With the economy continuing to rebound, more Americans are finding themselves in the car lot of their local dealership and faced with a difficult decision: whether to lease or buy a new vehicle.

“Both options have their pros and cons,” said Joe Wiesenfelder, senior editor at Cars.com. “It really depends on your personal driving habits, the amount of money you’re willing to spend and how often you like driving a new car.”

These are the top tips from Wiesenfelder for car buyers:

Leasing offers many benefits

1. Driving a new car. Leasing allows you the opportunity to purchase a new vehicle frequently. This may not be the best option, but it means you will always have the latest safety technology.

2. Affordability. Leasing allows you to get more car at a lower monthly cost.

3. You will need less maintenance. Leasing can reduce the cost of repairs and maintenance. There is no need to do any major maintenance, except for a few oil changes or filter replacements. If you keep the car in good shape and you don’t exceed the mileage limit, the lease ends and you can turn the car in.

4. Avoid upside-down loans You can’t get stuck in a lease agreement if you lease. “upside-down”Lender loan: You owe more money than the car is worth

The benefits of buying

1. The car is yours. You own the car when you purchase it.

2. Long-term, lower costs. Although monthly payments for purchasing a car will be higher than leasing, the final payment will be made. With years of no payments, the initial high payments pay off.

3. There are no restrictions. Lease agreements can contain many restrictions like mileage limits which can be costly and inconvenient. The owner has the right to sell, but leases often have severe penalties for early termination.

4. Rebates and incentives Buyers have a lot of options for incentives and rebates for new cars. Sometimes, buying a new car might be a cheaper option than leasing.

Wiesenfelder says that for many, the decision to purchase or lease is based on price. “We encourage people to use our automatic Loan vs. Lease calculator at Cars.com. By entering in the monthly payment you can afford, you’ll get an idea of which car you could afford to own, or if leasing is a better option for you.”