You’ve found the car of your dreams, and now you’re ready to drive it home — but first, you need to get a car loan. Navigating the car loan process can be complicated and tricky, which makes getting the best possible deal even more important to achieving your goals of owning your dream car. With these seven must-know tips, you’ll know exactly what to do so that you can get the best possible deal on your car loan.
1: Check Your Credit Score
Before you buy a car, it’s smart to check your credit score. Your credit score is a three-digit number that represents your risk as a borrower, and lenders use this score when deciding whether or not they will give you a loan. If your credit score is good enough, lenders might offer you a lower interest rate or better terms. You can get access to your free credit report once every year from each of the three major reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
2: Get Pre-Approved for a Loan
It can be hard to know how much of a loan you qualify for and what your interest rate will be until you have an approved car loan. That is why it is important to get pre-approved for a car loan before going shopping. This way, you’ll know what monthly payment and interest rate to expect when it comes time to buy a car. There are many ways that pre-approval can happen, but the easiest way is by applying online at your bank or credit union’s website. If they approve you, they will then contact prospective lenders on your behalf so that you don’t have to do any other leg work.
3: Know How Much You Can Afford to Spend
Knowing how much you can afford is key when buying a car. Asking your bank or credit union for pre-approval is a good way to find out what you can spend monthly. You should also figure out how much down payment you want and then determine the average monthly cost of your new car. You should also consider insurance rates, gas prices, and maintenance costs before making an offer on a vehicle. When all of these factors are considered, it’s easier to get a loan that fits your needs and budget.
4: Consider the Total Cost of Ownership
The best way to get the most out of your car purchase is by buying a car that you can afford. The price of a car may be lower upfront, but if you consider the total cost of ownership, you might find that it’s not worth it. For example, if you buy a used car and then have to spend $2,000 on maintenance in six months instead of just buying a new one for $5,000 with less maintenance costs going forward, it will start adding up quickly. If you want good value for your money and want to avoid ending up with too much debt or an unreliable vehicle, consider buying new or leasing instead.
5: Research Interest Rates
It is important to research interest rates for a car loan before buying a car. This will help you find the best rates and will save you from paying more than necessary. For example, interest rates vary according to your credit score, down payment, and income level. You may want to consider an auto loan with lower monthly payments if your budget is tight or a lease agreement if you just want the car for a short time period.
6: Choose the Right Loan Term
It’s easy to get caught up in buying a car and forget about your credit score. If you have poor credit, it will be harder for you to find financing and may result in a higher interest rate. But don’t be discouraged. There are still ways for you to get a great deal on a car loan and buy that new ride that you’ve been eyeing.
If your credit score is poor, it might be worth looking into leasing or even buying a used car. This will give you more flexibility with payments and allow you to save some money upfront since these cars cost less than new ones. You can also consider getting an auto loan with low APR if this is what’s available near where you live or work.
7: Negotiate the Best Price for Your Car
You have a few options when it comes to buying a car. You can buy new, buy used, or lease. There are advantages and disadvantages of each option that you should take into consideration before deciding which way is best for you. You also need to know how much money you can spend on a car and what kind of monthly payment you can afford before any dealer will work with you. In order to get the best deal possible, here are some tips for getting a car loan:
- Research your financing options in advance.
- Calculate your payment ahead of time so that dealers can’t use low monthly payments as leverage over you.
- Get pre-approved for a loan first because it saves time and gives you more options.
- Ask the seller if they offer a discount if they finance through their own lender. If not, ask them why not?
- Know what type of car you want to buy (e.g., sedan vs SUV), how many miles per year you plan to drive, whether it needs to be an automatic or manual transmission, whether your credit score qualifies for a good interest rate, and then visit websites like Auto Trader or Craigslist where other people post their cars for sale.
