Can you buy your leased car?

Almost always, yes. Most leases give you the choice to buy the car at the end for a price that was set the day you signed. Nothing forces you to — it's an option, not a requirement. So when the lease is up you get to decide: keep the car for that set price, or hand it back and keep your cash. Downly helps you see which one leaves you better off for the exact car you're driving.

The price to buy your car is written into the lease before you ever drive it, so you know the number up front. When the lease ends, you can pay that price — with cash or a car loan — and the car is yours to keep. There's no haggling required and no surprise: the figure was locked in at signing. Downly shows you that buyout price next to what the car is actually worth so the decision is easy.

It comes down to one comparison: is the car worth more than the price to buy it? If the set price is lower than what the car would sell for, buying it can be a genuinely good deal — you're getting a car you already know for less than its value. If it's the other way around, you're usually better off handing it back and keeping your cash. Downly puts the buyout price and the car's real worth side by side so you're not guessing.

Often yes — it's called an early buyout, and the price is usually higher than the end-of-lease price because you're also settling the payments you haven't made yet. It can make sense if you've fallen for the car or you're driving way over your mileage limit. But it ties up cash sooner, so it's worth checking the math. Downly helps you weigh an early buyout against simply finishing the lease.

Not necessarily. If you pay cash, there's no down payment at all. If you take a loan to buy the car, some lenders ask for a little down and some don't. Either way, the keep-your-cash question is the same: only put money into the car if it's worth more than the price to buy it. Downly helps you see whether the buyout is worth funding at all before you commit any cash.

You simply hand it back at the end and walk away — that's the whole point of leasing. You return the car, settle anything for extra miles or wear you agreed to up front, and you're free to lease something new or buy a different car. Your cash stayed in your pocket the whole time instead of being tied up in a car that lost value. Downly helps you line up your next move before the lease is even over.

If you already know you want to own the car for a long time, buying from the start is often the cleaner path. Leasing shines when you want to keep your cash free and stay flexible — and it still lets you buy the car later for a price set today if you change your mind. So you're not locked out of owning it. Downly puts the lease and the buy side by side so you can see which fits how long you really plan to keep it.