My sales manager recommends leasing versus buying, for a number of reasons. In Ontario, an accident involving reportable damage immediately lowers the value of a vehicle, and  in the high end market, might make it simply unsaleable. He said he would not want to take it in as a trade-in, even if "we" fixed it, (he works for a dealer at Audi, M-B or BMW). 

The extent of rear end accidents is significant, given the poor driving habits, including aggressive behaviour, and so the chances of an owner taking a financial hit due to being hit are increasing by the day. Of the four drivers in our family, three have been hit from the rear, most notably when stopped at traffic lights. 

By contrast, a leased vehicle would need to be repaired, but at the end of the lease, the manufacturer takes the value hit.

Apparently in B.C. the law is different, while in Ont.the no fault legislation continues to allow poor drivers to escape from serious financial risk due to being sued by the people they hit.