Facts, Truth and myths about auto loans
It is amazing how many important decisions we base on hearsay and urban myths. That is no way to make a choice on your auto loan. This article looks into a few of the most common myths and misunderstandings related to auto loans and the auto finance industry.
Myth 1. All auto loans are the same.
Many of us believe that all banks and finance providers have the same offers and that it is simply a matter of choosing the provider that is most convenient. Car dealers and uncompetitive auto finance providers are quite in agreement of you having this misconception. They might even encourage it by mentioning the auto finance loan as an afterthought once the car has been sold.
The truth is of course very different. Car dealers often make more money on your auto loan than on the actual sale of the car. Car dealers are very happy to provide with a discount on the price tag if they can get you to pay over and above the going rate on the car loan.
Be smart, check your options and find the right loan for you.
Myth 2. Trading your car in is always a great idea when purchasing a car and finding an auto loan.
When buying a car and purchasing an auto loan it is a good idea to separate operations and get the best deals you can on each one of them. Car dealers will try to combine the car purchase, trade in and auto loan in one big package allowing them to reap profit and commissions from every angle. Nothing wrong with that. The problem is that when all is done in one big deal the borrower and buyer often does not understand how every transaction reflects on the final purchase price.
The best way is to take everything a step at a time. 1) Find out what banks and auto loan providers are willing to lend you on your credit rating. 2) Then go shopping for the right car for you within your budget. Don’t talk to the car dealer about trade ins and auto loans, just about the car you want and the best price he can give. Once you have agreed on a price you can start bargaining all over again for the price he is going to give you on your old car. Once that is arranged 3) you can see if your car dealer can improve the conditions you got on your auto loan.
Myth 3. The most important thing on your auto loan are the monthly installments.
Being able to afford the monthly payments on your auto loan is of course very important. However many auto dealers will work on what you can afford every month and give you a long auto loan that lasts practically forever and you never get rid of. Balance monthly payments with the total cost of the loan which increases exponentially the longer the loan lasts for.