The main problem I have with the advice you give is that it involves considering purchasing the vehicle. Not that I have an issue with purchasing some models of Chrysler, but not only did she lease a crap model, she leased a MINIVAN!
Seriously. Anyone that would buy or lease a minivan should be banned from reproducing. Sadly, by the point that they do that, they've likely reproduced already.

@oneswellfoop: I find your vitriol against those that own minivans over-the-top and a bit creepy.

@oneswellfoop: You don't approve of minivans, we get it. What would be your preferred mode of transport for a mom with kids? I can only assume that you don't have kids; at least I hope you don't. I would hate to think that you are passing down your way of thinking to another human.

@oneswellfoop:
Wow, some very useful advice indeed.

@HiPwr: The sort of person that drives a Chrysler minivan is the same sort of person that helped the big three think that it was OK to produce such mediocre shit for decades. They are the sort of people that settle for a vehicle that is soulless, boring, badly made, and with limited functionality.
If they hate their lives enough to fill them with mediocre crap, what's the point?

You se@oneswellfoop: I would hate to live in the communist country that you envision. After all, if we just listen to you, you'll tell us what's good for us, right, dear leader?

@oneswellfoop: Yes, because it is much better to take two cars than one car that can hold 7 people.

@v0ice: yes, because children are automatcally copies of their parents. Always.

@oneswellfoop:

The minivan is a great transportation solution for people who are looking for that, not for a "driving experience."

Of course, those people are sadly deluded, and clearly not worthy to live in your world.

@v0ice: Errrr, Audi RS6 Avant preferably. If you don't want to spend $100k on a high power awd super wagon, then there are plenty of other models out there that are higher quality. I'd suggest an SUV, but unless you get an AWD one and actually use it off-road, then you've got no reason to own something that is so large and burns so much gas. If you can use the traction and increased ground clearance, then by all mean, go for an SUV.

@dahlink_natasha: wut

Ooops, last one should have been @vOice

@oneswellfoop: So what, instead they should buy an SUV? How many people who drive SUVs really need them? I'd rather see twice as many minivans on the road than the number of gas guzzling tanks we see.

Or should everyone drive a little sports car and just not have kids?

Or let's take stock of other stuff you own. What type of phone do you have? What type of computer?

If you don't think a minivan is worth buying good for you. For you to automatically judge everyone else as inferior, self hating, or prideless is simply ignorant, bigoted and/or thinks the world revolves around them. Personally I think minivans are much more useful than you seem to credit them for.

@oneswellfoop:

doesn't help you much if you have three kids with carseats, now does it. unless you want to strap one to the roof.

@oneswellfoop:

I thought your user name read "oneswellpoop" and it made me laugh out loud at work.

@oneswellfoop:

What type of vehicle would you suggest for the one-vehicle multi-child family that regularly wants to move large objects? A giant truck with an extended cab?

Or do you suggest buying two separate vehicles, a truck and a car? That isn't environmentally friendly nor is it pocketbook friendly. It's just stupid--unless you're a construction worker.

Minivans are a great invention. You can haul all the crap you need from Home Depot to fix/renovate up your house in them as well as take the kids on a vacation in them. I plan to get one after I get a house...

@oneswellfoop: FAIL.

My Chrysler Financial lease expires in 2 weeks. My buy-out is $13,700, they are offering me the opportunity to purchase it for $12,500 and they will finance. The book value (what they can get at auction) is $10,000.

@oneswellfoop: You must have never looked at these mini-vans then:

[www.turbominivan.com]

[www.turbominivan.com]

[www.turbominivan.com]

@IfThenElvis: If they can get anything at auction. $10k offer would be reasonable.

I turned in a Lease for a PT Cruiser earlier in the year (pre-bankruptcy but they were still in trouble at the time) and my purchase option was about $8,500. I tried to get the to negotiate on the buyout but they would not budge so I walked. I can't imagine why, but they don't seem to want to sell to people whom leased for less than the original purchase option.

Offer $9,500 to save the leasing companythe administrative overhead...

@oneswellfoop:

Yeah, Hey everyone! don't buy $25,000 minivans that get reasonable gas mileage, everyone should buy a RS6 avant, a vehicle that is not directly sold in the US, costs north of $100,000 and has a Lamborghini engine that gets below 10 mpg.

I'm not a Chrysler fan by any means (and in fact i drive an A8), but I believe that the T&C was pretty constantly rated as the best minivan available.

What, specifically, would you propose as an alternative that is in the same price range, fuel efficiency, and seating capability?

Too bad it's not the 300. Was going to say BUY IT but the best solution is to return it or BUY IT only if they offer it at a very very low price.

"My only question would be on returning the vehicle. Is their dealer one of those scheduled to close in June? If so, they should read the contract and contact the lease originator to determine how the vehicle will be returned."

