These incentives, all on 2012 vehicles, come in the form of sizable rebates, special lease deals, and 0% interest loans. Of course if all these incentives are available on the vehicle you want, you must choose the one that best suits your needs. You can’t combine incentives.

Let’s take a look now at the latest Chrysler Group new-car deals:

Chrysler 200 – up to $3000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 72 months or $189/month special lease, 39 months

Chrysler 200 Convertible – up to $1500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months (plus $500 rebate) or $319/month special lease, 39 months

Chrysler 300 – up to $2000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months or $339/month special lease, 39 months

Chrysler Town & Country - up to $1000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months or $299/month special lease, 39 months

Dodge Avenger – up to $3000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 72 months

Dodge Caliber - up to $1000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months

Dodge Challenger- up to $1500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months

Dodge Charger- up to $2500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36  months or $329/month special lease, 39 months

Dodge Grand Caravan - up to $1000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months or $279/month special lease, 39 months

Dodge Journey - up to $1250 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months or $279/month special lease, 39 months

Dodge Durango - up to $1000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months

Jeep Compass Latitude – up to $2000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months (plus $1000 rebate) or $219/month special lease, 39 months

Jeep Liberty - up to $3000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months or $249/month special lease, 39 months

Jeep Patriot - up to $1500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months (plus $500 rebate) or $199/month special lease, 39 months

Jeep Wrangler- 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months or $289/month special lease, 39 months

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months or $419/month special lease, 39 months

Ram Grand Caravan – up to $500 rebate or 2.9% APR loan rate for up to 36 months

Ram 1500 - up to $2500 rebate (plus $1000 trade-in assistance) or $289/month special lease, 39 months

Ram 2500 - up to $2500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months

Ram 3500 - up to $2500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 36 months

Fiat 500 – up to $1500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months or $199/month special lease, 42 months

Fiat 500C – up to $500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months or $299/month special lease, 42 months

We remind you that if you want one of the special loan rates or lease deals you’ll need a good credit score. If you don’t know your score or haven’t seen your score lately, you can get it online at sites such as FreeCreditScore.com.

If you are interested in one of the above special lease deals, make sure you understand how leasing works and how to determine if it’s right for you. You can get that information at LeaseGuide.com.

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These are vehicles that offer a lot of value for the money, provide excellent gas mileage, and are cheap to insure. The lowest priced models are often base models and sacrifice engine size and expensive features. For a little more money, within the same model line, other styles are usually available with extra features and larger engines.

We list the 10 lowest priced cars below, along with the MSRP sticker price. However, we all know that buyers don’t pay full sticker price for most new cars. Therefore expect to pay less than the prices shown. How much less? Use TrueCar to see what other people are paying and get lowest-price quotes from your area.

Furthermore, most of the cars listed below have incentives in the form of low-interest loans (some 0% APR), special lease deals, and rebates which further reduces the price you pay.

Let’s take a look at the 10 cheapest new cars:

2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S – MSRP: $11,770 (currently has 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months)

2012 Smart ForTwo Pure – MSRP: $13,240 (currently has $99/month lease deal, 36 months)

2012 Hyundai Accent GLS – MSRP: $13,320 (currently has 1.9% APR loan rate for up to 60 months or $169/month lease deal, 36 months)

2012 Ford Fiesta S Sedan – MSRP: $13,995 (currently has $250 rebate or $169/month lease deal, 24 months)

2012 Kia Rio LX – MSRP: $14,150 (currently has 0.9% APR loan rate for up to 36 months or $159/month lease deal, 36 months)

2012 Suzuki SX4 Sedan – MSRP: $14,614 (currently has $1000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate for up to 48 months or $149/month lease deal, 36 months)

2012 Kia Soul Base – MSRP: $14,650 (currently 0.9% APR loan rate for up to 36 months or $169/month lease deal, 36 months)

2012 Chevrolet Sonic LS 1LS – MSRP: $14,660 (currently has 2.9% APR loan rate for up to 60 months)

2012 Toyota Yaris L – MSRP: $14,920 (currently no incnetives)

2012 Mazda Mazda2 Sport – MSRP: $15,325 (currently 0% APR loan rate for up to 60 months)

When combined with incentives, all of the above cars are excellent deals. If you need an good new vehicle with the latest safety features, best gas mileage, and lowest maintenance and insurance cost for the least amount of money, consider one of the cars in the above list.

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Volkswagen

All the deals include 3 years free scheduled maintenance, whether you lease or buy. It’s nice when leasing because with a 36 month lease, you have no maintenance costs and you have full factory warranty coverage for the entire lease term. Combined with the current incentives, this makes the Volkswagen brand one of the best deals going right now.

We list the deals below. All the lease offers have been evaluated by LeaseGuide.com and given a lease-value score. The higher the score, the better the deal. However, any deal rated Excellent or Outstanding is better than a customer-negotiated deal could be.

Let’s take a look at the current Volkswagen deals now. All are for 2012 vehicles, except the 2013 CC Sport. Also note that the lease deals only apply to selected styles of each model and that details may vary depending on the region of the country.

Volkswagen Jetta – 0.9% APR loan rate, 60 months – or — $159/month lease, 39 months, $1999 due at signing (Rated 78, Excellent)

Volkswagen Passat- 1.9% APR loan rate, 60 months – or — $209/month lease, 36 months, $1999 due at signing (Rated 91, Outstanding)

Volkswagen Bettle - 1.9% APR loan rate, 60 months — or — $209/month lease, 39 months, $1999 due at signing (Rated 74, Good)

Volkswagen Tiguan - 0.9% APR loan rate, 60 months — or — $249/month lease, 39 months, $2699 due at signing (Rated 74, Good)

Volkswagen Golf - 1.9% APR loan rate, 60 months — or — $199/month lease, 36 months, $1999 due at signing (Rated 75, Excellent)

Volkswagen GTI- 0.9% APR loan rate, 60 months — or — $279/month lease, 36 months, $1999 due at signing (Rated 76, Excellent)

Volkswagen Jetta SportsWagen – 0.0% APR loan rate, 72 months — or — $289/month lease, 36 months, $2999 due at signing (Rated 70, Good)

