When last we communed, I was about to euthanize Cheryl’s car. Well, it turns out it didn’t quite come to that. Cheryl is once again driving around in her golden lemon on wheels. But we have been discussing the possibility of replacements. The problem is that we really like our money, what little we have of it. A new car will force a separation, one that we don’t take lightly. In this light, Cheryl has been swept up in the phenomenon known as the dealer lease program. The idea is that you make lower payments leasing a car for a few years, then trade in the car at the end of the term for another car, and another lease. As I see it, this means they have you forever. They never let you forget that leases result in lower monthly payments. Like, “wow, I can’t believe were going to let you walk out of here with such a great deal!” Once again, the cynic in me comes out. It seems to me that selling cars is a business. Businesses do what they do to make money. Leasing cars makes them money, otherwise they wouldn’t do it. All things being equal, if leasing you a car made them less money than selling you a car, wouldn’t they tend to push the sale rather than the lease? Does anyone find it odd that it is the other way around; namely they are pushing the lease? Do you really think they are, in effect saying: “please come in and give us less of you money”? I think they’re worried you’ll buy the car and they won’t see you again for ten years. Sure, they get less up front with a lease, but do they have you by the balls at the end of the term? Now you’ve got to come back in, if for no other reason than to turn in THEIR car. Then they get to be a salesman all over again, preferably to lease you another car. “Welcome back! Please spend less of your money again”, and again, and again…