If your lease is through Chrysler Financial, you can return your leased vehicle to any Chrysler Jeep or Dodge dealer; it doesn't have to be the one you leased it from. Indeed, the Chrysler Financial leasing contract protects you from any shortfall at auction; the residual value of the unit is set right when you sign the lease.

- CF Employee

@ninjatoddler:
You might get deal on a 300. Chrysler is offering me a $1,000 Loyalty Bonus but it's not applicable on the Crossfire, PT Cruiser, Sebring, Avenger, Caliber, Challenger, Magnum, Sprinter, Viper, Wrangler, Compass, or Patriot. Not much left.

@Secret Agent Man: Minivans may be boring but they are cheaper and have more space and more "utility" than an SUV. They can carry more passengers & more "stuff" - fold down the seats and you can move big furniture & lumber. We've done many cross country trips that would have driven me crazy in a car & required stacking our "stuff" on the roof.

@oneswellfoop:

A minivan is a much more useful vehicle than an SUV for most people. Just shut up, your hatred of minivans is very immature. Some people want something that will get the job done, and they don't care what you think of their vehicle.

I've driven a Chrysler Town and Country, and it's actually a really impressive van. You have no idea what you're talking about.

I have a friend who spent several years working at Toyota's Southeastern US leasing offices. His job was to contact customers with soon-to-expire leases and convince them to buy the car at the end of the lease period with a "pre-approved" financing offer.

His performance was based not only on the number of "converted" leases but also on the amount of negative equity he could stick on the customer. For example, if the "buyout" amount for the customer was $12,000 but Toyota thought the car would only bring $10,000 at auction, converting this lease into a sale was far more important than one where the buyout and actual values matched.

Suprisingly (as noted in previous posts) he had little (if any) room to negoiate the buyout price, even if it was thousands more than the car was actually worth.

There are only two good reasons for accepting a lease buyout: Either you are in love with the car, or you are so far over your mileage allotment that the penalty (due in full when the car is returned) makes it financially impossible.

I'm not understanding the minivan hatred from onefellswoop. So do you also hate the cars that the minivan is based on? What about SUVs like the Highlander which is Camry-based like the Sienna? To hate minivans is never to have had one.
I'm a single 33 year old male and have a 2006 Dodge Caravan. (well, I also have a Grand National for fun car) It's great for Party Bus, weekend trips, hauling things from Home Depot- and almost anything drives pretty well stuck in Atlanta traffic on 285 at 5 MPH. SUVs are much smaller inside and don't offer three rows of seating for adults. Why would you get LESS utility in the same space in an SUV? I love it and would buy another.

@oneswellfoop: Um, not. The minivan was one of the big successes for Chrysler. Sales of the minivan saved the company, and it was an engineering and marketing coup. Chrysler's minivans have always received a lot of development love.

It became so popular it's now trendy to dis them. That's pretty easy when you haven't owned one, or needed one. I've had five in twenty-five years and found them more 'functional' (utilitarian) than cars.

@SavageATL: I agree. I always held off on buying a minivan when we had kids, mostly for financial reasons. My last car was a station wagon (a mercury sable wagon - probably the last of the TRUE wagons with the rear facing third seat) and with three kids it was functional. I liked it a lot but got pregnant again and knew that it would not work with four kids. We purchased a Sienna (after much research and shopping around) and now I can't believe that I waited so long to get one. Putting the infant seat in and out of the van is a dream. The big kids like to sit in the back and they have plenty of room. When the grandparents come visit, we can fit eight people and drive somewhere in one car. Minivans get a lot of hate for being "uncool" but I never could understand the whole "my car is a status symbol" mentality - probably because my first car was a Dodge Omni.

The vehicle's value at the end of the lease is determined at the beginning of the lease. The actual value of the vehicle should be irrelevant.

Of course you should be worried. You're driving a damn Chrysler!

@v0ice @friendlynerd @FnordX @dahlink_natasha @NeverLetMeDown @Veeber: @shepd @Charlotte Rae's Web @econobiker @Secret Agent Man @IfThenElvis @Cant_stop_the_rock @Sys Admn

Wow, you guys got trolled, hard.

my layman's opinion is that current leasees will be just fine. All predicted resale values have dropped -- either you walk away (minus any damage, extra mileage, etc) or you buy, hopefully at less than agreed residual because of the current market.

I returned a lease 2 months ago -- the finance company called me and offered several grand off the residual if I bought it! would have loved to if I had the money, but I didn't, so I returned it. noticed it on sale at the dealership, selling for about the same as the original residual.

Man I'm getting ready to replace our 14 year old Caravan and I can't believe how much 1 year old Caravan you can get for your money right now. I _almost_ feel guilty. Just today I looked at a 2008 T&C semi loaded with DVD player, three position A/C and Stow And Go seats with 32kms and the dealer had $21K on the asking sticker. Crazy I say.