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Record-High New Vehicle Prices and Rising Loan Delinquencies: Are Lease Buyout Loans Smarter Than Ever?
Published 11/18/25
Estimated Read Time: 6 min
TL;DR: New-car prices have surged past $50,000 on average, and auto loan delinquencies are climbing—making ownership of a new vehicle more financially risky. For anyone leasing, this creates a golden opportunity: a lease buyout loan with Lease End could be the smart move.
When the average price of a new vehicle breaks the $50,000 mark, it sets off a chain reaction across auto finance. According to data cited by Cox Automotive, buyers are paying more and borrowing longer—both of which raise risk.
Higher sticker prices mean larger loans and deeper depreciation. The more you finance, especially over longer terms, the more likely you are to owe more than the car is worth. That scenario doesn’t just hurt resale; it also changes the calculus for your end-of-lease options.
A lease buyout loan lets you skip the expensive new-car rat race altogether. With the market this stressed, owning your leased vehicle (on favorable terms) is an increasingly attractive alternative.
How Rising Auto Loan Delinquency Influences Your Lease Buyout Decision
Delinquencies are creeping up, particularly for longer-term loans and buyers with weaker credit profiles. That means some new-car borrowers are already feeling squeezed, so leasing a new vehicle or trading your current lease might carry more risk than usual.
Here’s the rub: if new vehicle ownership is becoming less affordable and more risky, your current leased car may actually represent stability and value. Using a lease buyout loan to convert your lease into ownership might allow you to lock in something you already know, instead of chasing something you don’t.
The Lease End Advantage: Why a Lease Buyout Loan Is One of Your Best Moves
At Lease End, we specialize in guiding drivers from “leased” to “owned.” We’ve built our process around the realities of today’s market: inflated new-car prices, stretched loan terms, and rising risk.
With our lease buyout loan service, we help you evaluate whether buying out your lease makes sense and then help you get there faster and cleaner.
When a Lease Buyout Loan Makes Clear Sense
• Your leased car is in great shape and you like it (no surprise trade-in headaches).
• Your lease buyout amount is below market value (positive equity).
• You’re done chasing new vehicles and want a stable, predictable payment.
• You’re wary of trading up into a new car that comes with higher risk.
• Your lease buyout amount is below market value (positive equity).
• You’re done chasing new vehicles and want a stable, predictable payment.
• You’re wary of trading up into a new car that comes with higher risk.
If you fit any of those, a lease buyout loan via Lease End might be the smartest move in your playbook right now.
And When It Might Not Be the Right Call
• Your lease car has high mileage or reliability issues.
• Your buyout amount is higher than market value (negative equity).
• You’re looking forward to a different vehicle for a strong reason (style change, family size, EV upgrade).
• Your buyout amount is higher than market value (negative equity).
• You’re looking forward to a different vehicle for a strong reason (style change, family size, EV upgrade).
Next Steps: How to Run the Numbers and Decide
- Get your lease buyout figure from your leasing company (this is your cost to own). Or contact Lease End. We can do that for you!
- Research your vehicle’s current market value (used-vehicle sites, auction data).
- Consider the cost of replacing your car with a new one (given today’s $50K+ average, that number might shock you).
- Fill out a quick form with Lease End and we’ll show you lease buyout loan options and whether the numbers stack up.
- Make your decision—own what you have, or trade for something else. We’ll help with the paperwork either way.
The Bottom Line
With new vehicle prices soaring and auto loan delinquency on the rise, trading your leased car for something new might carry more risk than it used to. A lease buyout loan via Lease End offers a compelling alternative: convert your lease into ownership, avoid inflated new-car costs, and gain financial control.
Ready to explore your path from leased to owned? Visit LeaseEnd.com — the only official Lease End site. We’ll help you make smart moves, not risky ones.
About the author
Adam Broud
Adam Broud is a writer and comedian based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. As a professional stand-up comedian with an MBA, his writing uniquely blends the worlds of business and comedy. Adam's writing for ads and comedy has appeared in places such as Buzzfeed, Vanity Fair, your television, and his mom's box of keepsakes. Feel free to review his writing from any of those places, but just know it's kinda weird if you choose his mom's house.
Lease End's mission is to empower auto lease owners with the technology to easily exit their lease. If you'd like to learn more about the lease-end options available to you, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our expert advisors are always prepared to answer your questions and are committed to finding the right plan for your individual needs.
©2025 Lease End
©2025 Lease End
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