That statement is really making me think that I should just sell my car, bank the money, and get a low mi. lease.
Instead of leasing, keep an eye out for used options. 2005 seemed to be a good year (on the most part) for me. If you can find something semi-low miles and affordable, go with that. If you can swing a cash buy, you won't have any payment. also, if you lease, you have to meet minimum insurance requirements (if you don't drive much why pay for unnecessary coverage?) I only leased the last time to see if I liked Volvos and because it was a cheaper monthly payment than any of the cars I was looking for at the time.
You could possibly try an auction car. Purchase for under $1000, budget $1000-$2ooo for potential repairs, no payments for years (hopefully). If auctions aren't your thing, try to find a vehicle with damage history (or reconstructed), you can get a nice price (as long as you aren't concerned with re-sale value) and if it lasts 5-10 years all the better.