Volkswagen CC Sport - 0.9% APR loan rate, 60 months — or — $159/month lease, 36 months, $1999 due at signing (Rated 83, Excellent)

Volkswagen CC Sport (2013) - 1.9% APR loan rate, 60 months — or — $309/month lease, 36 months, $2999 due at signing (Rated 85, Excellent)

Volkswagen Eos - 0.0% APR loan rate, 60 months — or — $369/month lease, 36 months, $2999 due at signing (Rated 79, Excellent)

Volkswagen Touareg - 0.0% APR loan rate, 72 months — or — $519/month lease, 36 months, $2999 due at signing (Rated 75, Excellent)

Volkswagen Routan - 0.0% APR loan rate, 72 months — or — $249/month lease, 36 months, $2999 due at signing (Rated 86, Excellent)

Volkswagen, like all other car companies, requires that customers “qualify” for these special offers with good credit scores. If you don’t know your latest credit score it’s easy enough to get from one of the online services such as FreeCreditScore.com.

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That’s $0 due at lease signing — not even the first month’s payment.

Infiniti leads the pack this month with no-money-down leases, followed by Honda , Acura and Buick.

Honda and Acura actually offers their leases both ways — with a down payment, which makes for a lower monthly payment, and without a down payment.

Actually, almost any car lease can be had with or without a down payment, but you may not be able to get special promotional deals without money down unless the deal specifically makes that offer. All the promotional deals listed below do make the offer.

Making no down payment doesn’t change the value of the deal. However, since you are not pre-paying some of your financed lease amount, your payments will be a bit higher.

All these nothing-down lease deals allow 10,000 miles per year with the exception of those from Honda which allow 12,000 per year.

Incentives expire on May 31, 2012 for Infiniti and MINI. Buick and Chevrolet expire on July 2.  Incentives for Acura and Honda are extended through July 9.

Here are all the current (May 2012) $0 down lease deals, listed in alphabetical order:

YEAR	MAKE	MODEL	MONTHS	PMT
2012	Acura	MDX	35	530
2013	Acura	RDX	35	470
2012	Acura	RDX	35	410
2012	Acura	TL	35	420
2012	Acura	TSX	35	350
2012	Acura	TSX sportswagon	35	380
2012	Acura	ZDX	35	590
2012	Buick	Enclave	24	433
2012	Buick	LaCrosse	24	399
2012	Buick	Regal	24	369
2012	Buick	Verano	24	299
2012	Chevrolet	Volt	36	369
2012	FIAT	500	42	199
2012	FIAT	500c	42	299
2012	Honda	Accord Crosstour	35	330
2012	Honda	Accord Sedan	35	250
2012	Honda	Accord Sedan	35	270
2012	Honda	CR-V	35	320
2012	Honda	Civic	35	220
2012	Honda	Odyssey	35	340
2012	Honda	Pilot	35	340
2012	Honda	Pilot	35	410
2012	Infiniti	G25 Sedan RWD	39	379
2012	Infiniti	G25 Sedan AWD	39	389
2012	Infiniti	G37 Sedan RWD	39	409
2012	Infiniti	G37 Sedan AWD	39	419
2012	Infiniti	G37 Coupe Premium pkg.	39	449
2012	Infiniti	G37 Coupe AWD	39	459
2012	Infiniti	G37 Convertible	39	589
2012	Infiniti	M37 Sedan RWD	39	639
2012	Infiniti	M37 Sedan AWD	39	659
2012	Infiniti	M Hybrid	39	749
2012	Infiniti	M56 Sedan RWD	39	849
2012	Infiniti	M56 Sedan AWD	39	869
2012	Infiniti	EX35 Journey RWD	39	569
2012	Infiniti	EX35 Journey AWD	39	579
2012	Infiniti	FX35 RWD	39	619
2012	Infiniti	FX35 AWD	39	629
2012	Infiniti	FX50 AWD	39	819
2013	Infiniti	JX FWD	39	649
2013	Infiniti	JX AWD	39	659
2012	Infiniti	QX56 2WD	39	899
2012	Infiniti	QX56 AWD	39	949
2012	MINI	Cooper Hardtop	36	249

If you don’t understand how car leasing works, or how to determine if you are a good leasing candidate, please visit our sister web site, LeaseGuide.com. You will find all the information, advice, calculators, and tips you’ll need to be able to lease a car with full confidence.

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Some manufacturers are also offering cash-back rebates but, as you may already know, you generally must choose between the rebates and the special low-interest (or zero interest) loans. You can’t take both.

Often, rebates are a better deal, especially if you need down payment money (rebates can be used as down payment cash). However, in many cases, you don’t have a choice when only a rebate, or only a low-interest loan is being offered. See our article, 0% APR Car Deals – Good Deal or Not? for more details.

Here are some of the current  car makes and models with 0% APR loan deals. Note that the 0% APR rate usually (but not always) only applies for shorter-term loans — 24, 36, or 48 month loans — and may not apply to all styles within a model line.  Terms and conditions can vary by car company.

Following are some of the current 0% ARP loan deals for 2011 and 2012 vehicles.

• Buick Enclave (2012)
• Chevrolet Avalanche (2011 and 2012)
• Chevrolet Camero (2011)
• Chevrolet Colorado (2011)
• Chevrolet Corvette (2011 and 2012)
• Chevrolet Equinox (2011)
• Chevrolet Impala (2011 and 2012)

