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Car Loans
Car loans are especially popular, due to the fact that the car has become indispensable to one’s every day life. Many times, though, it can be difficult to obtain a good car loan. But what makes a car loan being “good”?
  • Low interest rates
  • Long repayment period, with relatively low interest rates
  • Secured vs. unsecured. The secured loan is always a better option, mainly because this will give you flexible terms and conditions, and a much overall cheaper loan than an unsecured car loan
The first step you need to take in order to make sure you have found the best car loan is to carefully inspect your options. You will find thousands of offers on the market, and picking out the best option might not be an easy task at all. If it is an unsecured loan you wish to take out in order to buy a car, then you can start by setting yourself a limit for the monthly repayment. For example, if your income is around £1,500, but you still have other outstanding debts as well, the most you could afford is £100/month.
So, start out looking for options which require that you pay back no more than £100 on a monthly basis. You have settled that this is an affordable amount for you, so you can proceed for the sign up if you find an offer. Exchange programs are also available, and these would actually reduce from the overall cost:
  • You can offer your old car as an exchange for a certain percentage of your new one. For example, if the new car costs you £5,000, and through an exchange program your old car is evaluated at £1,100, then your loan will only cost you £3,900.
  • You can also significantly reduce from the overall cost of your loan. Following the above example, if you would normally take out a loan of £5,000 (without going through exchange), you would pay £100 (including interests, extra charges and so on) for maybe 7 or 10 years. But if you decide to opt for an exchange program, by taking out only £3,900, you will have a much shorter term for your loan (instead of 7 years, only 5 for example).
  • Buying a car through a secured loan option, is perhaps the best solution: low interest rates, flexible terms and conditions, no early redemption charge, not so many extra fees. This is so mainly because the lender doesn’t have to undergo a major set of risks (the loan is secured!). As an option, a home equity loan would be perfect, given the fact you still have enough equity in your home (don’t have too many outstanding debts which are secured). Talk to your lender, and see if you can arrange an affordable loan which would finance for your new car purchase.