On the surface, shopping for a used car loan looks just like shopping for a new car loan: you need to review your credit and budget before you apply for a loan, and then compare offers from multiple lenders to find the best deal. But there are some key differences between how to get a loan for a used car and a new car that every buyer should know about. For example, you’ll need to find out whether the lender offers financing for older vehicles and private sales, and you’ll have to put in some extra work to make sure you find a quality car.
How to apply for a fixed auto loan
Thinking of applying for an fixed auto loan or car loan? You should start requesting for your credit report as soon as possible. All creditors, commercial banks, finance companies and even unconventional loan sources where you apply for an fixed auto loan will definitely look for your credit report. Even if you are a potentially good fixed auto loan mortgagee who pays his bills on time, you should ensure that all the information in your credit report is up-to-date and accurate.
If you want your fixed auto loan to be approved at once, make sure that your credit file does not contain inaccuracies. Such inaccuracies could affect your credit rating and could possibly result to the disapproval of your fixed auto loan application. This is the reason why reviewing your credit report before even applying for an fixed auto loan will save you time and money.
When applying for an fixed auto loan, your lender may use a different standard in rating your credit merit from other lenders. Because of this, you should read your own credit report and try to understand how your credit file could be interpreted. This could give you a chance to improve your credit merit from the lender’s point of view, thus, improve your chances of having your fixed auto loan approved.
When applying for an fixed auto loan, here are the things that you need to check on your credit report:
Clerical errors are very common and they could include payments that have not been credited, late payments or even data from somebody else’s credit file with a similar name as yours. The bad news is they could very well affect your fixed auto loan application. Now even before your fixed auto loan lender can see your credit file with such errors, you can decide if you want to argue any inaccuracy you might find – and fast, before it ruins your chances of having your fixed auto loan application approved.
When applying for an fixed auto loan, you might want to close any unused credit accounts you might have in your credit report. This will make your credit score more attractive to a potential fixed auto loan lender when you reduce the revolving charge accounts which are classified as active on your credit report. Your fixed auto loan lender might view too much revolving debt as a minus factor when you are considering a car loan application.
Should you have stopped using any or some of your credit accounts, it will be better if you choose to close such account/s. Have a notation that the account was closed at your request, or else, your fixed auto loan lender might think the creditor closed the account for other reasons.
If you manage your credit cards well, your chances for an approved fixed auto loan will get improve, even to lenders who enforce stricter guidelines for applications. Otherwise, your ability to get an fixed auto loan could be compromised.
Between 30-day and 60-day late payments, fixed auto loan lenders could overlook several 30-day delays. You can explain your situation and hold on to your good credit. However, a 60-day late payment could be a turn-off to your fixed auto loan lender.
Your fixed auto loan lender would be interested in your credit report for the previous two years. Try to maintain a clean credit report by paying on time and checking it regularly to find out if your payments are properly credited.
Bad Credit? Can you still get a bad credit?
Are you one of the many people who have loan problems? No need to worry, for you are not alone.
Bad credit is not something to be ashamed of. Anyone can end up having it,just like the common cold. After some time and some effort on your part, you can turn a bad credit rating to a better one.
The good news is, even people with bad credit can be financed on bad credit car loans. Once you get there, you need to remember a few things, though, in order to turn your bad credit to the advantage of your bad credit car loan. Remember not to take on a car payment that you truly know in your heart that you can’t afford. Know what you can and cannot afford before talking to a car salesman.
There are many ways by which you can get a bad credit car loan even when you have a bad credit. You need to have sufficient income that can pay up all your bills including additional payment for your bad credit car loan, insurance, accessories, repairs and maintenance costs. A steady and sufficient income could get you that bad credit car loan even if you have a bad credit. Your lender would like to see that you’ve had your current job for at least a year and this could make them overlook your bad credit hence increase chances in approving your bad credit car loan. Try to maintain your address for a while, as well, for this can keep your bad credit at bay and help in the approval of your bad credit car loan.
Having a large down payment will also help in getting your new bad credit car loan. Your down payment will depend on the car model you wish to buy. It could range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
If you want to have a better chance at having your bad credit car loan approved, you can be a member of a credit union. Even if you have bad credit, you can apply to them for a bad credit car loan. Their credit criteria is often more relaxed compared to banks and finance companies. The longer you have been a member in a credit union, the more positive the response is for your bad credit car loan despite a bad credit rating.
