autoMedia.com Uncovers the Best Car Leasing Deals for the Summer

(Benzinga)- With a growing number of consumers today choosing low-payment lease options over vehicle ownership, auto leasing is on the rise and car companies are responding with an arsenal of attractive deals to tempt potential new car buyers.

autoMedia.com found some of the best car leasing deals around to jump start summer, from all brands—domestic and import—to deals from $0 down, $0 first month's payment and $0 security deposit on certain models to College Graduate rebates of $1,000 on any new car lease. Read more here...

Double taxation for those who lease cars

(Frederick W. Hartnett)- Randal Edgar's July 17 article ("Driven to tax") concisely and excellently presented the dilemma of the Rhode Island taxpayer regarding excise taxes and the continuing shifting of fiduciary responsibility from the state to the local level.

An additional burden is added to those who lease cars. Their excise tax is the same as those who buy cars. Yet the state also assesses a 7 percent sales tax annually on top of the excise tax charged by cities and towns. Read more here…

Now, lease a Merc at 50% of price

(Times of India)- Ever dreamt of owning a Mercedes at half the cost. It is possible now with the German luxury carmaker offering 'individual lease' options to customers who can now get a new car on lease instead of buying it with full payment.

Daimler, the parent of Mercedes Benz, began its financial services business in India on Tuesday and said that the bouquet of services this division will offer would include individual lease plans, something very popular in the West but rarely used in India in individual cases. Read more here...

Car Lease Calculator – Calculate Your Auto Lease Payments!

Almost everyone is in need of a car and if they think of leasing one they will need to go in for a car lease calculator. The easiest way to own a car is with the help of leasing. It is one of the easiest ways of owning a car. It is even easier than bank loans. It is designed in such a way to make owning a car simple. Car lease calculator helps in calculating the monthly obligations. It also helps with the overall lease costs. Read more here…

UAE monthly car rentals accelerate as drivers switch to leasing

(Al-Bawaba)- Car rental companies say more commuters are leasing cars on a monthly basis after changes to UAE lending rules made it harder to buy a vehicle.

A growing expatriate population and shortage of Japanese models have also been cited by rental companies as reasons for the increase in short-term leases.

Hertz, the world's largest car rental company, reported a 15 percent increase in rentals across the Emirates last month compared with June last year. Read more here…

Mercedes prepares to enter leasing market by year-end

(Business Standard)- German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz is preparing to commence leasing vehicles to consumers in the Indian market by the end of this year. No other luxury car maker in the country currently offers vehicles on lease directly to customers.

It would first lease Mercedes cars to companies. Eventually, when the venture reaches a certain size, Mercedes-Benz India (MBI) would look at offering vehicles on lease to individuals as well.

Dealers would purchase cars from the company and then lease the vehicles to corporate houses for a particular period. At the end of the lease period when the vehicles are returned to the dealers’ car pool, they would be sold in the pre-owned car market through the company’s ‘Proven Exclusivity’ program. The details of the business model for the new venture are being prepared. Read more here…

After One Year, Zipcar Drives Transportation Change in Baltimore

(PR Newswire)- Zipcar's expansion to Baltimore was made possible by an innovative partnership with the City and the Parking Authority of Baltimore City as part of a plan to reduce parking demand, congestion, and emissions, while offering citizens affordable personal transportation.  The survey data indicate that the service is making progress toward all those goals. The findings indicate three strong trends: Baltimore area Zipsters are driving less, reducing vehicle ownership and increasing uses of other modes, leading City of Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to believe that the expansion of Zipcar in Baltimore has resulted in fewer car owners overall and sees the partnership as a successful tool for managing parking demand. Read more here…

Gaps in car insurance policies can leave drivers exposed

(Tulsa World)- When leasing or carrying an auto loan and the wrecked vehicle is deemed unsalvageable, it is "totaled" by the insurer - it will cost more to repair than it will be worth once repaired. When a total loss is claimed, the insurer calculates your payout based on the market value of the vehicle at the time of the crash. As many lease holders and borrowers are "upside-down" in their vehicles for much of their leases or loans, owing more than their vehicles are worth, they are on the hook for the gap. Read more here…

Vehicle leasing revs up as firms aim to cut costs

(Yorkshire Post)- A YORKSHIRE vehicle leasing company is growing as it capitalises on the credit drought and the slump in consumer spending.

Kudos Vehicle Management, a contract hire and leasing firm based in Halifax, has seen a spike in demand as the poor state of the economy means small business customers shun big ticket motor purchases.

The family-run firm, set up by former semi-professional squash coach Russell Bowker more than 25 years ago, turned over £8.25m last year, up nearly 15 per cent, despite the Japanese tsunami hitting order times. Now it expects to grow by between 50 and 60 per cent over the next five years. Read more here…