The "leasing is always a waste" argument ignores the interest on car loans, which is also money you don't recover. The real question is total cost.
You want a new car every 2–4 years. The car has a high residual value (Toyota and Honda models often lease well for this reason). You drive under the mileage cap. You're a business owner who can deduct lease payments — consult a tax advisor on your specific situation.
You plan to keep the car long-term — after the loan is paid off, your monthly cost drops dramatically. You drive a high number of miles. You want flexibility to exit early, modify the car, or use it commercially.
You can start with a DIY claim and switch to a company later. File yourself first — if the airline denies or stalls past 6 weeks, that's exactly when a full-service company's escalation earns its commission.