The same thing works for a local bank. Should you have had a previous loan with them, they could still want to take a chance with you on your bad credit car loan. If by any chance you have paid off a previous loan, they could consider your bad credit car loan application even if you have bad credit history in other banks of finance companies.
You could also get a bad credit car loan by having a co-signer. Your co-signer must have good credit rating himself and meet all the necessary requirement.
Bad credit will indeed affect your bad credit car loan application, but you can still explore other possibilities. A large volume new car dealer can give you deals you can bank on. Choose your vehicle and come up with a deal. Afterwards, talk with a finance manager who will work with you to get a bad credit car loan despite your bad credit. The trick is to see an aggressive finance manager who will see you through choosing your vehicle, overlooking your bad credit and getting a bad credit car loan soon.
Car Finance Loan: When you can’t just wait to buy a car
After buying your own home, one of the most expensive purchases you will decide on is buying a car. Along with the car, car-related expenses, like fuel, maintenance and insurance, even accessories, can get a big chunk from your budget.
Sure, you will be kicking a few tires but that will only be half of the battle. Know your limitations even before looking for that new car. If you would be paying for all car-related expenses, don’t forget to spend no more than 10% of your total earnings.
When negotiating for the price of your car, decide first on a price range and how much your down payment will be. Should you choose a long arrangement under a car finance loan, your down payment would be at the minimum. If you decide to trade the car within the first year, you will realize that you actually owe more than your car is worth. As a general rule, never apply for a car finance loan that is more than 80% of the price of the car, as indicated in the dealer’s invoice. Try to pay in cash or have equity for the car which is about 20% of the car’s true cost.
Usually, your car dealer will send you to their in-house financing department for a car finance loan. Dealers may have less-restrictive requirements than banks, however, they could insist on cut-rate car financing loans for you to apply for. Such car finance loans have 3% interest rates that could be attractive for the unsuspecting customer. Unfortunately, these low interest rates only apply only to certain models or short term car finance loans of 12 months tops. You’ll be surprised at how dealers make a lot of money on car finance loans, even when it’s done through the manufacturer.
As a good rule of thumb, always negotiate the price before you reveal that you are thinking about applying for a car finance loan. If they know ahead of time that you plan on wrapping up the deal with a car finance loan, they will frequently try to create a dilemma for you by giving you a lower rate on a higher price or a lower price at a higher finance rate.
If you do decide on a car finance loan through the dealer, you can negotiate the interest rate. Dealerships usually have several loan sources, including local banks and the manufacturer’s credit company. Each source sets their rates to the dealer.
It is important to investigate other sources for a car finance loan, such as your bank or credit union, before you sign your name. Choose from several sources for car finance loan options. Find out from banks or credit unions if they have any special deals on car finance loans right now. Use a Car Finance Loan Worksheet to compare various sources.
With so many choices for a car finance loan, you need to learn so much. Always consider your financing carefully. Open your door to several possibilities while weighing your choices with caution. Come up with a shopping list of what you are looking for in a car finance loan deal. When you become well-informed, chances are, you will be saving more money and get the right car for your budget.
Car Loan Calculators
There are many car loan calculators available to allow you to determine your monthly payment or even your car purchase price.
‘Buy or lease’ car loan calculators are also available. Such calculators are capable of comparing amounts, and will let you see which is the better value for you.
One limitation of a car loan calculator is that it is not a quote. This is because your actual repayments may change based on your individual circumstances.
The features of a car loan calculator are generally similar. Most car loan calculators allow you to put in the amount of money you would like to loan. Afterwards, you can select how many months you would like to pay it back. Finally, you can click the car loan calculator button and see how it works out how much you will end up paying the finance company. This would, of course, depend on how many months you choose and what their annual percentage rate (APR) is.
A car loan calculator can be offered free on the internet as an Excel Spreadsheet Download Area. It is ready to use. All of them have several loan scenarios on one 8×10 printout, allowing you to make quick decisions about your car loan. You can also find car loan calculators online at E-LOAN and Capital One Auto Finance. If you have a PocketPC type PDA, you can download a version of some car loan calculator for PDA. You can use the spreadsheets to compare online auto loan rates to the car dealer auto loan rates. New car financing has never been easier for you.
