Buying the Right Car

"I wanted a brand-new, shiny car like the ones I saw in the showroom," says Faith Newman, 38, of her choice to lease a new Mercedes-Benz C-class sedan from the dealer in New York City. After a decade in the recording industry, Newman had signed a couple of music acts that sold millions of discs. "It seemed like the right time to reward myself," she says. Her decision stemmed from the prestige that the vehicle brand conferred. "It gave me a real good feeling to look out and see the Mercedes emblem on the hood."