10 Tips to Save Money When Financing a Car

10 Tips to Save Money When Financing a Car

Thousands of car buyers are likely to come out every day and make their purchase. But many will pay far more than they have to because they fail to reflect and choose the best ways to financing their car before they buy.

A new car is in the top three most expensive purchase many us will make, after our residences. So, consider all available options carefully before buying committing to the purchase. Shockingly, research shows that nearly one out of three buyers does not even haggle over the price of a new vehicle, and just 3 out 20 spend more than an hour inquiring on financing.

Most people are not in the position of paying cash to buy a new car and it just isn’t in the realm of possibility. And even if it is, one may not want to use their saving to buy a new automobile. That means that you are either going to be getting a lease on the vehicle, or buying it through financing. When you’re buying, you’re probably financing it through the dealership, a banking institution, credit union, another financial institute, or maybe even a relative, a friend or someone close to you.

It is important to know as the cost of cars is on the up, it’s now more important than ever for buyers to make sure they get the best deal. In the bargaining on the purchase and on researching the right finance approach or insurance policy, at the very least several hours at home with a computer and phone at hand will make a dramatic difference to your money outlay.

Here are some tips:

1. Improve your credit;

If you plan on buying a car in the near future, it is absolutely necessary to spend some time cleaning up your credit report. If you can’t do it yourself many companies specialize in this and will do it for as low as $30 per month.

2. Borrow against your 401K;

If you are young, have a secure job and income and have the option to borrow against your 401K, any interest you’d be paying would not be lost. Check with your financial institution for the details and how much you can borrow.

3. Borrow from someone you know;

That is if you know you will pay them back as promised and agreed. In this case you could go one step further to make them comfortable in guaranteeing the loan by putting up some collateral such as the title of car at least.

4. Get at least 10 quotes;

Once you have a copy of your credit report and credit score, get 10 quotes from 10 different credit sources. This will also help when asking for a better rate and or negotiate a better sale price. Sometimes low APR credit cards will do just fine.

5. Get pre-approved;

This should be done on the ideal time to shop for a car loan is before you shop for a car. You can drive the car right off the lot. No waiting for the loan approval and disbursed and taking the check back to the dealer. In most cases the loan can be approved by your lender quickly.

6. Put a bigger down payment:

As part of your negotiations for a better interest rate, suggest a different percentage of down payment for a reduction in rate.

7. Dealer Financing;

With many car companies having their own lending affiliates you can pick a car and a loan in one application. The process is usually quicker than applying for a bank loan, and dealers are more likely than banks to qualify buyers with less-than-perfect credit ratings. They also usually help customers with special needs, like first-time buyers and students. Car companies often offer low-rate promotional financing on certain cars. This option can be more expensive, particularly for poorly informed buyers.

8. Negotiate the Terms;

3, 5 or 7 years? Which is right for you and which can you qualify for? Negotiate the car’s price before you talk about the terms of a loan, so the dealer can’t hike the car’s price to give you a lower-rate loan. Even when you get low dealer financing rates of 1% to 6%, there’s a catch… these loans are generally short term. Since many must be repaid in 24 months, monthly payments can be high.

9. Bank, Credit Union or Lending Institution;

Banks and credit unions usually offer set, where you cannot negotiate rates, but less expensive than dealer financing. They will push the unnecessary expense of credit life insurance, which ensures that the loan will be paid off if you pass on. Credit unions that offer auto loans typically offer lower rates than banks and financing companies. But finance companies are the most expensive as they generally accept greater credit risks borrowers.

10. Payback quickly and insure yourself;

The sooner you pay back the least interest you pay if you have a high interest rate. Otherwise invest the money in higher interest rate guaranteed return (my preferred option). Get life insurance so your family is protected and will not have to pay for bill in case of an accident. Term life is cheap and you only needed it for the length of time of the loan.

Remember that the good old saying “Work Hard and Save” has updated to “Work Smart and Invest.”