Here are some general kinds of car loan calculators and see which works best for your car loan needs.
Free Car Loan Calculator – There are tons of free car loan calculators around, especially on the internet. Remember most of the calculators are just to work out what your ideal monthly payments should be and are NOT a quote. There are free car loan calculator links all over the net.
New Car Loan Calculator – New car loan calculators help you work out your ideal monthly payments. A lot of new car loan calculators can be used for a variety of uses like used car loans. With this calculator, you can usually enter your own interest rate for your loan.
Online Auto Loan Calculator – There’s quite a lot of online car loan calculators out there that you can use and you’ll find links to online auto loan calculators that can hopefully help you find the best deal.
Why are car loan calculators useful? You’ll need to calculate your car loan payments and look up dealer costs for cars and trucks. Without the knowledge you have derived from using a car loan calculator, you could miss out on a good deal. Bank and finance companies could take advantage of your lack of research.
As you try to arrive at how much car you can afford with car loan calculators, don’t think in terms of the monthly payment or just of the total price of the car. The monthly payment, as we’ve seen, can be manipulated just as easily and both approaches leave out other costs associated with the car, such as insurance, fuel and maintenance. To truly understand if you can afford a car, you must take all these factors into consideration. There are ‘how much car can you afford?’ calculators which will help you arrive at a close approximation. They work in the same way as car loan calculators.
There’s still more to do before you actually start shopping for a car of your own. Decide whether you should buy a brand new or a pre-owned vehicle and whether you would be better off buying or leasing. There are pros and cons to both questions. Either way, car loan calculators can speed up your decision.
Car Loan Refinancing
When you bought your own car, you might not have found the best financing deal. You could have taken out your car financing through a car dealer at an interest rate that is possibly higher than other financers. This could be one of the reasons why you are currently paying way too much your current car loan. If your credit has not been in tip-top shape, you could be paying a higher interest rate as penalty. If so, then it’s high time you looked into refinancing.
Car loan refinancing is fast and easy. Once your car loan refinancing application has been approved, your current loan will be paid off by the new car finance company. You will be making payments at a lower interest rate than you have been previously paying. You’ll be surprised at how much you will be saving on car loan refinancing. Your savings could amount to hundreds, even thousands of dollars over the course of the loan, depending on how much your new interest rate is charged on your car loan refinancing deals.
Car loan refinancing may be a very promising way of saving you money but most people have not thought of refinancing their cars. You can say that car loan refinancing works in the same way as home refinance. In car loan refinancing, you pay off your current car loan with a refinancing car loan. This time the loan comes from a different lender with a lower annual percentage rate, making your monthly car loan payments much less with interest rates that have dropped, while allowing you to pay off the balance of your car loan in a shorter span of time. Car loan refinancing has become a very popular trend because of the dropping interest rates. Use the money you save through your car loan refinancing to pay off credit card debt or accelerate your car loan payoff.
This is exactly the reason why people with bad credit who are paying a high APR need to apply for a car loan refinancing with low APR. Most bad credit borrowers can indeed refinance to a lower APR but many don’t think to try because they were “programmed” or duped by the dealer into thinking they are stuck at the higher APR they have imposed.
It’s very important to have a car loan refinancing early, because with car loans, the interest is mostly paid in the earlier payments. The earlier your car loan refinancing is approved, the more money you save. If you wait until the 4th year to refinance your car loan, your savings will be a lot less.
How much is the ideal APR for a car loan refinancing? If you didn’t get 0% to 3% APR car loan from a dealer or bank, you should consider a car loan refinancing. Even if you got a decent APR auto loan, consider having a car loan refinancing. Most online car loan refinancing sites have a car loan calculator. You’ll be surprised at how much money you can save just by lowering your interest rate. Refinance your car loan today!
Car Title Loan
When you need money, often times the need is immediate. Finance companies sometimes offer an easy way out of financial problems by offering a car title loan. Unfortunately, clients are misled by the quick money that a car title loan offers.
