Can someone explain this to me like I'm 6 years old.
A lease is a rental agreement. So if you leased a car 35 mos., and decide to buy it out at the end, as the lessor, I would sell you the car for whatever it's worth full retail, used. Your lease payments do not reduce that amount. I'm not doing any favors, I'm in the business to maximize my profits. I can't give you my asset for less than I can get on the open market, at a given point in time.
In other words, say the car is worth $16,000 wholesale, and $24,000 retail. Your buyout is $24,000.
To break the rental agreement early, that's all profit I'm missing out on, why would I allow it?
I've never leased a car, and never will. But maybe I'm stubborn, this means driving a 2006, 2007, and 2011 today, in 2023. Sure I'd rather have a 2024. The car I like is $81,000, and it's a Chevy (not even a Corvette). I looked at my finances and said I should put $50,000 down. But I know I wouldn't do that. Likely only $30k. Leasing would make a monthly payment look much better, I know.