Dodge's Electric Daytona On A $299 Lease? Take My Money!
Image Credit: Dodge.
Only yesterday, my wonderful wife talked about Dodge and Jeep's rumored cheap leasing offers on the horizon. And now the Dodge Charger Daytona, the silent ninja of muscle cars, is apparently available for lease for less than your monthly Netflix subscription. Well, not quite, but still ridiculously cheap.
Dodge is dangling a carrot – a $299 per month lease for the base Daytona R/T. Sounds tempting, doesn't it? That's so much better than finding a twenty in your old jeans. But before you start dreaming of electric burnouts, there's a catch. Several, actually.
First, you'll need a hefty chunk of change – $4,579 – to put down. That's not exactly pocket change, is it? It's more like the amount you'd spend on a decent used motorcycle. So, while the monthly payment is low, the upfront cost is a bit of a stinger.
Second, this deal is rarer than a politician telling the truth. It's only available in a few select locations. Imagine trying to find a needle in a haystack, except the needle is a Daytona lease, and the haystack is the entire United States. Good luck with that.
Third, you're limited to a measly 7,500 miles a year. If you plan on making any serious road trips, you'll be racking up the over-mileage charges faster than you can say, "electric horsepower."
Image Credit: Dodge.
So, let's do some math. $299 a month for 24 months, plus $4,579 down. That's $11,755 for two years of electric "freedom." Divide that by 24, and you're looking at an effective monthly cost of just under $500. Although not quite the bargain it initially seemed, if you own a business that needs a car, a decent chunk of this payment can be a legitimate expense. That's less than the finance on a used Camry.
If you're after some serious power, the Daytona Scat Pack, with its 670 horses, can be leased for $399 a month with $4,429 down. That's closer to $584 a month in reality. Still not bad for a brand-new electric muscle car.
But here's the real problem: these deals are as elusive as a decent cup of coffee at a gas station. Our editor-in-chief, bless her tenacious spirit, found a Scat Pack listed at nearly $80,000. With the same down payment, the lease was a ludicrous $1,532 a month. I nearly choked on my tea when I heard that.
Rumors are swirling that Dodge employees might be getting even sweeter deals. We're talking Daytona leases for as low as $268 a month with $2,000 down. And get this – Jeep Wagoneer S leases for $129 a month. If that's true, I'm applying for a job at Dodge tomorrow. Of course, there's no concrete proof of these employee deals just yet. But Dodge does advertise special leases for its employees, so it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
Image Credit: Jeep.
The Daytona lease deals are a bit of a mirage. They exist, but they're incredibly difficult to find, and the fine print is enough to make your head spin. If you're serious about getting your hands on an electric Daytona, you'll need to do your homework, be prepared to haggle, and maybe even consider becoming a Dodge employee.
But here's a thought: if sales of the Daytona don't exactly set the world on fire, we should see some real discounts down the line. I'm keeping my eyes peeled. This electric saga is just beginning, and I am already saving up every spare cent I can find.
