Leasing is more beneficial than buying when you:

• Don’t have the cash to buy the car.

• Want to drive a vehicle that’s out of your purchase price range.

• Won’t likely exceed the mileage cap in a contract—usually between 10,000 and 15,000 miles per year, the estimated national average.

• Will likely drive the car often enough to use up the mileage limit in your lease contract without exceeding it

• Plan to baby the car’s exterior and interior, paying particular attention to avoid body nicks, pet rides and coffee and soda spills.

• Expect to lease another car when your vehicle’s current contract expires.

If you expect to exceed the mileage limit or that the car’s exterior will be excessively damaged or the interior will take a beating by babies or pets, then a lease probably isn’t for you. The penalties can be costly. Exceeding the limit can run you 10 to 15 cents per mile, while your car will be inspected by the dealer just before the lease expires for excessive wear and tear to evaluate charges.