This is a very good point. It is not simply about sticker price. It is about _risk_. You as the individual burden all the risk if you take a loan (or not) and

This is a very good point. It is not simply about sticker price. It is about _risk_. You as the individual burden all the risk if you take a loan (or not) and pay upfront. Here, even if your analysis is correct that you pay more, you must adjust it for risk. In finance this is your risk-adjusted return, but the same concept applies here.