• Chevrolet Malibu (2012)
• Chevrolet Silverado (2011 and 2012)
• Chevrolet Suburban (2011 and 2012)
• Chevrolet Tahoe (2011 and 2012)
• Chevrolet Traverse (2011 and 2012)
• Chevrolet Volt (2011 and 2012)
• Chrysler 200 (2012)
• Chrysler 300 and 300c (2012)
• Chrysler Town & Country (2012)
• Dodge Avenger (2012)
• Dodge Caliber (2012)
• Dodge Challenger (2012)
• Dodge Charger (2012)
• Dodge Durango (2012)
• Dodge Grand Caravan minivan (2012)
• Dodge Journey (2012)
• Dodge RAM (2012)
• FIAT 500 and 500c (2012)
• Ford Edge (2012)
• Ford Escape (2012)
• Ford Expedition (2011 and 2012)
• Ford Explorer (2012)
• Ford F-150, 250, 350, 450 (2011 & 2012)
• Ford Flex (2012)
• Ford Fiesta (2012)
• Ford Focus (2012)
• Ford Fusion (2012)
• Ford Mustang (2012)
• Ford Ranger (2011)
• Ford Taurus (2012)
• Ford Transit Connect (2012)
• GMC Acadia (2012)
• GMC Canyon (2011)
• GMC Sierra (2012)
• GMC Yukon (2012)
• Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (2012)
• Hyundai Sante Fe (2012)
• Hyundai Veracruz (2012)
• Jeep Compass (2012)
• Jeep Grand Cherokee (2012)
• Jeep Liberty (2012)
• Jeep Patriot (2012)
• Jeep Wrangler (2012)
• Lincoln MKS (2012)
• Lincoln MKT (2012)
• Lincoln MKZ (2012)
• Lincoln Navigator (2012)
• Mazda CX-7 (2012)
• Mazda CX-9 (2012)
• Mazda 2 (2012)
• Mazda 6 (2012)
• Mazda MX-5 Miata (2012)
• Mitsubishi Eclipse (2011 and 2012)
• Mitsubishi Endeavor (2011)
• Mitsubishi Galant (2012)
• Mitsubishi Lancer (2011 and 2012)
• Mitsubishi Outlander (2011 and 2012)
• Nissan Altima (2012)
• Nissan Frontier (2012)
• Nissan Maxima (2012)
• Nissan Murano (2012)
• Nissan Quest (2012)
• Nissan Rogue (2012)
• Nissan Sentra (2012)
• Nissan Titan (2012)
• Nissan Versa (2012)
• Toyota Avalon (2011 and 2012)
• Toyota Camry (2012)
• Toyota Corolla (2011)
• Toyota Highlander (2012)
• Toyota Prius (2011 and 2012)
• Toyota RAV4 (2011 and 2012)
• Toyota Sienna (2012)
• Toyota Tundra (2011 and 2012)
• Toyota Tacoma (2012)
• Toyota Venza (2011 and 2012)
• Volkswagen CC (2012)
• Volkswagen Eos (2012)
• Volkswagen Routan (2012)
• Volkswagen Touareg (2012)

Of course, the best deals result from having both a 0% loan and a good price discount. Many car buyers are so happy to get a great loan rate that they overlook the fact that they should also be getting a price discount (not rebate) from their dealers. Shop for or negotiate your best price, even when you are getting a zero-percent loan. Don’t let dealers try to tell you that you can’t have both.

We also remind you that you need a good FICO credit score to qualify for a 0% APR loan rate. If you don’t know your credit score, you should. You can get your score online at sites such as FreeCreditScore.com.

If your credit score is significantly below 700 you won’t be able to get a low-interest (or 0% interest) loan but you may be able to qualify for a “sub-prime” rate at a loan company, such as Auto Credit Express, that specializes in providing car loans to people with no credit, poor credit, bankruptcies, or even repossessions on their record.

You can get free price quotes on any of the above cars from Edmunds.comThe quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

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These are special leases that are based on reduced prices (lease cap cost), reduced finance rates (lease money factor), and high lease-end residual values. Most require a down payment, first month’s payment, and any official fees at time of lease signing.

All the leases we list below are for brand new 2012 and 2013 vehicles, although usually only for a few models and only one style of that model. Most of the deals expire on May 31, 2012, although some (Ford, Kia) expire in early July. Nearly all are for 24 or 36 month terms and allow 1000 miles per month. In some cases, there are additional loyalty bonuses and/or competitive trade-in bonuses that could lower the listed monthly payment.

As you may already know, a low lease payment doesn’t necessarily make the lease a great deal. Some deals are better than others. In the listings below, we show you a lease value score and rating for each deal.

The scores and ratings are compiled by LeaseGuide.com and are based on a 5-level scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding.

All the listed lease deals are rated at least Good which makes them well worth considering and generally better than deals that customers could negotiate for themselves.

Current Lease Deals Less than $200/month

SmartCar Pure Coupe – $99/month, 36 months, $999 down (Score 101, Outstanding)

SmartCar Passion Coupe – $139/month, 36 months, $999 down (Score 88, Excellent)

Suzuki SX4 Sedan – $149/month, 36 months, $3621 down (not rated)

Kia Rio LX – $159/month, 36 months, $1840 down (Score 73, Good)

Chevrolet Cruze – $159/month, 24 months, $1430 down (Score 121, Outstanding)

Volkswagen Jetta S – $159/month, 36 months, $1840 down (Score 83, Excellent)

Kia Soul – $169/month, 36 months, $1830 down (Score 75, Excellent)

Kia Forte LX – $169/month, 36 months, $1830 down (Score 77, Excellent)

Hyundai Accent – $169/month, 36 months, $1530 down (Score 75, Excellent)

Scion iQ – $169/month, 36 months, $1830 down (Score 73, Good)

Ford Fiesta  – $169/month, 24 months, $1660 down (not rated)

Honda Civic Sedan – $169/month, 36 months, $1800 down (Score 89, excellent)

Subaru Impreza – $169/month, 42 months, $1800 down (Score 71, Good)

Suzuki SX4 Crossover – $179/month, 36 months, $3082 down (not rated)

Nissan Sentra – $179/month, 39 months, $1820 down (Score 79, Excellent)

Hyundai Elantra – $179/month, 36 months, $1820 down (Score 79, Excellent)

Hyundai Veloster – $179/month, 36 months, $1820 (Score 79, Excellent)

Ford Fusion – $179/month, 24 months, $2165 down (not rated)

Nissan Altima 2.5S – $179/month, 24 months, $2820 down (Score 120, Outstanding)

Nissan Versa Hatchback – $179/month, 39 months, $1820 down (Score 71, Good)

Kia Forte Koup EX – $179/month, 36 months, $1820 down (Score 83, Excellent)

Chevrolet Malibu – $179/month, 24 months, $1380 down (Score 145, Outstanding)

Toyota Corolla LE - $179/month, 39 months, $1999 down (Score 77, Excellent)

Scion xD – $179/month, 36 months, $1820 down (Rated 74, Good)

Scion xB – $189/month, 36 months, $1810 down (Rated 75, Excellent)

