Ford

Since we get preferred pricing on the escape, the lease payments would be about $100 less a month. given the gas mileage, etc., plus intangibles, what would be the best way to go?

Lease the escape. 100/mo x 36 months = $3600.00 or twelve hundred gallons of fuel at 3 dollars per gallon. the new 08 escape is an awesome car. stop bagging on ford, thier newer cars are extremely good and affordable. anyone that says leasing cars is throwing money away can profess the advantages of "buying" the next time they try to trade in thier car that they owe $10000 more than the car is worth! lease things that depreciate (cars) own things that appreciate (real estate) extremely simple principle, unless you can afford the payments on a 36 month purchase which is probably unlikely.