Education
Ask Us Anything
About Leasing.
The questions our agents get asked most — how a lease actually works, what it costs, what happens at the end — answered in full. If yours isn’t here, one phone call gets it answered.
Benefits of Leasing
How does a car lease work?
A car lease is a financing tool that allows you to match your monthly payment to how you actually use the car. Instead of paying the full purchase price of a vehicle down to $0 like you would with a traditional auto loan, a lease only requires you to pay the vehicle down to its residual value — an amount the bank guarantees the car will be worth at the end of the lease term.
For example, on a $60,000 vehicle with a $22,000 residual, you only pay the $38,000 difference over the term of the lease. That is why lease payments are significantly lower than loan payments on the exact same car for the same term length. You are paying for the portion of the vehicle you use — not the entire thing.
The residual value is the bank’s risk, not yours. Rather than paying a vehicle all the way down to $0 and then hoping to recover your equity when you trade it in, a lease locks in your equity upfront. You keep more money in your pocket each month and are positioned to trade out at the end in a clean, break-even position — which is exactly how the D&M EZ Lease is designed to work.
Does leasing a used car make sense?
Leasing a used car can make a lot of sense depending on your situation. New cars take their biggest value hit in the first year — often losing up to 25% of their value. When you lease a pre-owned vehicle, someone else has already absorbed that initial depreciation. You get a quality car with lower monthly payments and often little to no money down.
In a lease, you are paying for the part of the car you use. Which used cars lease out the best depends on a variety of factors including starting mileage, age, options, and how long you intend to keep it. Our agents are experts at putting you in the right vehicle with the combination of features you want that will hold its value the best.
Is leasing a used car less expensive than leasing new?
In most cases, yes. Because the steepest depreciation has already occurred, the portion of the vehicle’s value you are paying for during the lease term is lower. That translates directly to lower monthly payments. You get the benefits of lease-style low payments without paying for the most expensive part of the car’s life — the first year of ownership.
Leasing Benefits
What are the requirements for leasing a used car?
You can lease a pre-owned vehicle that is up to 5 years old from the start of the lease. There are starting mileage requirements on the vehicle that vary depending on the specific car. In many cases, we can structure these leases out to 5 years in total length. We can also include extended warranties and other protection products so you have full peace of mind throughout the lease.
Do I have to come into a D&M office to lease a car?
No. The entire transaction is handled remotely from start to finish. Once you and your agent agree on the right vehicle and lease structure, we submit your deal to the lender, prepare all documents electronically, and send them to you via DocuSign. You review and sign from your home or office — there is no need to come to our location or sit through a long in-person sales pitch with a finance director.
When the paperwork is complete, your agent personally delivers your new vehicle to your home or office and drives away in your trade-in. The entire experience is designed to save you time. No hours spent at a dealership. No being passed between multiple people. One agent handles everything, and you never have to leave your house.
Do I have to lease, or can I buy a used car from D&M?
You absolutely can buy a used car from D&M. We are able to lease or sell pre-owned vehicles. If you’re not sure which option is right for you, our agents will give you a side-by-side comparison of a lease versus a traditional loan so you can see the real numbers and make the right decision for your situation.
Costs & Payments
Do I need a down payment to lease a new car?
On qualified leases, D&M offers the option of no money down with no payments for 60 days on the EZ Lease. This makes it easier to get into a new vehicle without a large upfront cost.
That said, every person’s situation is different. Some clients prefer to put money down to lower their monthly payment. Others prefer to keep cash in their pocket and finance the full amount. Our agents will custom-fit whatever payment structure works best for your specific financial situation. There is no one-size-fits-all approach — we build the deal around what makes sense for you.
Can I estimate the payment of a used car lease online?
Unfortunately, no. Every used car lease we build is customized to that specific vehicle — its mileage, equipment, and condition — and to how you plan to use it. Our team determines the exact future value of the car based on your driving habits. There is no cost or large time commitment to get your numbers — you can do it from home or the office without driving in.
How does the D&M EZ Lease save me money on sales tax in Texas?
Texas charges 6.25% sales tax when a vehicle is titled — whether it is a lease or a traditional purchase. On a $60,000 vehicle, that is $3,750 in sales tax. However, Texas law allows a trade-in credit that reduces the taxable amount on your next vehicle.