Ford Escape – $189/month, 24 months, $2440 down (not rated)

Suzuki Kizashi – $189/month, 36 months, $2414 down (not rated)

Mitsubishi Lancer ES – $189/month, 24 months, $2199 down (Score 96, Outstanding)

Mitsubishi Lancer SE – $189/month, 24 months, $2199 down (Score 108, Outstanding)

Kia Optima LX – $189/month, 36 months, $2310 down (Score 86, Excellent)

Mazda Mazda3 4-Door – $195/month, 36 months, $1770 down (Rated 72, Good)

Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback ES – $196/month, 24 months, $2199 down (Score 96, Outstanding)

SmartCar Passion Cabriolet – $199/month, 36 months, $999 down (Score 78, Excellent)

Hyundai Sonata – $199/month, 36 months, $2400 down (Score 81, Excellent)

Honda Accord LX – $199/month, 36 months, $1800 down (Score 92, Outstanding)

Toyota Camry SE – $199/month, 39 months, $2399 down (Score 85, Excellent)

Hyundai Elantra Touring – $199/month, 36 months, $2000 down (Score 71, Good)

Suzuki Grand Vitara MT – $199/month, 48 months, $2575 down (not rated)

Suzuki SX4 Crossover Premium – $199/month, 36 months, $3575 down (not rated)

Jeep Patriot Latitude 4×2 – $199/month, 39 months, $2300 down (not rated)

Fiat 500 POP – $199/month, 42 months, $0 down (not rated)

Ford Focus – $199/month, 24 months, $1869 down (not rated)

Chrysler 200 Sedan – $199/month, 39 months, $2800 down (not rated)

Subaru Legacy – $199/month, 42 months, $1800 down (Score 71, Good)

Volkswagen Golf – $199/month, 36 months, $1800 down (Score 75, Excellent)

Summary

Car lease payments of under $200 a month make for some very affordable deals. Fortunately, we have found that car companies are offering such deals in greater numbers, which we think will be a trend in 2012.

You may know, of course, that these special deals are only made available to customers with good credit. Customers with low credit scores will not qualify and will pay higher rates. It’s good advice to always know your latest credit score, which you can easily get online from services such as FreeCreditScore.comwith a quick sign up. Don’t let car dealers know more about you than you know about yourself.

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BMW

These are deals with low monthly payments made possible by a combination of reduced prices (often by “allowances”), low money factors, and high residual values. Since all of these concessions come directly from BMW, it is not possible for customers to get these kinds of deals on their own by negotiating with dealers.

BMW is currently offering special leases on 56 different models and styles (trimlines). No other car maker offers this breadth of special leases. All deals are for 2012 models, except for the 2013 X3/X5/X6 models and the (beautiful) new 2013 640i Gran Coupe.

The BMW lease deals are for 36 months. All expire on May 31, 2012. Each requires a down payment, first month’s payment, and the usual $725 lease aquisition fee be paid at the time of lease signing along with any official taxes and registration fees.

All of the lease offers have been evaluated by LeaseGuide.com and generally rated as Excellent or Oustanding on a 5-level scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding. In general, these are some of the best car lease deals available at this time.

Also don’t forget that BMW vehicles come with free factory recommended maintenance for 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. This only sweetens the special lease offers.

Following are samples of some of the current BMW lease deals:

2012 BMW 128i Coupe – $369/month, $2500 down payment (cap cost redution) and $500 option allowance

2012 BMW 135i Coupe – $439/month, $2500 down payment and $500 option allowance

2012 BMW 328i Sedan – $399/month, $2750 down payment

2012 BMW 328i Coupe – $419/month, $2500 down payment and $1000 option allowance

2012 BMW 328i Convertible – $469/month, $3200 down payment and $1000 option allowance

2012 BMW 328i xDrive Sedan- $429/month, $2500 down payment and $1000 option allowance

2012 BMW 335i Sedan – $459/month, $3000 down payment

2012 BMW 335i xDrive Coupe - $489/month, $3000 down payment and $1000 option allowance

2012 BMW 528i Sedan – $549/month, $1900 down payment and $1500 option allowance

2012 BMW 535i Gran Turismo – $669/month, $2250 down payment

2012 BMW 550i Sedan – $769/month, $3000 down payment

2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe – $829/month, $5000 down payment

2012 BMW 650i Convertible - $999/month, $5500 down payment and $2500 option allowance

2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i – $489/month, $2750 down payment

2013 BMW X5 xDrive50i – $749/month, $3000 down payment

2013 BMW X6 xDrive35i – $719/month, $3000 dow payment

2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i – $459/month, $2500 down payment and $2500 option allowance

Be reminded that, if you read the small print in these offers, they are only available to “qualified customers,” which means customers who have good credit scores. You should know your most recent credit score before you go to accept one of these deals. Fortunately, you can get your credit score online for free at services such as FreeCreditScore.com with a quick enrollment.

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Currently for May 2012, there are three luxury car makers offering special lease deals that are good through May and June 2012, ending on 7/2/2012.

All of the leases (shown below) are for 2012 models, for 36 months and have a 10,000 miles/year (30,000 total) mileage allowance. The “amount due at signing” includes a down payment (cap cost reduction), first month’s payment, and a bank fee (lease acquisition fee). It does not include official taxes or registration fees.

2012 Jaguar XF 5.0 Base – $599/month, $3995 due at signing (Rated 80, Excellent)

2012 Jaguar XJ 5.0L Base – $799/month, $4995 due at signing (Rated 83, Excellent)

2012 Jaguar XK Coupe 5.0L Base – $999/month, $4995 due at signing (Rated 78/Excellent)

2012 Jaguar XK Convertible 5.0L Base – $1099/month, $4995 due at signing (Rated 77, Excellent)

2012 Land Rover LR4 w/HSE pkg – $699/month, $2995 due at signing (Rated 75, Excellent)

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport w/Climate Comfort and Satellite/HD Radio – $799/month, $3995 due at signing (Rated 73, Good)

2012 Porsche Panemera Base – $999/month, $6494 due at signing (Rated 78, Excellent)

2012 Porsche Panemera S – $1199/month, $6894 due at signing (Rated 80, Excellent)

The ratings shown on each listing above have been made by LeaseGuide.com and are an evaluation of each deal on a five-level scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding. All of the listed deals are Excellent or near Excellent and represent deals worth considering. The deals have been “subvented” by the respective car manufacturers and are better than any deal that customers could negotiate for themselves.

