<prompt> Human: Im in need of a new car. I wanted to go with a newer model because I have a pretty long commute so I want the best MPG I can get. I was thinking about getting a 2016 certified preowned to avoid losing thousands the second I drive off the lot like a new car. Im trying to decide to get a loan to buy the car or lease it. Whats the best option? Buying seems to make sense because then Im paying equity into the car, but the time its paid off it wont be worth half what I paid for it. If I lease it, it wont lose value on my end at least, but Im not paying any equity into the car. I dont know which one makes more sense from a financial standpoint.  <response>: From a financial standpoint, buying a used car will easily be cheaper than a leased car provided you keep it for 5 years. Leasing isnt generally a good choice for long commutes anyway due to expensive mileage charges. I will note there are even much cheaper cars than a CPO 2016 that get good gas mileage. My 2012 mazda3 is a sub 10k car that will get 40 mpg on the highway. And a 5 year old Prius will get 45-50 mpg in a similar price range. Good luck! 