I don't think leases are a bad deal if you are uncertain of how long you will be here. With a lease, you can leave and give the car back.
But you are paying quite a bit more for a lease. I pay half as much as my coworkers here for a car I purchased. The gamble is that I'm hoping when I leave I can either A) allow another expat take over the loan or B) sell the vehicle without taking a loss.
The numbers to me are clear. If I'm here for a year and I pay 1300QR/month as opposed to my coworkers that pay around 2000QR/month, I'll have an extra 8400QR (2300USD give or take) at the end of the year. Plus, I get to choose the car I want and more importantly, have the joy of doing with it what I please (upgrades, etc.).
I don't think leases are a bad deal if you are uncertain of how long you will be here. With a lease, you can leave and give the car back.
But you are paying quite a bit more for a lease. I pay half as much as my coworkers here for a car I purchased. The gamble is that I'm hoping when I leave I can either A) allow another expat take over the loan or B) sell the vehicle without taking a loss.
The numbers to me are clear. If I'm here for a year and I pay 1300QR/month as opposed to my coworkers that pay around 2000QR/month, I'll have an extra 8400QR (2300USD give or take) at the end of the year. Plus, I get to choose the car I want and more importantly, have the joy of doing with it what I please (upgrades, etc.).
Just my two cents...