Ram Truck Lease

How Does Leasing Work?

Leasing is different from purchasing a car in that when you lease, you do not own the vehicle—the manufacturer or the car dealership does. In many cases, the manufacturer owns the car, and the dealership will purchase it when the lease is up and sell it as a used car. Nonetheless, the major difference is that someone else owns the car, so it's like you are renting it.

That rent, or monthly lease payment, will be determined by several factors. The main one is depreciation, which is the difference between how much the car is worth today and what it will be worth when you turn it in at the end of the lease. It might also be determined by what is considered normal wear and tear and other factors like whether or not you plan on smoking in the car, transporting children or pets, or using it for a rideshare service like Lyft or Uber. The length of the lease and predicted usage (which we'll get to) will also determine these payments.

One of the nice things about leasing a vehicle is that the monthly payments will usually be lower than what they would be for an auto loan if you were to purchase the same vehicle. For this reason, leasing gives many the option to drive a car that they might not have been able to purchase. It also affords many the option to drive a brand new car. Additionally, the down payment is typically smaller than it would be on a purchased car.

Another perk of a lease is that it typically covers annual service while you have the vehicle, and you get ample support from the dealership from whom you leased should anything go wrong. Once your lease is up, you simply turn the car in. There's no need to worry about selling it the way you would if you'd purchased it.

What Are My Options When I Lease?

The first thing you'll do after selecting the vehicle you want to lease is determine how many years you'd like to drive it and how many miles per year you think you'll drive it. Once you've determined how long you'd like to hold onto the car and how much you'll use it, our leasing specialist will help you determine two figures—how much money you can put down and what sort of monthly payments you'd have to make. One figure impacts the other.

Putting down more upfront will result in lower monthly payments. Meanwhile, a small initial payment will result in higher monthly payments. Some individuals like to put down a large initial payment to enjoy low payments moving forward. But, not everyone has a big chunk of cash for that down payment, which is why the flexibility of a lease is so nice. Put down what you can, and the monthly payments will reflect that.

It's important to know that dealerships (like ours) will usually run your credit score and might ask for other details about your income, just to make sure you can make your payments. From there, you'll likely review a selection of warranty options to protect your car against the unexpected and damage that your regular car insurance likely doesn't cover. Then you're ready to get the keys and enjoy your vehicle.

What Happens at the End of My Lease?

Once your lease term is up, you'll have a few options for what you do with the vehicle. You can simply turn it in and walk away; however, keep in mind the dealership will conduct an inspection, and if you're considered responsible for any damage to the car, you'll need to pay for that. If you went over your agreed-upon mileage, you might need to pay a fine for that excess use as well. After all that is handled (if necessary), you can walk away.

Should you still need a vehicle to drive, you might want to consider your second option, which is to trade in the vehicle for a new lease. Doing so offers many benefits. First, you could have some leverage if turning the vehicle in below mileage. Let's say, for example, you paid for 10,000 miles a year but only drove the car 7,000 miles per year on a three-year lease. You're turning it in 9,000 miles under usage, and that's valuable to the dealership. So you can use that in negotiating the terms (such as the down payment) on a new lease. And, because you're doing continued business with the dealership by entering into a new lease, they're likely glad to negotiate.

A third option is to buy your vehicle. You've already made a good deal of payments on it through the lease, so you might find that it wouldn't cost too much to buy it. Consider the current estimated value of the vehicle when you turn it in and what you'd have to pay to own it to see if this makes sense financially.

Ram Trucks to Lease

All three of these Ram trucks are excellent in their own way, and we mean that. High-numbered specs don't always mean better when it comes to a truck because we want you to have what is best for your situation. So, if you're looking for a bold and highly-capable truck for significant projects, the Ram 1500 is the full-size truck for you. If you want something a big step up that bridges the gap between work and work, then the 2500 is right there in the middle. If you want a true workhorse, the 3500 is going to keep at it for the long haul.

Ram 1500

You know a Ram truck when you see one. They catch your eye. The Ram 1500 is one of the most exciting trucks on the road. Why? Because its architecture does more than give it a bold appearance; it cultivates top-level performance. The Ram's dynamic architecture puts it on a plane above many other pickup trucks; it is designed to withstand all kinds of circumstances. More directly, however, the Ram 1500's architecture maximizes towing and payload, making it an ideal truck for cargo hauling. Towing and payload are two of the most important specs to consider when you are looking for a work truck, as the two of those determine the heftiness of the loads you will or will not be able to carry. The Ram 1500 provides an impressive towing capacity, making it an ideal truck for significant home jobs, say on a farm or even as an independent contractor.

