though, consider what a lease payment would do in a mutual fund if invested every month for the next thirty years. The smartest way to buy a vehicle is to pay cash, or limit your payment to three years. Pay the car off and then invest your payment until your car dies (usually ten to twelve years).
The reality is that living your whole life with a car payment is a really bad idea. That money would literally become millions if invested properly. So the decision really is lower car payment now with a new car every couple of years. Or, millions of dollars more in your retirement account.