Archive for the ‘Auto Financing’ Category

What Exactly is Auto Financing?

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

Auto financing is a generic term. It means, in essence, how a vehicle is paid for. Generally, a car is paid for by taking a loan or a lease for the car. It usually involves a credit check, where the financing institution looks at your financial history and tries to determine how creditworthy you are. This determines the type of financing that you get, including the sorts of service charges and financing terms that are offered to you.

You may get auto financing from a bank, financial institution or the dealership. Banks and other financial institutions offer a number of amenities when it comes to auto financing, including things like special rates for customers that have other types of accounts.

Dealerships also offer incentives to get auto financing. Because dealerships work with a large volume of sales and a number of different financial institutions, they’re often able to find the best rate for you without you having to shop around for it.

To be prepared to finance a car, you’ll want to get a copy of your own credit report. Check it for errors, or for things that don’t belong. The more current you are on your bills and the lower your overall debt, the better auto financing you’ll find.

Get the most from your Auto Financing

Monday, December 1st, 2008

Generally speaking, if you’re going to buy a car, you’re probably going to have to get a loan. While this is true for new cars, it can also be the case for used vehicles that you buy from a dealership. Most of the time, you just don’t have the cash necessary to pay for a car outright. You need to be ready to do everything you can to make the most of your auto financing.

The first thing to think about in regard to auto financing is whether you will get dealer financing or financing from a third party. There are some specific advantages to dealer financing. First of all, dealer financing lets you go through the entire car buying process – from finding the car to negotiating the price to getting the loan to pay for the vehicle – from a single location. It keeps you from having to go back and forth to the bank in order to get your vehicle paid for and to get your car and drive it home.

You also want to make sure you get the best rate from your auto financing. Here again, getting financing at the dealership helps. The dealership is able to negotiate with multiple lenders to get you the very best rate and payment that you can.

When it comes time to buy your car, make sure you consider dealer financing to get the most from your auto purchase.

Facts About Auto Financing at the Dealership

Sunday, November 16th, 2008

Many people choose to use dealership auto financing when they are buying a new or used car. In fact, most auto financing done today is done at a dealership. It is estimated that more than 40 million car loans occurred at dealerships just last year. It seems that dealership auto financing is what most people prefer.

Why is dealer financing so popular? Well, to start with, dealers are able to have access to multiple sources of financing, and their volume of transactions helps them to get more competitive deals. This is good for the consumer, as the dealer has already shopped around for the best rates.

In addition, a dealer can get auto financing for customers will all sorts of credit histories, from those with perfect credit to those with damaged credit. Some dealers even work with lenders that specialize in financing customers with bankruptcy.

Financing at the dealer also makes the dealership a one-stop shop. You can find your car, arrange financing, and find the best rate for your auto financing all in one place.

Ultimately, it seems that auto financing at the dealer not only provides the best value on your auto loan, but it is also simply convenient.

How to Understand Your Credit Score

Saturday, November 1st, 2008

When it’s time to look at auto financing, you want to have some idea of how your credit score stands. Your credit score is a simple, three digit number that can determine whether or not you can get the auto financing for the car you want.

In some cases, an auto financing lender may not dig too deeply into your full credit report once they see your credit score. While it’s also important to know what’s in your credit report, knowing your credit score and knowing how to interpret it will give you an edge when it comes to auto financing.

Your credit score is a number somewhere between 300 and 850. This number represents the likelihood that you are to pay your loan and to pay it on time, according to the lending industry.

Most people have a credit score more than 700. The best credit ratings fall above 720, and a credit score of 720 is considered to be a safe risk. With a credit score of 720, you are considered to be a safe risk and should get a relatively low interest rate on your auto financing.

Your credit score is made up of several components. First off, it’s made up of your actual payment history. This is your history of payments to creditors over time, and makes up more than one third of your credit score.

Another third or so of your credit score has to do with your debt ratio. This is how much money you owe versus what is available. If you’ve maxed out all of your credit, you are considered to be a higher risk.

The last three components to your credit score have to do with the length of your credit history, new credit and type of credit. History has to do with how long your accounts have been open. The number of new credit accounts you’ve opened in the recent past can affect your score. Finally, the type of credit you have is considered.

Tips For Your Auto Financing Loan

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

Whether you’re buying a new car or a used one, vehicle financing is probably something you’re considering. Statistics suggest that as many as three quarters of vehicles are purchased using financing of some sort, whether it is through the dealer or through the buyer’s own financial institution.

It’s important to be careful when you’re looking car and auto financing. You want to make sure that you get the best interest rate that you can based on your auto financing credit rating, and you want to make sure you can afford your monthly payment. Here are some ways to do just that:

  • Know how much the car should cost before you buy it.
  • Become educated about the differences between buying and leasing.
  • Get a copy of your credit report before auto financing. If there are errors, contact the credit report company to have them corrected before you apply for an auto financing loan.
  • Stay within your price range when you do go to the dealer.
  • Be ready to negotiate, not only for the price of the vehicle, but for the car financing terms.
  • Remember that there are optional products like credit insurance, or an extended service contract, that you may want to buy.
  • Read the auto financing loan contract all the way through before you sign it.
  • Understand that the dealership or bank actually holds a lien on the title until you’ve paid off the auto loan.
  • Keep in mind that late or missed payments on your auto financing can incur fees and can damage your credit report.

Auto Financing Advice For Your New Car

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

One of the most important parts of buying a car is the auto financing loan. How you approach the auto financing and credit process can determine not only how much you pay for your vehicle overall, but how much you’ll be paying each and every month for the life of the loan. Here are some things to keep in mind when you meet with the fiance manager at a dealership to talk about your car financing:

  • Stick to talking about the overall price of the car. If you become distracted and only look at the monthly payment in your auto financing loan, you’ll miss the real cost of the vehicle.
  • Make sure you know what the vehicle is worth. Check a reliable source such as Kelly’s Blue Book to see how much that particular year, make, and model is selling for elsewhere.
  • Know your credit status going into an auto financing situation. Get a copy of your credit report, and know what your credit score is. Consider checking with your bank or credit union first to see what kind of rate you can get.
  • Watch out for add-ons. Some vehicle add-ons, such as gap insurance and an extended warranty, can be worth the money in the right scenarios, and they can be added into your car financing. Know that many add-ons can be purchased elsewhere at a later time if you really want them.