How does the lease vs buy math work for NJ buyers?

To compare: add up all lease payments over 3 years (e.g., $350 x 36 = $12,600) plus drive-off costs. For buying, add financing costs (principal + interest) over the same period. The key difference is that lease payments build no equity while loan payments do — but leases avoid depreciation risk on the back end. For most NJ buyers who change vehicles every 3–4 years, leasing wins on total cost.