Tagged as abusive, car title loans charge extremely high interest rates of up to 360%. To receive a car title loan, the consumer must sign over their car title as collateral. Set up as open-ended credit, car title loans are not subject to an interest rate limit or a maturity date.
So how does one get to have a car title loan? It’s simple. A customer enters the finance office to apply for a car title loan and is asked how much money they would like to borrow. With no credit check and no delay, the borrower can obtain a loan by exchanging their car title and an extra set of keys to their vehicle as collateral. The loans are typically less than $1,000.
The borrower then makes the first payment after 15 days and then every 30 days thereafter. The borrower pays one percent interest per day and must pay a minimum of ten percent of the loan principal with each payment, excluding the first payment.
Every car title loan has an annual percentage rate of up to 360%. While the car title loan can be paid off early with no penalty, the vehicle can be repossessed with one missed payment. Unfortunately, many borrowers are losing their transportation because of this.
This “Secured lending” is supposed to be cheaper for borrowers than unsecured lending because the lender can look to collateral in the event of default. That security means that it is a kind of lending that is in a vastly different category than payday loans – and should not be compared to it.
The car title lenders have avoided interest rate limitations by structuring the debt as open-ended credit, like credit cards. Open-end credit was deregulated because federal law let out-of-state card issuers export their no-cap law. The legislature has never decided that secured, small loans should be deregulated.
Most secure title loans are charging a much higher interest rate than unsecured credit cards. Credit cards are unsecured, and therefore more risky than secured loans. Despite the greater risk, the current average interest rate charged by credit card companies is 12.5% . Yet car title loans which are secured by cars which are owned free and clear by the title loan borrowers, are being charged rates that are 29 times the rate being charged on credit cards.
Due to astronomical annual percentage rates and because of the high repossession rate, the first payment on these loans is due a scant 15 days after borrowing the money. Failure to make the first payment of your car title loan, or any one payment thereafter results in repossession. While no data is currently available on repossessions of cars, at one auction house, over 150 vehicles have been sold after being repossessed.
There is also the loss of equity. For example, for many Iowans their car is their most valuable asset. Car title loans put this asset at risk and Iowans are losing all of their equity to the astronomical interest rates. For the unfortunate clients who lose their car to repossession any excess equity they may have built is eaten by the repossession costs and interest rate charges.
The “financial emergency” that necessitated the desperate car title loan for these consumers is rarely as short-lived as the loan terms, so the interest quickly mounts as paying the loan off with a balloon payment is commonly impossible. It will appear that in a car title loan, you won’t be able to escape at all.
Here are some guiding principles from an affordable loan term. These should keep you away from car title loans as well:
•Establish Fair and Affordable Loan Terms. Title-secured loans should be repayable in affordable installments rather than a lump sum. Is your car title loan like this? Rates should be limited, and lenders should be required to consider the borrower’s ability to repay
•Protect Borrowers After a Default. States should bar abusive practices such as seizing cars without notice, pocketing the difference between the sales price and what the borrower owes or pursuing the borrower for even more money after repossessing the car.
•Close Loopholes to Ensure Consistent Regulation. States that permit title lending should close loopholes that exempt some loans from the law and ensure that laws apply to all lenders, including those operating across state lines.
•Monitor Lenders Better. States should closely monitor lenders through strong licensing, bonding, reporting and examination requirements.
•Ensure Borrowers Can Exercise Their Rights. Car title loan borrowers should be able to sue title lenders and void contracts that violate the law. Binding mandatory arbitration clauses that deny borrowers a fair chance to challenge abuses in court should be eradicated.
New Car Loans
Nothing screams “total independence” quite like being able to buy your own car and not just any car mind you, but your actual “first car”! You want the hottest and newest model on the market but the first time car buyer, you maybe shocked at all the costs involved. Before getting a new car loan, you have some financial obligations to settle before sliding into the front seat. You must first apply for a new car loan.
If you need a new ride, it’s time for you to consider applying for a new car loan. Since new car loan options are varied and extremely abundant these days, it’s the wisest to have some useful information handy when it comes to finally taking that big leap into acquiring your new car loan – and your beautiful new car, of course!