All D&M EZ Leases are titled in D&M’s name. Because of this, when you are ready for your next vehicle, D&M is able to use your current lease as a trade-in — which reduces the amount of sales tax you pay on the new deal. This saves the average customer $1,500–$3,000 every time they trade, regardless of what brand they switch to.
With a manufacturer lease through a traditional dealership, the vehicle is titled in the manufacturer’s name. Even if you go back to the exact same dealership, you are unlikely to be able to use your leased vehicle as a tax credit because you do not hold the title. With D&M, you can switch brands as many times as you want and enjoy the tax savings every single time — because the vehicles are always titled in our name. Over multiple lease cycles, this savings alone can add up to $5,000–$10,000+.
Mileage & Wear
Let’s Get One Thing Straight About Mileage
Mileage matters. And not just in a lease. If you drive more miles, your car is worth less money down the road — period. In a traditional purchase, you see this in the form of a lower trade-in value or more negative equity when you trade. In a lease, we account for it upfront by reflecting the higher mileage in your payment to keep pace with how the car is dropping in value.
That doesn’t mean leasing doesn’t make sense for high-mileage drivers. It means your car is dropping in value more quickly, so your payment needs to reflect that. The same would be true in a loan — you just wouldn’t see it until you tried to trade.
Build It in Correctly Upfront — Mileage needs to be set up right from the beginning. Your agent should be asking how many miles you drive and structuring the lease to match. Nobody should be driving around worried about going over on their miles. If you set it up correctly, it’s a non-issue.
That said, we understand things change. The D&M EZ Lease includes 5,000 total miles of mileage forgiveness if you get to the end of your lease and go a little over what you were expecting. If you exceed that, just like any other lease on the market, there is a per-mile charge for the overage.
Don’t Have Any Heartache Over This
The same would apply if you were in a loan. A car with more miles is worth less. In a lease, the overage shows up as a per-mile charge. In a loan, it shows up as a lower trade value and more negative equity. Either way, you’re paying for the miles. The difference is that a lease accounts for it transparently from day one.
Wear and Tear Works the Same Way
The same logic applies here. If you don’t take good care of your vehicle — if you damage it, neglect maintenance, or let it deteriorate — the car is worth less. That has nothing to do with leasing.
If you drive your lease all the way to the end and turn it in to the bank, it’s going to be inspected for normal wear and tear. Normal use is expected — nobody is charging you for a door ding or a small scuff. But if the vehicle has damage beyond normal wear, you’ll be charged to repair it. This is common sense.
If you were in a traditional retail purchase and went to trade in a car that had a bunch of wear and tear or damage, that would be reflected in your trade value — because the dealership would also need to fix the damage before reselling it. The cost is the same either way.
The Big Idea Here
Yes, you could have a bill for wear and tear at lease-end if you go all the way to lease return. But it’s no different than if you were in a loan — damaged cars with more wear and tear are worth less. It’s the same regardless of how you buy your car. The only difference is when you see the bill.
Lease-End & Trading
What happens at the end of my D&M lease?
D&M does not wait until the end of your lease to reach out. We proactively follow up throughout the entire term of your lease, monitoring the market, manufacturer incentives, and your vehicle’s value relative to your payoff. When it makes sense to trade — whether that is at the scheduled end or earlier if conditions are favorable — your agent contacts you and walks you through your options.
If your vehicle is worth more than your payoff, we help you capture that equity and apply it to your next deal or take it back as a check. If the timing is right to take advantage of manufacturer incentives on a new model, we let you know. One person knows your situation, knows the gameplan, and is accountable to make it happen.
We have invested in technology that helps our agents manage the back-end of every lease. We are extremely proactive — timing the market, watching incentives, and letting you know the moment you are in a position to get into something new. We then handle the entire next deal remotely, from start to finish, all over again. Less than 5% of our EZ Lease clients go through the formal lease return and inspection process. The EZ Lease is designed to trade from car to car with ease — and our team manages that process for you.
What happens if I need out of my EZ Lease early?
The EZ Lease has no early termination penalties or fees. Because it is built with simple interest, any remaining interest is removed from your payoff if you need to get out early or want to buy the car — exactly the way a traditional car loan works.