In order to qualify for these deals, customers must have excellent credit. If you don’t know your most recent credit score, you should know it before you visit a car dealer for one of these deals — or any deal. It’s easy enough by simply going online to a service such as FreeCreditScore.com where you can see your score immediately.

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As you may know, most car dealers and manufacturers offer incentive programs on new cars every month. The programs start around the first of the month, usually on a Tuesday, and end around the end of the month or beginning of the next month, usually on a Monday.

It typically takes a few days at the beginning of each month before the new incentives are announced. Even dealers don’t know the details of these programs until formally announced by manufacturers.

However, we can see trends and can predict generally what is likely to happen even before the beginning of the month. Let’s take a look at May 2012.

American car makers are on a roll. Sales have been great so far in 2012. Usually, great sales means fewer incentives — you don’t need to encourage people to buy cars when they are already buying without incentives. However….with the uncertain economy, car manufacturers don’t want to take a chance that sales might slack off again. Therefore, expect to see some of the best rebates and low interest loans (including 0% APR deals) continuing on General Motors (Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, GMC), Ford (Ford, Lincoln), and Chrysler (Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep).

If you are looking to lease a car in May, Japanese, Korean, and European  brands will be your best bet. Many of the lease deals will be of the $0 down variety, which will be led by Infiniti and Acura. Honda and Toyota will continue to offer some great lease deals on selected models and styles, usually on the base or mid-level styles. Subaru, on the other hand, will be offering good leases on nearly every model and style. BMW will offer some the best value lease deals in the business on vehicles in nearly every model line.

Hyundai is the hot car brand to watch in 2012. They offer some of the best all-around car deals of all brands, including 0% APR loans, cash bonuses, and great lease deals. Furthermore, they offer one of the best new-car warranties at 5 years (10 years on powertrain) and 5 years free roadside assistance.

Less-than-$200 a month lease deals will be available from a number of car makers, including Honda, Kia, Hyundai, SmartCar, Scion, Subaru, Nissan, Jeep, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, and Chrysler. These are generally on smaller, gas saving, lower priced models, but nevertheless good deals.

You might begin seeing good deals on Suzuki vehicles since the company could be headed for financial trouble and bankruptcy.

Then finally, believe it or not, there are still dealers out there with leftover 2011 vehicles (and 2012 vehicles that have been replaced by new 2013 models) that are available at great deals. Manufacturers provide dealers with hidden “marketing support” cash that dealers can pass along as extra price discounts on these vehicles. The catch to buying leftover vehicles is that you might not find exactly the color or options you want, if you can find them at all.

We will report the details of new May 2012 incentives as they become available.

You can get free price quotes on any of the above mentioned new vehicles from Edmunds.comThe quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or price discounts that are currently available.

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1. A car dealer offers you what seems like a good price on a brand new car. Is it a good deal or not? Should you expect to do better?

There are two prices that are important to know when buying a new car. One is the MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) or “sticker” price shown on the car’s window sticker — retail price. The other is the “invoice” price — the price a dealer pays a car manufacturer for the car — wholesale price. With no other factors involved, a dealer can sell a car for a price anywhere between MSRP and invoice, depending how much profit he wants to make.

Many customers think dealers should sell cars at cost, which is ridiculous because any business has to make a profit to pay the bills and stay in operation.

Having said the above, dealers often get “help” from their manufacturer in the form of “holdbacks”, bonuses for making sales goals, and factory-to-dealer cash to help sell particular models and styles. Manufacturers also frequently offer direct customer rebates and bonuses.

Given this kind of help from the factory, dealers can often sell cars for prices that are below invoice price — with little or no money from their own pockets.

Although it’s easy enough to look up dealer invoice prices, it’s more difficult to know about holdbacks, hidden bonuses, and factory-to-dealer cash. Therefore, one of the best ways to know what you should pay for a new car is to know what other people are paying. TrueCar is one way to find out what others are paying for any specific car make and model. That way, you’ll be prepared with a knowledgeable price before you visit your dealer and begin negotiating.

2. A car dealer offers you a monthly payment that fits within your budget. Is it a good deal or not?

Unless you know the fair selling price of a car (see discussion above), how would you ever know if the monthly payment is a good deal? Just because it fits within your budget doesn’t make it a good deal. In fact, it might be a terrible deal.

Never negotiate monthly payments alone. Always negotiate price (as discussed above) first and have the dealer calculate the monthly payment for that price. Or you can calculate the payment yourself with one of the many auto loan calculator apps for smartphones. On a computer, you can use an online auto loan calculator such as this one.

Car dealers use their manufacturer’s “captive” finance company for providing car loans to customers, but you can always look for a better deal at a bank or credit union. The best finance deals are available to people who have good credit scores. If you don’t know your most recent credit score, you can get it online at services such as FreeCreditScore.com before you go visit your dealer.

3. A car dealer offers you a low monthly lease payment. Is it a good deal or not?

Lease payments are a little harder to evaluate than loan payments.  Leases are based not only on the negotiated price of a car, but also on finance rate (money factor), lease term (months), and lease-end residual (resale) value.

Therefore, the most important factor in getting a good lease deal is negotiating a good price (see discussion above). The other factors are set by the dealer’s lease finance company and are not negotiable. However, you can evaluate such deals by using a Lease Evaluation Calculator such as the one in the LeaseGuide.com Lease Kit.

Most special promotional car lease deals being offered by car manufacturers and dealers are usually genuinely good deals, if not excellent or outstanding (see other related articles on this web site).  These deals require no further negotiations.

If you don’t understand how car leasing works or don’t know if leasing is right for you, we recommend that you look at the free Car Lease Guide at LeaseGuide.com.

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Subaru

These deals are offered in a variety of lease terms (lease months).

All have a 12,000 miles-per-year mileage allowance.

Each requires a down payment, as specified in the table below.

Following are the current lease deals from Subaru, good through April 30, 2012.