What are the benefits of applying for a new car loan? Well, to start with, new car loans actually give you the option of scoring a car that will surely be able to get you to places, a car that you can depend on especially during those times when you’re really running late for an appointment. In short, a brand new car! A brand new car gives you the peace of mind as well as the satisfaction that you’re driving something that is of real quality.
In spite of a seemingly minor drawback of spending a tad bit more as compared to just buying a used car, experienced car owners unanimously agree that if you are responsible enough to take on a new car loan, the pros out weigh the cons. If you’re debts are well organize and you have a stable job, then you’re obviously MORE than worthy of “spoiling” yourself! Make your way to the nearest new car loans line and apply for that new car loan which will get you that once elusive “first car”.
Online Car Loan
If you want to get the advantage of checking with more than one lender when applying for a car loan without spending a lot of time, why not try online car loans? If you go for an online car loan, you’re sure to get the best car loan rates. That way, you do not only save your time, but your money, as well.
What exactly makes online car loans better? You’ll be surprised at how much lower online car loan rates are compared to car dealers. You get to be charged a lower annual percentage rate (APR). Furthermore, no application fees are charged, particularly on new and used car loans. Your online car loan APR is locked for 60 days, while computations are made through an online car loan calculator. Naturally, an online car loan will definitely not cause you a single headache, bad credit car loan scams, and the frustration of car dealers. You’ll be sure your online car loan will be approved even in as fast as half an hour during business hours. You’re guaranteed that there are absolutely no car finance hidden charges, points or prepayment penalties with an online car loan. Your online car loan lenders will send your check, which will arrive the next day, via FedEx.
There are several companies that are most preferred for their online car loan services. They offer free car loan quotes for new and used cars. These online car loan providers also offer car financing that can save you money many times over by getting you a loan at a much lower rate than you are already being charged. And whether you have good credit or bad credit, these online car loan companies are there to help you get the loan you need, at the lowest possible rate.
These companies are Capital One Auto Finance, RoadLoans, ELoan and Car.com.
Capital One Auto Finance is America’s largest online car loan provider. It offers a wide range of vehicle financing deals, from new or used car loans to motorcycle financing, auto refinancing and even lease buyouts. After applying for an online car loan at Capital One, you get a response in 15 minutes and you’ll be driving your new car as soon as a day after. Capital One provides car loans to customers either online or dealerships nationwide. It provides online car loans usually 1-2 percentage points lower as compared with the national bank average.
RoadLoans is another top provider of online car loans. If you either have good or bad credit, you’ll be entitled to Roadloans’ free online car loan application. It will only take a few seconds and you will usually get a response back within minutes. If approved, you will receive a check overnight. You can therefore negotiate the best price for the vehicle with the check in hand as you would like a like a cash buyer.
Even after being approved for an online car loan with Roadloans, you are not under any obligation to use the check. If you get a better loan rate quoted to you by the auto dealer, no problem. Just tear up the check and discard it. There are no penalities or fees.
If you apply within regular business hours, you will receive a response within 15 minutes from Eloan. That’s how easy it is to apply for an online car loan with ELoan. Once you’re approved, you can choose to download and print the E-Fund agreement immediately, or receive it through the mail. The E-Fund agreement works just like cash at any franchised dealer. You can use it immediately to buy your car on the same day you get it, or keep it and shop around for weeks!
Just like RoadLoans, Eloan doesn’t require you to use the loan even after you’re approved. If you are quoted a better loan rate, just tear up the check and discard it. You will not be charged the penalities or fees. Eloan provides online car loans as free no obligation service.
Car.com gives its customers the ability to receive actual price quotes from partnered dealers in their area, research car prices, specifications and product reviews, obtain financing for their new or used car purchase and sell their car online.
So why apply for an auto loan online? It’s simple, fast and it can work for You!
Refinance Car Loan
When comparing car loans of different lenders, it can be difficult shopping. However, you will find out that refinance car loans are getting more and more competitive nowadays so spending a little time can save you money. A slight change in the interest rate offered by a refinance car loan can make a big difference. Looking for the best interest rate won’t be frustrating after comparing various car loans.
Always keep in mind that refinance car loan packages consist of more than interest rates. When comparing rates of different lenders, make sure you compare also the associated points. When comparing lenders, compare also the loan related fees since the other fees are usually independent of the lender.