This is a significant difference from many other lease products on the market. Captive manufacturer leases through companies like GM Financial, Audi Financial, Ally, and US Bank can charge thousands of dollars in penalties or fees on top of your contractual payoff if you try to trade out early or take your vehicle to a different dealership. Some even mark up the payoff to the vehicle’s current market value instead of honoring the contractual balance, which can erase thousands in equity you thought you had.
With the EZ Lease, your payoff is your payoff. This does not mean you cannot be upside down — if you owe more than the car is worth, that negative equity still exists. But you will never be hit with thousands in additional penalties or fees on top of what you owe. That flexibility is one of the reasons less than 5% of EZ Lease clients ever go through the formal lease return and inspection process. The EZ Lease is designed to trade from car to car with ease.
Can I trade in my current car when I lease with D&M?
Absolutely. D&M evaluates trade-ins as part of every deal and we work to get you top dollar for your vehicle. Our used car department sources the highest bidder for your car, and the entire appraisal can be done over the phone — you do not need to bring your vehicle to our office for an in-person evaluation.
Once we determine the value of your trade, you have options. You can apply the equity directly to your new lease to lower your monthly payment. You can take it back as a check. Or you can do a combination of both. The choice is entirely yours. Our agent picks up your trade when they deliver your new vehicle — it all happens at the same time, at your home or office.
Can I switch from one car brand to another with D&M?
Yes — and this is one of the biggest advantages of leasing with D&M. Because we are an independent leasing company and not a franchise dealership, you are never locked into one brand. If you are in a BMW today and want a Mercedes next, we handle it seamlessly. If you want to go from a luxury sedan to a truck, we can do that too.
Many captive manufacturer leases make it difficult or impossible to switch brands. Audi Financial, for example, may not allow a competing brand’s dealership to pay off your lease. GM Financial and others may mark up your payoff to current market value rather than honoring the contractual residual, which can cost you thousands. The EZ Lease has none of these restrictions. You can trade into any brand, any time, with no penalties and no brand lock-in.
And because all EZ Leases are titled in D&M’s name, you get the sales tax savings on every trade regardless of what brand you choose — something that is structurally impossible with a manufacturer lease.
D&M Specifics
Why lease a new car with D&M instead of a dealership?
D&M does not wait until the end of your lease to reach out. We proactively follow up throughout the entire term of your lease, monitoring the market, manufacturer incentives, and your vehicle’s value relative to your payoff. When it makes sense to trade — whether that is at the scheduled end or earlier if conditions are favorable — your agent contacts you and walks you through your options.
If your vehicle is worth more than your payoff, we help you capture that equity and apply it to your next deal or take it back as a check. If the timing is right to take advantage of manufacturer incentives on a new model, we let you know. One person knows your situation, knows the gameplan, and is accountable to make it happen.
We have invested in technology that helps our agents manage the back-end of every lease. We are extremely proactive — timing the market, watching incentives, and letting you know the moment you are in a position to get into something new. We then handle the entire next deal remotely, from start to finish, all over again. Less than 5% of our EZ Lease clients go through the formal lease return and inspection process. The EZ Lease is designed to trade from car to car with ease — and our team manages that process for you.
What is the D&M EZ Lease and how is it different from other leases?
The EZ Lease is not just a different name for a standard lease — it is a structurally different product that D&M has refined over 50 years. We took the best parts of every leasing program on the market and combined them into a single lease designed to make it easy to trade from car to car and build a lifelong relationship with our clients.
The EZ Lease is built with simple interest, which means it functions exactly like a traditional car loan you are already accustomed to. If you ever need out early or want to buy the car outright, all of the remaining interest is removed from your payoff — just like a retail purchase. There are no early termination penalties or fees. Many other leases charge thousands of dollars in penalties on top of your contractual payoff if you need out early or try to trade in your vehicle at another dealership. That never happens in an EZ Lease. Your payoff is your payoff.
The EZ Lease uses a market-based residual, which means more of your monthly payment goes to principal and less goes to interest. This gives you a lower payoff balance as the lease progresses, which makes it much easier to trade from car to car. Since we launched the EZ Lease, less than 5% of customers have gone through the lease return and inspection process — the vast majority trade directly into their next vehicle with us.
All EZ Leases are titled in D&M’s name, which unlocks a tax savings advantage no dealership can offer. When you trade with us, your current vehicle is used as a trade-in on the next deal, which reduces the sales tax you pay. In Texas, that saves you an average of $1,500–$3,000 every time you trade — regardless of what brand you switch to. With a manufacturer lease, the car is titled in their name, and even if you go back to the same dealership, you typically cannot use your vehicle as a tax credit.