However, we expect these deals will be extended into at least May 2012 and possibly longer.

Note that these deals may vary slightly, depending on where you live in the U.S.

Click the right-pointing ”forward” button at the bottom of the table to see more Subaru lease deals. There are over 200 deals listed in the table.

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Hyundai

The company is currently selling cars faster than they can make them. There is a shortage on some models such that some dealers have limited supplies. They are having to ramp up production to meet the increased demand.

So what’s so hot about Hyundai?

- The 2013 Hyundai Elantra was voted “North American Car of the Year” in January

- Hyundai vehicles show up in Consumer Reports “best” lists such as “Best Cars,” “Lowest 5-Year Ownership Costs,”Best Under $25,000,” and “Best Road Test Scores.” The Hyundai Sonata was named the “Most Affordable Family Sedan.”

- Hyundai vehicle models have been named “Highest Resale Values” and “Highest Residual Values” by Kelley Blue Book and ALG

- Hyundai models have earned “Top Safety Picks” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

- Some Hyundai models have “guaranteed trade-in values” when they are traded at two, three, or fours years out

- Hyundai vehicles come with 5-year warranty (10 year drivetrain warranty) and 5 years road assistance

- Not only all that, and more, but Hyundai vehicles are very attractively designed — they look good

Given all the reasons above for buying or leasing a Hyundai, there are also a number of very good deals for April 2012 in the form of low interest loans, cash bonuses, and special leases.

Let’s take a look.

2013 Hyundai Elantra (“Car of the Year”) – 1.9% APR loan, 36 months – $179/month lease, 36 months

2012 Hyundai Accent – 1.9% APR loan, 36 months – $169/month lease, 36 months

2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring – 0.9% APR loan, 36 months – $199/month lease, 36 months

2012 Hyundai Equus – 0.9% APR loan, 36 months – $1500 bonus for Hyundai or competitor trade-in – $739/month lease, 36 months

2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan – 0.9% APR loan, 36 months plus $500 bonus - $1500 bonus for Hyundai or competitor trade-in – $399/month lease, 36 months

2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe – 1.9% APR loan, 36 months – $500 bonus for Hyundai or competitor trade-in – $289/month lease, 36 months

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe – 0.0% APR loan, 36 months plus $500 bonus –  $500 bonus for Hyundai or competitor trade-in – $269/month lease, 36 months

2013 Hyundai Sonata – 0.9% APR loan, 36 months – $500 bonus for Hyundai trade-in – $199/month lease, 36 months

2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid – 0.0% APR loan, 36 months –  $500 bonus for Hyundai trade-in – $269/month lease, 36 months

2012 Hyundai Tucson – 1.9% APR loan, 36 months -  $500 bonus for Hyundai trade-in – $259/month lease, 36 months

2012 Hyundai Veloster – 1.9% APR loan, 36 months -  $179/month lease, 36 months

2012 Hyundai Veracruz – 0.0% APR loan, 36 months plus $1000 bonus cash -  $1000 bonus for Hyundai trade-in – $750 competitor trade-in – $299/month lease, 36 months

Just a reminder: You can get free price quotes on any of the above cars from Edmunds.com. The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

Also be reminded that the special low-interest loans and lease deals are only available to “qualified” customers who have good credit scores. If you don’t know your most current credit score you can get it online at services such as FreeCreditScore.com.

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It is probably safe to assume that most, or at least many, of the those people are making intelligent, informed decisions and are making their choices for good reasons based on diligent research.

Since all categories of buyers are represented, it’s also safe to assume that the top selling vehicles have the best combinations of all the things that car customers consider important — value, quality, utility, reliability, safety, performance, style, comfort, and fuel economy.

Here are the top 10 best selling veicles of 2012 as compiled by Automotive News Weekly in April 2012:

1. Ford F-Series (trucks)
2. Toyota Camry
3. Nissan Altima
4. Chevrolet Silverado Series (truck)
5. Honda Civic
6. Honda CR-V
7. Toyota Corolla / Matrix
8. Ram Series (truck)
9. Ford Focus
10. Ford Fusion

Notice that trucks hold three spots in the list, with the Ford F-Series holding its traditional first place spot. Trucks are always popular because they are not only purchased for personal use but also for utility and commercial use. In some parts of the U.S., trucks outnumber other types of vehicles.

Also notice that the Toyota Camry occupies it’s usual spot as the best selling car. It’s been that way for 10 years or more. If there were a poster child (vehicle) for American family automobiles, it would be the Toyota Camry. The Honda Accord, a very similar vehicle, has ranked closely with the Camry in past years but has slipped due to some quality and reliability issues, not to mention the Japanese earthquake last year which seriously affected production.

Otherwise, the remaining vehicles on the best-sellers list are primarily smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles, which is most certainly a reflection of concern about rising gas prices.

If you want to make a good decision when choosing your next new car, going with the flow and buying what most other people are buying is not a bad approach. Even if you prefer another brand or model than those on the best-sellers list, at least you have a point of comparison. How does your chosen vehicle compare with those on the list? In what areas is it better or worse? Is it as safe? Is it as reliable? Is it as fuel-efficient?

You can get free price quotes on any of the above cars from Edmunds.comThe quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

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Toyota

The best deals for April are in the form of special lease offers, some with cash back. There are also a number of 0% APR loan deals and cash back offers.  All current Toyota incentives end on 4/30/2012.

Let’s take a look now at the best Toyota deals for April:

2012 Toyota Camry – $199/month lease, 36 months, $1780 down (Rated 93, Outstanding)

2012 Toyota Corolla – $149/month lease, 36 months, $2250 down (Rated 85, Excellent)

2012 Toyota Highlander – $259/month lease, 36 months, $2740 down (Rated 92, Outstanding)

2012 Toyota RAV4 – $189/month lease, 36 months, $2210 down (Rated 96, Outstanding) — or 0% APR loan rate — or $750 cash back

2012 Toyota Avalon – $379/month lease, 36 months, $2620 down (Rated 73, Good) — or 0% APR loan — or $500 cash back

2012 Toyota Sienna – 0% APR loan rate for 36 months

2012 Toyota Tacoma – $249/month lease, 36 months, $2750 down (Rated 84, Excellent) — or $500 cash back

2012 Toyota Tundra – 0% APR loan rate for 60 months + $1000 cash back

2012 Toyota Venza – $249/month lease, 36 months, $2750 down + $500 cash back (Rated 88, Excellent) — or 0% APR loan rate for 36 months

The ratings you see on the above lease deals are determined by LeaseGuide.com. Rankings are on a five level scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding. As you can see, a number of the Toyota lease deals are ranked Outstanding, with the RAV4 deal being the best. Any deal rated Excellent or Outstanding is well worth considering and is better than any deal a customer could negotiate for themselves.

