you, your employer and the lease company. You lease the car and then it is transferred to your employer. Your employer will pay the fees and then deduct the amount from your salary before tax. This means you pay less income tax and can reap the benefits of owning your own car. The novated lease calculator from http://www.novatedcarleasecalculator.com?can help you understand how much money you can save when you opt of this option of car financing.

Source: http://theweekendpost.com/novated-lease-calculator-and-other-car-lease-options/

carrie underwood garth brooks george strait Peyton Siva rick warren Final Four 2013 final four