What This Calculator Does
The VinFast Lease vs Buy Calculator helps you decide whether leasing or financing a VinFast electric vehicle (such as the VF 8 or VF 9) is the smarter financial move over a fixed term. It compares the total out-of-pocket lease cost against the net cost of buying, which accounts for the resale (residual) value you recover when you eventually sell the car. Figures are entered in your local currency (shown here as $).
How to Use It
Enter your quoted monthly lease payment and the lease down payment (or drive-off amount). Set the term in months — leases are commonly 24, 36, or 48 months. Then enter the monthly loan payment and down payment for buying the same vehicle, and an estimate of the car's resale value at the end of that same period. The calculator instantly tells you which option costs less and by how much.
The Formula Explained
Leasing cost is simply every monthly payment added up plus the upfront money: monthly lease \(\times\) term + lease down. Buying is treated as the total of all loan payments plus the down payment, minus the money you get back when you sell: monthly loan \(\times\) term + buy down \(-\) resale value. Subtracting resale value is what makes buying competitive, because at lease end you own nothing.
$$\Delta = \left| \text{Lease}_{\text{total}} - \text{Buy}_{\text{net}} \right|$$
$$\text{where}\quad \left\{ \begin{aligned} \text{Lease}_{\text{total}} &= \text{Monthly Lease} \times \text{Term} + \text{Lease Down} \\ \text{Buy}_{\text{net}} &= \text{Monthly Loan} \times \text{Term} + \text{Buy Down} - \text{Resale Value} \end{aligned} \right.$$
Worked Example
Suppose a VF 8 leases for $399/month with $3,000 down over 36 months. Lease total = $$399 \times 36 + 3{,}000 = \$17{,}364.$$ Buying costs $650/month with $5,000 down, and the car is worth $18,000 after 36 months. Net buy = $$650 \times 36 + 5{,}000 - 18{,}000 = \$10{,}400.$$ Buying is cheaper by $6,964 — because you keep the equity.
FAQ
Does this include interest? Yes — interest is already baked into the monthly loan payment you enter, so the comparison reflects real cash flow.
What resale value should I use? EV resale values vary; check recent listings for the same model and mileage. A lower estimate makes buying look more expensive.
Why might leasing still win? If resale value is low or you always want the latest model, leasing's lower commitment can come out ahead despite owning nothing at the end.