Be aware that Toyota deals may vary depending on where you live in the U.S., due to the fact that Toyota uses distributors in some parts of the country that make their own incentive offers. Typically, the deals are very similar but may differ slightly in details such as monthly payment and down payment amounts.

You may already know, but when car companies make special financing or lease offers such as those above, they require that customers be “highly qualified” to accept the deals. That is, customers must have a good credit score. Therefore, if you think you might be interested in such a deal, you should know your latest credit score before you visit your dealer. It’s easy enough to get your score and it’s free from online services such as FreeCreditScore.com after a quick sign-up.

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These deals come in the form of cash-back rebates, bonuses, low-interest loans, factory-to-dealer cash, and special lease deals and usually change from one month to the next. A particular vehicle may be a good deal one month and no deal the next.

The downside of this method of finding good car deals is that if you are looking for a certain vehicle make, model, and style (trimline), there might not be any incentives on it in the month that you would like to buy or lease. And there’s no way for you know to if there will be incentives offered if you wait a month or two, or ever.  Car companies rarely offer special deals on every model and trimline. Some hot selling vehicles may never get incentives.

So, how is it possible to get the best car deals when there are no manufacturer’s deals are being offered on the car you want at the time you want it?

If a dealer’s car company is not offering incentives such as rebates and low-interest loans, then there is only one thing you can negotiate – price. A dealer can give up part of his normal profit by discounting price to customers. This applies whether a you pay cash, buy with a loan, or lease. The money comes from the dealer’s pockets, not his car company’s.

Since many dealers mark up loan interest rates by  about 2% for additional profit, you might be able to negotiate some or all of that profit — if you know the mark up (reserve) exists and the percentage – almost impossible. It’s easier to compare a dealer’s rate with those of local banks or credit unions.

Fortunately, dealers are very competitive and want your business — and are willing to offer discounted prices, often without a fight. The Internet has made it easy to shop for car prices without leaving your computer.

Use one or more of the following online pricing services to find the best dealer prices in your area:

Edmunds

TrueCar

InvoiceDealers

The price quotes are free and there is no obligation to accept any of them. Make sure you get as many quotes as possible so that you have plenty of choices from which to pick the best deal. If you get a quote from a dealer that you would like to do business with but his price is not as good as another dealer’s, show him the other dealer’s quote and ask him to match it.

Be sure you always negotiate price, not monthly payments, even for a lease. You should already know how auto loan payments  and lease payments are calculated so that you can find your own monthly payments after you know price. Use web resources such as Auto Loan Calculator and Lease Payment Calculator to do your calculations.

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Acura

The deals are unique in that they come in two forms. You get your choice of a 36 month lease with a normal down payment — or — a 35 month lease, with no down payment, no security deposit. The first month’s payment is due at signing for both arrangements — as well as official tag and registration fees that are normally paid on any new car purchase or lease.

If you choose the $0 down deal, you’ll make a higher monthly payment but the value of the deal is essentially the same. If it’s a good deal without the down payment, it’s a good deal with the down payment.

Here is a summary of the Acura lease deals for April 2012. All deals are for 36 month (or 35 month) terms and 10,000 miles per year allowance.

2012 Acura TL 6-speed auto – $349/month, 36 months, $2350 down — or — $420/month, 35 months, $0 down

2012 Acura TSX 5-speed auto – $299/month. 36 months, $1700 down — or $350/month, 35 months, $0 down

2012 Acura TSX Sport Wagon 5-speed auto – $329/month, 36 months, $1670 down — or — $370/month, 35 months, $0 down

2012 Acura ZDX 6-speed auto, Technology Pkg. – $499/month, 36 months, $2500 down — or — $570/month, 35 months, $0 down

2012 Acura MDX 6-speed auto – $449/month, 36 months, $3050 down — or — $530/month, 35 months, $0 down

2012 Acura RDX 5-speed auto – $349/month, 36 months, $1650 down — or — $410/month, 35 months, $0 down

All of above lease deals have been rated at least Excellent by LeaseGuide.com on a 5-level scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding. Actually, the
TSX $0-down deal is rated higher at Outstanding, as are both the ZDX deals.

These deals might be slightly different depending on where you live in the U.S.. In some cases the monthly payment might be higher, but the down payment lower, or vice versa. Note that each deal is limited to a single style with each model line. Make sure you are fine with the style before agreeing to one of the lease deals.

Like any special lease deals being offered by car companies, these Acura deals require that the customer be “qualified” with a good credit score. If you don’t know your latest credit score, you can get it easily online at services such as FreeCreditScore.com.

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However, the Chrysler Group (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat, and Ram), General Motors (Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC), as well as Honda (Acura and Honda) have already announced incentives for April. Actually, these are incentive programs that began in early March and extended through March and April. These deals end on April 30, 2012.

We will discuss other carmakers’ incentives as they are announced in early April.

Deals on 2012 Chrysler Group vehicles are expecially attractive at this time, with good rebates and 0% APR loan rates on nearly every model.

