I used to buy cars, but now I lease.
I don't like the idea of being saddled with $20k, $30k, $40k of debt. I choose to lease for a couple years..
Everybody's situation is different, but I don't like being stuck in a 5-6yr payment cycle. Some finance companies even offer 84-month payment plans.
The bank numbers say most new cars are worth ~50% of their value after 2-3 years (residual values).
If you have to buy, buy used. But if you want to lease check out:
www.leasehackr.com (lots of good info on leasing in general and how to get good deals).
Once you check the site and learn how leases work you can get good deals:
2016 Camry $140 / month - 0 down
2016 Ford Fusion $150 / month - 0 down
2015 Infiniti QX60 $289 / month - 0 down
2015 Chevrolet Cruz $35 / month - 0 down (yes $35 a month for a car)
2015 BMW 5series $360 / month - 0 down
2016 Mercedes Eclass $425 / month - 0 down
Do your homework and learn the numbers and figure out what works best for you.