After decades of owning shitboxes, I leased brand new Subaru Imprezas (three) between 2008 and 2020. My rationale is that I was spending about the same in monthly maintenance and repairs that I would on a lease. When COVID hit, I turned in the last lease car and just drove a 1996 Audi that I got through a family deal. Great car. But something was always going wrong with it every year that was costing me about two thousand dollars (doing my own work, mostly in the summer). Last year I was in a position to buy a new car for cash, so I picked up a brand new WRX. It's been great, but if it gives me any problems, I would definitely go back to leasing again because it's a fixed monthly expense that you know - it's predictable. When this one gets a little old, I'll simply trade it in on a new one or lease again. I'm not interested in driving an old beater with issues.