The reason we specify that the Ram 1500 is ideal for home jobs is that it is a standard full-size truck; if you're looking for a heavy-duty "workhorse" truck, the Ram 2500 or 3500 will take you several steps up, making the truck feel more industrial. Now, before you get too excited and jump right on over to Ram's heavy-duty options, those workhorses can sometimes be detrimental if you intend to use them for home projects. Of course, everyone's circumstances are different, but sometimes the heavy-duty trims are so big that they are hard to fit in domestic environments, and they may end up being overwhelming depending on the kind of space you are working with. Now, if you don't know whether your situation is better suited to a full-size or a heavy-duty truck, that in itself is an argument for leasing the Ram 1500.

By starting out with a lease on the Ram 1500, you can get your feet wet with a full-size truck and see how it fits your situation. If you get to the end of your lease and you think it's going well, then you can keep on trucking with your full-size; otherwise, if you get to the end and you feel like you could do well with a little more truck, then you can move on to one of the heavy-duty options. Leasing a truck can be a great way to start out because there are fewer strings attached, but you get to have the truck as your own for a while and see how it goes.

Now, aside from the work value of the Ram 1500, it also provides a great driver and passenger experience as a luxury truck. Not only does the interior provide premium connectivity, safety, and towing technology, but it also provides beautiful and rich color schemes, leather upholstery, and overall sleek design features. This is another area in which the Ram 1500 makes itself perfect for the balance between work projects and domestic life; it is highly capable but highly comfortable for all passengers.

Ram 2500

Upon your first encounter with the Ram 1500, it may be hard to believe that it is not considered a heavy-duty truck. But, once you see the Ram 2500, you'll see the difference between full-size and heavy-duty. You don't even have to drive the vehicle to know the difference. It is clear based on the exterior alone; the 2500 just looks bigger, bolder, and stronger than the 1500. It looks different because it is built differently; the architecture needs to be even more heightened than the Ram 1500 in order to support the higher capacities.

In examining a heavy-duty truck, it is important to examine the right specs. Looking at horsepower alone, you may have no reason to believe that a heavy-duty truck is worth the extra money. But look at torque, towing capacity, and payload capacity, and you'll see where that extra money goes. If you are doing really difficult jobs, or if you know that you're going to be hauling extra large loads, whether on your trailer or in your pickup bed, then you'll want to go heavy-duty with a Ram 2500.

The Ram 2500 is an excellent midway point between the domestic workhorse that is the 1500 and the industrial workhorse that is the 3500. But don't take that to mean that the difference between the 1500 and the 2500 is negligible; the 2500 will give you an increase in towing and payload capacity by thousands of pounds (not hundreds, thousands!). The heavy-duty trucks show why pickup trucks are always classified as "trucks" and never simply as "cars." These trucks were made for hauling, and the 2500 trumps the 1500 when it comes to cargo-hauling capacity.

The Ram 2500 is a great model to lease because heavy-duty trucks serve a very specific purpose, and changes to one's state in life (i.e moving) can make a heavy-duty truck difficult to manage. If you think that a heavy-duty truck would suit your needs for a time but is not necessarily a "forever vehicle," then leasing is a great way to have access to a true workhorse without having to worry about the future.

Ram 3500

This is the big boy. The 1500 is strong, the 2500 is stronger, but the 3500 is strongest. If you thought the thousands of pounds of extra strength on the 2500 were impressive (and they are), then you will be astonished by the capability of the Ram 3500. The architecture of the 3500 is that of a true truck, and so is its performance. Because of its strength in both appearance and capability, the Ram 3500 will fit right in on any worksite, and it may end up being the favorite vehicle of everyone on the site.

This truck is designed to handle anything that comes its way, and it brings an off-road mentality to its work-focused design in order to make itself more versatile. But don't think that Ram trucks lose their luxury as you work your way up the ladder; on the contrary, more truck means more luxury, including special editions with unique design cues. Luxury vehicles usually include unique technology features, but because this luxury vehicle is also a work vehicle, it includes extra special technology features to make your work experience easier, more convenient, and more enjoyable.

As we've established, there are a lot of good reasons to lease a Ram truck. One very good reason to lease the 3500 specifically is simply that of access; we don't want you to miss out on the truly phenomenal performance capability of this fantastic truck, and leasing will likely make that a more realistic possibility financially. The Ram 3500 is a truck that will take your work life to the next level, and we don't want you to be denied that opportunity.

Visit Us When You're Ready to Lease a Ram Truck