Where does D&M get its used cars for lease?
D&M takes in hundreds of lease returns every week from our existing customer base. The majority of these vehicles are cherry picked by our agents for waiting customers before they are ever photographed or listed online. These are typically well-maintained, mostly one-owner vehicles that our team knows the full history on.
D&M Awards
What is the Dealer of the Year Award?
The Dealer of the Year is the highest honor awarded by DealerRater and Cars.com. It designates the absolute #1 top-ranked dealership within a specific category for that calendar year. D&M Leasing has secured the top spot not just in Texas, but across the entire Southwest Region and nationally for leasing companies — every year since 2014.
This is not a “top 10” or “top 100” list. There is exactly one winner per category. D&M has been that one winner for 12 consecutive years.
How does a dealership earn Dealer of the Year?
Dealerships must first meet strict minimum requirements: a minimum of 25 verified reviews during the calendar year, an average rating above 4.0 out of 5.0, at least one review collected in every quarter of the year (proving consistent performance, not a seasonal push), and no platform violations.
Once qualified, Cars.com calculates a PowerScore™ using a Bayesian algorithm that weights three factors: average star rating, total review volume, and the dealership’s response rate to customer reviews. The single dealership with the highest PowerScore in their category wins the award.
The competition is intense — margins often come down to thousandths of a decimal point across 36,000+ competing dealerships. Winning this once is remarkable. Winning it 12 years in a row requires a level of consistent customer service that virtually no other dealership in the country has achieved.
What is the Consumer Satisfaction Award?
The Consumer Satisfaction Award recognizes the top tier of dealerships nationwide. Rather than designating a single #1 winner per category, it is awarded to the highest-performing percentage of dealerships — traditionally the top 10% of all U.S. dealers — that provide exceptional customer experiences.
Dealerships must meet the exact same rigorous baseline requirements as the Dealer of the Year program: 25+ verified reviews, a 4.0+ star rating, and consistent quarterly reviews. Earning both the Dealer of the Year and Consumer Satisfaction Award simultaneously — which D&M has done for 11 consecutive years — means dominating both a specific category and the general national landscape. It requires a highly coordinated team effort between agents and management to consistently generate, monitor, and respond to customer feedback year after year.
Why should this matter to me as a customer?
These awards are not bought. They cannot be paid for. They are earned entirely through verified customer reviews — meaning the only way to win them is by delivering an exceptional experience to real people, consistently, for years.
When a company wins Dealer of the Year once, it means they had a great year. When they win it 12 years in a row, competing against 36,000+ dealerships every single year, it means customer service is not a campaign — it is the foundation of how they operate.
For you, it means that when you work with D&M, you are working with the single most consistently top-rated leasing company in America. Not because we say so — because over 33,500 customers have said so, verified and tracked by independent third-party platforms.
Can a dealership buy or pay for these awards?
No. DealerRater and Cars.com award programs are entirely review-driven. There is no pay-to-play option. The PowerScore algorithm is calculated independently based on verified customer reviews, and the results are published publicly. A dealership either earns it through real customer feedback or they don’t.
DealerRater is one of the largest and most established automotive review platforms in the country, with over 41,000 dealerships listed. Cars.com is the #1 most recognized automotive marketplace, visited by nearly 30 million in-market consumers each month. These are the industry standard for measuring customer satisfaction — and D&M has set the bar higher than any other leasing company in their history.
Keep Learning
EZ Lease
Built over 50 years of listening to what real customers actually need. The EZ Lease gives you protections and flexibility that no traditional lease can match.
How it Works
The entire experience is designed to save you time and money. No hours spent driving around and haggling. No being passed between multiple people. One agent handles everything, and you never have to leave your home or office.
Lease vs Buy
What’s the difference between leasing and buying a car? Let D&M Auto Leasing help simplify this difficult process by examining the pros and cons of car leasing and buying. As new vehicle prices continue to increase, many clients are opting for longer and longer finance terms and therefore rarely realize ownership. Leasing offers lower monthly…
Ready to Get Started?
Get Your Quote
See personalized lease options tailored to your budget, preferences, and lifestyle. There’s no obligation or high pressure, just a simpler way to find your next vehicle.
