Car Loans: Finding A Financial Institution

You car dealer will most probably offer to finance the purchase of your car. Although is it very convenient to just sign the papers are the dealers office and drive home with your car, you should not give in to the temptation of letting your car dealer finance your car immediately. Note that most car dealers will give you higher interests as compared to other financial institutions like banks and credit unions. Since the interest rates given by car dealers can be quite high, you will end up paying more for the car. If you want to save some money, it is best for you to go to a bank or a credit union and ask the bank to finance the car for you.

Shopping Around First

Before you get a car loan from a bank or a credit union, you must shop around first. Find our which banks or credit unions can give you better terms and conditions. Do not limit yourself to the major banks and credit unions in your locality. Sometimes small banks and lending institutions can give you lower interest rates and better payment schemes which will help you save money.

When you go for an institution to finance the purchase of your car, you must pay close attention on the interest rates. Many financial institutions all over the country will give you a choice between fixed and variable interest rates. Fixed interest rates can be advantageous to you if you are anticipating an increase in prices. Since the interest rates are fixed from the time you get your car loan up to the time that you are able to pay back the entire loan, you will be protected from the effects of price increases. The catch here is that since the interest rates are fixed, you will mostly likely be given higher interest rates by the bank from the very beginning to anticipate any increase in prices.

On the other hand, the variable interest rates can be quite advantageous considering that prices often fluctuate. With the variable interest rates, you can enjoy lower interest rates every time the prices go down. If the prices stay down for a long period of time, then you will be able to save lots of money. The drawback here is that if the prices go up, your interest rates will also go higher and that could cost you a lot of money.

Another thing that you should consider when you go shopping for a financial institution to finance the purchase of your car is the payment scheme of the financial institution. Find out how often you will need to make payments. Do not just assume that you will be paying your amortization monthly. Some financial institutions have developed a payment scheme that is more convenient for the clients. You may want to check out the options for paying as well. Do they only take mail-in payments or can you pay online Knowing your options can help you stay on track.