How to Lease an Auto in New York City

While public transportation is widely used in New York City, you can get around by automobile if you prefer. Instead of purchasing a vehicle in New York City, you can lease it. In order to lease a vehicle in New York City, or any other U.S. city, you need to have a top-tier credit rating. According to The Credit Scoring Site, a top-tier credit rating is a credit score of 720 or higher. Leasing a car in New York City is no different from leasing in another city.

Instructions

1

Get the invoice price for the car you want to lease by using the CarsDirect website (see Resource section). Enter in the make, model and year of the automobile to see the MSRP and the invoice price. You also must enter in your New York City zip code for an accurate price.

2

Use the Edmunds website (see Resource section) to check for any rebates or incentives on the vehicle you want to lease. Make sure to enter in your New York City zip code because incentives and rebates vary by region.

3

Subtract any rebates or incentives from the invoice price. This gives you the price at which you can begin your negotiating for the vehicle, which is recommended by the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs. Avoid negotiating on monthly payment and focus on the cost of the vehicle.

4

Discuss with the car dealer the amount of miles you need allotted for each year of the lease. Typically, a car lease in New York City comes with 10,000 miles for each year, but you can pay extra and get up to 15,000 miles per year.

5

Read through the lease agreement carefully before signing. According to the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, it is common for a car dealer to tack on back-end charges that increase your overall leasing cost. Pay attention to the annual mileage amount, and the cost for going over the mileage and for wear and tear, and make sure that an "option to purchase" is included in the lease. This means that you are given the chance to buy the car at the end of the lease. Make sure all numbers are listed properly in the lease and that no fields are left blank. Once you sign the lease, immediately ask for a copy of it and do not leave until you get it.