Recently my wife and I test drove a few cars in the A6 class and liked the A6 the best. We priced out the A6 with options to around $63k. We compared this, primarily, to a MB E350, also priced to around $63k with options.

Then things got all crazy-like. A 33-36 month lease on the MB is around $740 a month. Audi wants damned near $970 for about the same lease terms (first month payment, incidentals due at signing,etc).

Why should two cars with nearly identical capital costs from respected German brands be priced so radically different when it comes time to lease them?

We liked he Audi best, but I can't see spending $230 a month more for it when the capital costs of he two cars are so similar. What am I missing here?

Judd

 

Resale value... Although the resale value on an Audi is rising, MB still has the better resale value in short term lease. It is all based on how much the dealer can resell the car after the lease term. Although 5 year depreciation would be about the same, the initial depreciation may be especially steep for an Audi compared to a MB.

 

Ask both places about the effective interest rate/money factor and lease residual/buy out value. When I was looking one year ago lease rates were ridiculously low, I know that a new, loaded A6 was much less but at that time they were trying to dump the old body style in preparation for the 2012's.

 

You said the terms are the same and mentioned a few specifics, but not the mileage limits. If one is a 12k per year and one is 10k miles per year that will effect the lease price.
If not then it can be a few other things. Are both through the manufacturer, ie Audi and MB, as opposed to an in dependent bank?
Did they give you the value to be capitalized, ie the "selling price". If both sticker prices are 63K, and Audi has 63k as the lease value, and MB has 58k, there is your difference.
Did you look at the return fees? Sometimes those can differ. Is Audi throwing in something different like free tires, credit life insurance, rust proofing (lol) etc?
If you want the Audi just show them the deal you have with MB and say these are basically the same terms, can you match MB?
Try another Audi dealer, maybe the dealer you are at is not giving on price.
And lastly manufacturers at different times have differnt subvention programs. So right now maybe MB is offering offering some type if benefit which ends up lower the lease price.