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How to Get the Best Car Finance Deal

Financing a car


Buying a property is one of the biggest transactions that you will probably ever do in your lifetime. The second biggest transaction will probably be in relation to a car purchase. This is the subject of the following guest post from a financial writer looking to offer their insight into the often confusing world of financing a car.
Car finance is readily available, even if your credit history is poor. However, it's also big business, with car dealers sometimes earning more commission on the finance than they do on the car itself.
Three quarters of the 700,000 new cars bought between March 2012 and March 2013 were bought with car finance of some kind. But with the complexity of finance options available, how can you be sure you're getting the best deal?

Do Your Homework


Before you even start looking for a car, take time to learn about the different finance options available. Hire purchase, leasing, a personal loan and personal contract plans all work differently and have their own advantages and disadvantages. It's important to choose the right car finance option for you and your circumstances.

Be Sums Savvy


A salesman will work hard to get you to sign up to his preferred method of finance, and there are all kinds of legal but misleading ways of presenting the figures to you in order to make an option seem more attractive than it really is.

Make sure that you are given the APR. This is the only rate which will allow you to compare one option properly against another, as it's the only one which includes fees and interest. Even then, be sure that you're comparing finance of the same duration and loan amount.

If you're given daily or weekly costs, stay alert. Of course it sounds cheaper to say that your new car will cost you only £8 per day than £240 per month or £2880 per year - but don't fall for this. Always ask for the total amount payable.

Another common ruse is for the salesperson to add a few years onto the loan in order to make the repayments look cheaper. Yes, you'll pay less each month if you pay over five years instead of over three, but it's certainly not cheaper overall.

Be Prepared to Haggle


If your credit is good enough, get a quote for a personal loan from your bank and take it with you when you buy your car. Use this as your starting point. Anything more expensive on offer from the dealer is a no-no, regardless of the bells and whistles they attach to it.

You can also visit more than one dealership and get quotes from each one. You may well find quite a considerable difference in what you're offered, depending on all kinds of things from how close the salesperson is to their target to which cars they're pushing hardest that week.

If you like the look of a deal you're offered, but it's close to the personal loan figure or slightly above it, ask for extras to be included with the car as part of the deal. If you don't ask, you don't get.

Essentially, the golden rule is this - don't go into arranging your car finance deal with your eyes closed. Many salespeople work hard to get you the best deal available and they are not your enemy. Courtesy, respect and professionalism go a long way on both sides of the deal. For those who are slightly more unscrupulous, however, the whole process is a game. Learn the rules and stay one step ahead.

This content was provided by Your Car Credit who are specialists in used car sales and Car Finance for people with Bad Credit.

2 comments

Jon@2-copper-coins.com said...

I think that the best way to get a great deal on car financing, is to pay cash! You get the best possible deal when you purchase a car that is within your price range. That doesn't mean you have to buy used, but paying cash is the best way to go.

Unknown said...

Jon, Paying cash is good option one could use to buy a car. But I think finance is helpful for a large number of those people who are unable to make a one time cash payment. A small down payment allows you to buy a car sooner than you possibly can think.Easy EMI options also give you the freedom to pay up monthly.
Reference:- http://www.faradaywestfinance.com.au/blog/buying-your-first-car/