Question about leasing in NYS

I've had my RDX for nearly 6 months and am thinking of parting with it in favor of either a Jeep SRT8 or an MDX. One question since I own the RDX outright could I trade the car in on a lease? That is to say that the equity of the car essentially washes the lease payments for the balance of the contract? All the leases I am considering are significantly less then the value of the car, so it wouldn't just go towards the downpayment.

Finally, anybody friendly with a Jeep dealer in the area?

Thanks,

-N

 

I would love to drive an SRT8 daily, however it has to be wife and city friendly. It looks like the 08s got some nice upgrades so I would look at a leftover 07.

Thanks all!

 

I'm a big fan of the Acura's safe, comfortable, and just well thought-out. RDX is great, but I am a little bored with it.

 

Well I drove an SRT8 with the wife today. Here are my impressions:

I love the way it looks from the outside. It has a boxy and muscular stance that just looks mean (especially in black)!

Driving the car is absolutely no let down. It handles very very well for any car, let alone a truck of this size! Furthermore, it absorbs bumps and potholes fairly well. The steering is light and fairly responsive. The exhaust note is just mean++ Of course, the car is just plain fast! I was doing 90mph in no time at all on the West Side Highway, and the thing felt stable and confident! The biggest complaint about the performance was the transmission and it's inability to downshift in a timely fashion. Furthermore, the car lacks "flappy" paddles and to some unknown reason you can't go from Sport to Normal mode without shifting into neutral first! So I was in Sport in 5th gear and then went to normal driving and the car wouldn't downshift automatically! I had to put the car into neutral and then back into drive -- not to mention I had to come to a complete stop! Absolutely assanine! The verdict on the looks and the performance of the car is that this thing is FAST! I mean headsnapping fast!! I could probablly smoke most Ferraris off the line in it (bring it Shivam!)! Alas, as much as I don't want to admit it, I am NOT looking for another performance car, so is this car good enough as a family-sofisticated-reliable-daily driver?

The interior on this car looks like something out of a mid-90s GM truck. Covered in plastic, cheap and chintzy looking, the radio bezel seems like it is aftermarket, the trim pieces have that pseudo shiny plastic look, and it lacks the overall look of modernity. Cheapness seemed to be the common theme of this truck, items such as having auto temp AC controls that are NOT digital (why not make it digital then?). Additionally, although it had an entertainment package for the kids in the rear it did not offer any seperate circulation controls for the rear compartment. Finally, the cargo space seems limited, at best even with the seats down. But what really did it for me was the fact that this test car with 45 miles on it already had a check engine light on.

Man I would love to tool around in that thing, in fact, I could even see myself bringing it to runs and all. But, the interior is just so, well, cheap...I just can't do it! This week I am going to go drive an MDX Sport. As cold as antiseptic the Japanese cars are, they have great interiors. Now if Acura would only offer a V8 in it's SUV!

Oh and in regards to the original part of this thread: trading in the RDX + cash. Unless I can score a great lease deal on an 07 MDX.