Let’s take a look at some of the best Chrysler Group deals:

2012 Chrysler 200 sedan – $3000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

2012 Chrysler 300S sedan – $1500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

2012 Dodge Avenger – $3000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

2012 Dodge Charger – $2000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

2012 Dodge Challenger and Caliber – $1500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

2012 Jeep Liberty – $3000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

2012 Ram 1500 -up to $2000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

General Motors is also offering high rebates and low interest loan deals for April on selected 2012 models as well as left over 2011 models (see GM Has Great Deals on 2011 Vehicles). Here are some of the best GM deals:

2012 Cadillac (most models) – 0.9% APR loan rate and special lease deals on CTS, Escalade, and SRX

2012 Chevrolet Impala – $3500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

2012 Chevrolet Malibu – $3000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 1500 Hybrid – $2000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

2012 Chevrolet Colorado – $2000 rebate or 1.9% APR loan rate

2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid – $2000 rebate or 0% APR loan rate

Honda also has incentives in April on selected 2012 models and styles as follows:

2012 Acura MDX, RDX, RL, TL, TSX, and ZDX – 0.9% APR loan rate

2012 Honda Accord, Civic Hybrid, Crosstour, Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline – 0.9%

Honda offers special lease deals for April on selcted styles of the 2012 Honda Accord LX Sedan, Civic Hybrid, Civic LX Sedan, Crosstour EX 6cyl, CR-V LX, Odyssey LX, and Pilot LX. The Civic and Accord leases are especially attractive at $179/month and $199/month at 35 months with $0 first month’s payment.

As we usually do, we remind readers that special finance and lease deals are only available to “qualified” customers who have good credit. Before you go car shopping, we recommend that you always know your latest credit score before a dealer surprises you with what he knows about you. It’s easy enough to get your most current score online from services such as FreeCreditScore.com with a simple signup.

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Cars with high residual values have lower monthly payments.

Therefore, when you lease you want to select a brand that offers the highest residual values. In leasing, it makes a difference as to which make and model you select, where in buying, it does not.

In other words, for two different brands and models of cars, say Ford and Honda, that are priced exactly the same, monthly lease payments would be less for the Honda than for the Ford because Honda has higher (better) lease-end residual values than Ford, in general.

ALG, Inc. is a company that publishes residual values for all makes of vehicles. Many banks, credit unions, and finance companies use its data to set residuals on car leases. This data is not available to the public.

ALG publishes a list of the brands with the best (highest) residual values each year. They call it their “Residual Value Awards.” For 2012, the list of top brands is shown below for “mainstream” (non-luxury) vehicles:

1. Subaru
2. Honda
3. Hyundai
4. Mazda
5. Toyota
6. Nissan
7. Kia
8. Volkswagen

Notice that with the exception of Volkswagen, all brands are Asian, whose vehicles are known for high quality, good reliability, and high resale value.

In the luxury segment, ALG lists the top brands as follows:

1. Lexus
2. Acura
3. Infiniti
4. Mercedes-Benz
5. Audi

While the three Japanese brands (Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti) have superior reliability, the two European brands (Mercedes-Benz and Audi) have only mid-range reliability. But luxury brands tend to have high resale values regardless of other factors, which means high lease-end residual values — which makes them good vehicles to lease.

If you need to know about car leasing and how lease payments are calculated with residuals, please visit LeaseGuide.com.

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Dealers need to sell last year’s leftovers to raise money and make room for current year’s models. But both automaker and dealer knows that customers won’t pay sticker price on the older models when the new models are similar in price and style.

To make the older models more attractive, car manufacturers offer high factory-to-customer cash rebates, as well as “hidden” factory-to-dealer cash that dealers can use to create price discounts to customers. Customers get the benefit of not only a rebate but, when available, also a nice discounted price — all of which makes for some great deals.

The upside to buying a year-old 2011 model car is that it probably is not much different from the newer 2012 model, and it’s still a brand new car with full factory warranty and lemon law protection. The downside is that supplies may be limited and you may not find exactly the color, style, or features that you want. However, if you are willing to be a bit flexible in your selections, you could save a ton of money and get an outstanding deal.

Getting to the point of this article, General Motors is currently offering some great incentives on leftover 2011 models of their vehicles, which expire on April 30, 2012.

Here are some of the biggest and best deals on General Motors 2011 vehicles:

2011 Chevrolet Impala – $3500 rebate

2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hybrid – $4005 rebate

2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 – up to $4005

2011 Chevrolet Avalanche, Corvette, Impala – $4000 rebate

2011 Chevrolet Malibu, Suburban, Tahoe – $3500 rebate

2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, Silverado 3500HD, Traverse – $3000 rebate

2011 Buick Enclave, Regal, LaCrosse – $3000 rebate

2011 Buick Lucerne – $4000 factory-to-dealer cash

2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid – $4005 rebate

2011 GMC Sierra 1500 – up to $4005 rebate (depending on style)

2011 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL – $3500 rebate

2011 GMC Canyon – up to $3000

2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD, Sierra 3500HD – $3000 rebate

Remember, if you decide to buy one of these 2011 GM vehicles and get your rebate, don’t overlook the fact the the rebate money doesn’t come out of your dealer’s pockets. Ask your dealer for an additional price break on top of the manufacturer’s rebate. He needs to get rid of these cars, so go for the best deal you can get out of him.

You can get free dealer price quotes on any of the above cars from Edmunds.comThe quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available, but you may be able to work an even better deal when you visit the dealer.

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Buick

In the company’s effort to get customer’s attention on the upscale Buick brand, it is currently offering three outstanding lease deals that are good through March and April, until April 30, 2012.

The deals are a bit unusual in that they are all for 24 month terms. Most were 36 months in the past. The company seems to be saying “come test drive a Buick for two short years at a great lease rate and we know you’ll like it.”

The deals are made even better because the automaker is also throwing in free scheduled maintenance, free Sirus/XM radio service, and free OnStar service for the entire lease term — and $0 cash due at lease signing. This means there’s no down payment, no first month’s payment, and no security deposit. What a deal!

Here are the current special lease deals from Buick.

2012 Buick LaCrosse – $399/month, $0 due at signing, 24,000 mile allowance

2012 Buick Enclave – $489/month, $0 due at signing, 24,000 mile allowance

2012 Buick Regal Turbo – $369/month, $0 due at signing, 24,000 mile allowance

All three deals have been evaluated by LeaseGuide.com as Outstanding on a five-level scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding. This means that Buick has made the monthly payments as low as possible by discounting the vehicle price, reducing the finance rate, and boosting the lease-end residual value. You would be hard-pressed to find a luxury car with payments this low. Customers would not be able to negotiate these kinds of deals for themselves.

Any special car lease deal always comes with a requirement that the customer be “qualified” with a good credit score. If you don’t know your most current credit score, you should. You can see your latest credit score online from a service such as FreeCreditScore.com.

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