Saturday, May 30, 2009

Financing for Buying a Car

You may need to borrow money to buy the car you want. If this is the case, you have several options when it comes to choosing the right type of financing for the job. Shopping for financing before the car and looking at the costs involved can be beneficial to the process.

Financing First

    Shopping for financing before you shop for a car can help you get the best deal. Many consumers make the mistake of simply walking into a car dealership without doing any research or shopping around first. While you could get financing from the dealer, it often works to your advantage to secure the financing before you find the car. This way, you can shop around and find the best rate instead of simply taking whatever the dealer has to offer at the time.

Special Offers

    If you do decide to work with the car dealer when financing your car, you may be able to take advantage of some special offers. For example, one of the most common offers that car manufacturers provide is 0 percent interest. To qualify for a 0 percent interest offer, you typically have to have an excellent credit score. If you only have a decent score, your rate could be substantially higher. It is also important to remember that you can still negotiate the price of the car regardless of what financing the company offers.

Terms

    When financing the purchase of a car, it is important to understand all of the terms of the loan. For example, you need to agree on the down payment amount as well as the value of your trade-in if you have one. Many lenders will also offer GAP coverage on their loans. This is a type of insurance coverage that reimburses you if you have a wreck and the value of the car is less than what you owe against it.

Approval

    The approval for your financing will depend on your credit score as well as your income level. If you cannot get approved for a traditional car loan, you may think about finding a co-signer. A co-signer will help your odds because the financing company will look at their credit as well as yours.

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