How to compare a Mercedes-Benz dealer lease offer, line by line

What a lease special actually describes

A special is one car, one term, one mileage tier and one amount due at signing, with a note that not everyone qualifies. The fine print usually states the MSRP, any dealer contribution, the capitalized cost, the acquisition fee, the total of payments and the purchase option. That fine print is where the real comparison lives.

Two things commonly differ between a special and the lease you sign: the exact car (a loaner or stock car versus the one you want) and the amount due at signing, which can include a large cost reduction that would otherwise be financed.

The lines to put side by side

• Selling price (capitalized cost) before any cost reduction
• Money factor and residual, and the base rate from the lender so you can see any markup
• Acquisition fee, doc fee and registration estimate, each on its own line
• Every product or accessory added to the car, and whether each is optional
• Due at signing, split into first payment, fees, tax and cash toward the car
• Miles per year, term, and the cost per mile over the allowance

If the monthly payment is the only number you have been given, ask for the rest. Two quotes with the same payment can differ by thousands over the term.

Where a broker fits

A broker does not replace the dealership. The lease is completed with a franchised dealer and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services sets the program. What a broker adds is the legwork: contacting several stores for the same car, asking each for the same written lines, and showing you the options together. If you already hold a quote from a store in Newport Beach or Costa Mesa, send it to us and we will read it line by line and tell you what is in it and what is missing. There is no obligation, and if the store's own offer is the cleanest, we will say so.

Questions