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Car Finance

One of the major constraints of purchasing a car is the cost associated with getting a car, sometimes the cost of a car can add financial burden or strain to individuals. However, there are other means of acquiring a car that takes away the financial burden of paying at once and directly out of pocket.

You can acquire the car of your dreams through car finance, this allows you to obtain a car through means that relieve the financial strain of acquiring a new car.

Before going for car finance there are certain things to consider, first, it is important to consider your present financial status by considering monthly living expenses as car financing plans involves you making a monthly repayment. Your financial status should be able to allow you to make this repayment as well as cater for your monthly expenses, you can do this by making a budget.

You should only take car finance when you can afford to make a down payment, sometimes saving for a down payment is usually advised as it helps in reducing the cost you need to finance a car, thereby lowering the monthly repayment plan.

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Financing options

There are majorly two ways of financing a car. The two financing options are:

Direct Lending

In the case of direct lending, money is borrowed directly from a bank or a finance company. The loan obtained from a bank or finance company is paid back with interest over a specified period.

Once you identify the type of car to be purchased and has identified a car dealer, you can use the obtained loan to pay for the car. If you want to use direct lending to finance a car, you should make the following consideration.

  • Comparison: A comparison check should be made between several lenders to compare different credit terms and decide on which one is more favourable to you.
  • Getting advance credit term: It is advisable to have a preapproved credit term from the financial institution or lender, by knowing in advance the loan terms like the interest rate, length of term etc. having this knowledge can help in negotiating a better deal with the car dealer.

Financing through a car dealer

A car dealer can help in financing your acquisition of a car, this means of financing is often much easier and smoother. A contract is created between the car dealer and the buyer which contains the type of car to be purchased, the period required for repayment and the interest to be accrued on the loan.

This type of model involves the car dealer securing a contract from the bank or any financial institution that will service the contract account and receive the repayment. The benefits of using a car dealer option to finance your car are:

  • Convenience: You can easily get both a loan and a car at the same place, you do not have to get a financial institution to agree to your terms first. You pick a car model and get the finance for it right from the dealer’s store
  • Different financing option: A car dealer typically has a great relationship with different financial institutions due to years of dealing with them in getting finance for customers, this makes a car dealer a great option to recommend different loan plans to finance your choice of car.
  • Special discount: Due to the direct relationship between a car dealer and a car manufacturer, a car dealer can offer manufacturer-sponsored discount or incentive programs for buyers. Such a discount often assists in reducing the cost to pay over your car loan.
Visiting car dealership

It is important to select the best financing option, making the best financing choice for a car does not always come easy. It involves comparing different terms offered by different creditors or financial institutions. This comparison is important to decide what plan best suit your needs and current financial situation.

Different creditors offer various terms and condition to the repayment of a loan, take the time to understand the terms and conditions as well as the total cost attached to the loan. The repayable amount for a car loan depends on the following:

  • The actual cost of the car: The type of car selected will determine the cost of such a car, and this also determines how much is obtainable through the loan. Most loan facilities often have a maximum amount permissible for purchasing a car.
  • Annual Percentage Rate: This is the amount that will be repaid in addition to the initial cost of the loan obtained. This rate varies from one creditor to another and is negotiable. It is advised to go with a creditor that has a lower annual percentage rate, this lessens the strain of repayment.
  • Length of Credit: The length of time given to repay the loan by the creditor is dependent on the type of loan obtained. Length of repayment can be as high as 72-84 months, having a longer length of repayment reduces the amount that is to be repaid monthly. However, the longer the duration of repayment, the higher the rates to be charged.

Documents needed for obtaining car finance

There are certain requirements set by different creditors before agreeing to car finance.

Personal details

These are basic requirements needed to identify the individual applying for car finance. The details usually include name, date of birth marital status, residential address etc.

Employment details

It is important to have the employment history of a person applying for car finance, this allows the financial institution to judge the ability to repay loan obtained.

Bank details

Providing bank details as well goes a long way in showing the financial worthiness to be able to access a loan as well as repay the loan within the specified period.