Worth leasing a MacBook Pro?

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TechnoGuy001

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Topic # 239452 18-Jul-2018 16:06

I tend to buy a new Mac laptop every 1-2 years and sell the old one.

In general, after all fees I lose between $1000-$1500 per year (or I pay $1000-1500 each year for a new ~$4000 laptop).

I'm guessing to lease MBP that's around $4000 from an NZ company, and get the latest similar priced laptop each year (+return the lease) would cost me more than $1000-1500?

I've looked around, and the only site to list prices, would go way over $1500/y, and that was an old spec MacBook Pro.

I realise I'm not really there target market, as they aim more for people who can't/don't want to pay up from the full laptop cost.

Dynamic

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Reply # 2058396 18-Jul-2018 16:37

Standard small business operating lease pricing on a $4000 item for 24 months is $196 per month.

I suggest having a chat to your accountant about lease vs buy. :)

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TechnoGuy001

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Reply # 2058399 18-Jul-2018 16:46

Haha yeah I should, but the accountant is me at this stage :P

But if it's $196/m for 2 years, then for 1 year it'll be over $400/m, which would very soon not make it worth it.

wellygary

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Reply # 2058400 18-Jul-2018 16:54

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TechnoGuy001:

Haha yeah I should, but the accountant is me at this stage :P

But if it's $196/m for 2 years, then for 1 year it'll be over $400/m, which would very soon not make it worth it.

If you're a consumer this is true,

If you are a business sometimes an expansible cost is much preferred to having to depreciate an asset that is fast falling in value.

Also Apple's pricing policies don't really give leasing companies in NZ much leverage, as their volume is too small.

PC brands will often cut their own throats to sell a few hundred units to a lease company (especially if it helps them reach sales targets)

Dynamic

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Reply # 2058402 18-Jul-2018 17:00

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Leasing companies don't do it for the love.... and one of our clients leases stuff out but insists on purchasing their IT gear.

If your cashflow levels allow for the purchase without causing your bank balance too much grief, then buying is likely the way to go.

"4 wheels move the body. 2 wheels move the soul."

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

TechnoGuy001

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Reply # 2058407 18-Jul-2018 17:10

Yeah, I do realise companies lease for profit (obviously), but sometimes things aren't always as black and white as they first seem. Just want to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.

Which by the looks of the replies I'm not, unless I'm a business, and even then, still may not be the way to go.

antoniosk

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Reply # 2058409 18-Jul-2018 17:12

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As you’ve discovered the value of laptops falls dramatically, and after 3 years is effectively worthless; the lease company has little chance of re-leasing it again so effectively is charging you as much as it can to recover most of the value.

Unlike a car which a lease company has a good chance of leasing again and making money.... tech kit is effectively dead and not worth it.

Having said that, it’s a bit of a mish to purchase something, depreciate the asset then have to manage disposals and gains on sale etc yaddih yaddah, which is your obligation under current tax law. Not insurmountable but just tedious.

I guess as others have said, if you can fund from your cashflow that may be more cash effective

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Antonios K