Drive home happy

Cars, page 3
by jenna elliott

“Any used car in Wisconsin has a Wisconsin’s Buyer’s Guide inspection that is pretty thorough,” LaBerge says. “But a certified warranty is like two times that, measuring the brake pads for how thick they are, the tire tread depth. The car’s reconditioned to as close to new as possible.” Once BMW gets a product to those standards, BMW adds another two years and 50,000 miles to the original warranty.

“A lot of the time [BMW] will offer special financing or leasing on pre-owned vehicles to make it more affordable,” he says. The certified used car remains under warranty for a longer period of time, making it a safer investment.

Car manufacturers have become consumer savvy, so much, in fact, that they know average buyers will change their self-perceived ideal down the line. According to Nelson, that’s why leasing options are so attractive to consumers. “You don’t have to make the heavy down payment. You can simply lease this cute, little fun car now and then two to three years down the road, should you find yourself in a different life stage, you don’t have the commitment of an automobile that no longer says ‘me,'" she says.

LaBerge says leasing is an important part of a manufacturer’s volume, adding that it’s a competitive market. “A lot of [young buyers] lease because that’s the way they can afford the vehicle,” he says.

The Association of Consumer Vehicle Lessors offers a comprehensive website at www.acvl.com that provides consumers with a general understanding of vehicle leasing. Specifically, they designed a 10-question quiz that can guide potential buyers who are deciding which will best fit their budget: buying or leasing.

A car is just a car. But in today’s world, a car is a statement. “Some people buy by just the looks,” LaBerge says, “Some people buy by just the reputation. Some people don’t care about the looks or the reputation, but they love the way the car drives.”

These days, Briggs drives around town in a Mazda 6i, a car he says is a lot like a BMW minus the 'snob appeal.' "I actually like that it's a little more low-key from an image standpoint," he says. "I guess I don't need to show people how much of a car guy I am anymore. It's more just for me."

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