Furthermore, when comparing refinance car loans of different lenders, you need to investigate and compare all loan features thoroughly. Pay special attention to the presence of prepayment penalties and the availability and terms of conversion options.
Finally, for each refinance car loan you are comparing, find out the lock-in period, during which the interest rate and points quoted to you will be guaranteed. There are lock-in periods that range from 30, 45 to 60 days. Some lenders offer a lock-in for only a short period of time, say 15 days. When the lock-in period is longer, the price of the refinance car loan is higher. The lock-in period should be long enough to allow for settlement before the lock-in period expires.
You can take advantage of lower rates by refinancing your car loan. Refinancing a car loan could put some extra cash in your pocket as well. If you financed a car within the last 18 months, you may be able to beat your former rate through a refinance car loan. Back then, you could have been so caught up in the excitement of buying a new car that you forgot to focus on the financing deal and instead, focused on its color and leather seats.
Think of it this way, if you apply for a refinance car loan, you’ve got nothing to lose but only savings to gain. Here are some easy tips to help you decide to get a refinance car loan or not:
First, ask yourself, what are you trying to accomplish by refinancing your debt? Are you looking for means to pay as little interest as possible? Would you rather have a different type of financing?
Second, think of your credit situation as a real scenario. Will your credit qualifications allow you to get the best refinancing deal? Try to get a copy of your credit report before applying for a refinance car loan.
Third, have a second look at the loan you’re already signed. Try to determine how the rate on your current loan is calculated. With a simple-interest loan, interest is charged daily based on the balance due. If there is no prepayment penalty on your current car loan and you plan to keep the car for several years, then it makes sense to go after a lower interest rate.
Fourth, compare your current loan terms with the refinance car loan terms to determine whether or not you will have any real savings.
It’s important that you decide ahead of time what you will do with any newfound monthly savings you would have from a refinance car loan. If you continue to send in the same amount as your original loan payment, you’ll double or perhaps triple the benefits of a refinance car loan because you are reducing the principle much more quickly. If you send only the required amount, you’ll be paying less monthly but you won’t be speeding up your debt reduction by paying off the principal sooner.
Used Car Loan
When it comes to a used car loan, there are quite a number of concerns. You may asked yourself,”How can I sell my used car to a private party if I don’t have title?” or “How do you finance a car from a private person?” as well as many other questions.
Many people ask how they could have a used car financed? When applying online, it will only take minutes. After you receive an emailed check from the online loan company, you can choose to buy a used car from a private owner with very little hassel.
Some companies offer used car loans for buying from car dealers as well. You can apply online and you can get approved in an hour.
Here are some useful tip when surfing the net for a used car loan:
- To qualify for a used car loan, make sure to keep your credit score to at least 680. People with bad credit pay higher car loan interest rates. A used car loan wouldn’t be any different. Get hold of your credit report online. Never apply for a car loan , much less for a used car loan, unless you get your credit report with credit score first. Depending on other factors, a high quality lender like some finance companies or banks do, can approve used car loans for people with scores as low as 540.
- Never pay cash for a deposit on a car – even if it’s a used car loan you’re relying on to pay for it or finance it. You can dispute purchases made with your credit cards. But without proof of the transaction, you can be taken advantaged of by swindlers.
- Shop for auto insurance costs for your used car along with your used car loan. Before you shop armed with a used car loan, get auto insurance quotes to find out how much it will cost to insure it. Auto insurance sites give free online car insurance quotes.
- Get an extended warranty for your used car. Unless you have an extended warranty, you are exposed to potentially large losses, which would be huge drawbacks on your used car loan.
Before deciding on a used car loan, better ask yourself these questions:
What are the drawbacks of a used car?
What are the benefits of a used car?
Think twice: A used car could have a listed maintenance and repair history.
Used car warranties often are available at extra cost.
The maintenance costs get higher as the miles on the vehicle climb toward 100,000.
There are not as many safety and convenience features as newer vehicles have.
A used car, however, will be significantly cheaper to buy than going with a new model. It has comprehensive and theft insurance and costs are likely to be less.
After weighing the pros and cons, you can decide if a used car loan is for you.