<prompt> Human: Hey guys, my old fusions transmission is going out again. So I am looking for a new car. I can afford 200 payments with the trade-in value of around 1600 on the fusion and 2000 in cash that Id rather not use if I didnt have to. My Dad thinks leasing may be a good option since I am only 24 and at my first real job. Everyone else is saying buy a clunker. Id really like to get a small reliable suv that I can take camping such as a Forester, RAV4 or Escape. I got an offer on a 258 lease on a 2016 forester. What do you guys think?  <response>: Leasing isnt a good idea. Whats your credit score look like? Stop thinking in terms of payments. A car loan consists of a purchase price, an interest rate, and a number of months. The monthly payment is the answer when you plug those in. A used RAV4 is a solid choice. Are you ready and able to perform any repairs that may occur from offroading? Are you okay with the increased fuel mileage, higher tire costs, etc. of an awd vehicle? Can you handle the insurance on stepping up to your proposed vehicles? Owning a car is a LOT more than just the monthly payment.A 258 lease means that youre spending 9,200 over the next 3 years to pay to drive that car but you will have to return it. That doesnt sound like a good deal to me at all. Once we factor in interest, if you can afford 200 a month, it would be better for you to get a 60 month loan on a used car, AS LONG AS YOUR INTEREST RATE IS UNDER 4, than to lease a car. This way, you can pay off the car earlier. A 12,000 loan puts you right at 216 a month. That leaves you enough room to look at 8,500 - 11,000 cars. But, if you can only afford 200 a month, and owning a car more expensive than that would impact your finances, maybe consider a used sedan for now. 