The Ups And Downs Of Auto Financing

Problems in auto financing usually occur when the contract is prepared in the finance and insurance office, called “F&I” room. So when your deal goes wrong, chances are it’s about something that occurred only at the time when negotiations are almost over. This is because the F&I room is where you, the car buyer, can see much of the potential savings regarding your auto loan go up in smoke. So you see just how important this so-called F&I room is?

Downer #1: Ignoring the F&I Room

Now, the thing with car buyers is that they rather have this not-so appealing tendency to focus on the car they want to buy, and just ignore the F&I room as nothing but tedious paperwork. It’s not very appealing because it is, after all, your money being held in negotiation here and if you don’t pay attention to it, there’s a chance you’ll lose a big chunk of it.

Upper #1: Focus on Financing

While it’s true that the whole point of car buying is to own that new car you’ve been eyeing, it’s not wise to ignore the financing aspect of it as well. The two must necessarily go hand in hand or in you’re in for a tough spot with a bad investment on a car loan. Don’t view the financing part as paperwork that should be completed as quickly as possible so you could drive away in your new car. Don’t make the same mistake other car buyers are making. Be aware of how vital the F&I experience is to car buying.

Downer #2: Inflated Interest Rates

Top on the list of the things you must do involving auto financing is to have the deal agreed upon by you and the salesman be put in writing in a binding contract. Often involved at this part of the procedure is to determine monthly auto loan payments based on an interest rate. Now, as you well know, the interest rate varies from car buyer to car buyer. Your credit is only one of the factors and if the interest rate a car buyer qualifies for is inflated, then the dealership can make extra profit off your loan. That’s merely one of the pitfalls in auto financing.

Upper #2: Get Independent Auto Financing

Fortunately for you, there are solutions to that particular problem. One way to do it is to obtain independent auto financing BEFORE going to the dealership. When you have the approved auto financing option on hand, you can then proceed with the deal as a “cash buyer” so to speak since you already have the cash in hand from the loan and you are merely buying the car from the dealer with that money. No other relation exists between you and the dealer aside from that of a seller and a buyer. No such thing as a debtor and a loan creditor.

Another advantage to this particular solution is that you can negotiate with the car dealer only upon the price of the car. You don’t have to worry about getting approved for financing with him since you already have that, thanks to your conscientiousness and foresight. Car salesmen prefer customers to be “monthly payment” buyers as this makes it easier for them to obscure the total cost of the vehicle, to the detriment of your savings. So wizen up and take that independent auto financing option available.

Downer #3: I Don’t Know My Credit Rating

Now, that’s a very common statement car buyers make. They know their blood pressure level. Heck, they even know their blood count. But credit rating? Only a tiny smidgen of the population knows that. Yet, it cannot be stressed far enough that knowing your own credit rating could very well mean the difference between a good investment and a bad one.

Many car buyers don’t know their credit status when they apply for an auto loan. I don’t know if they’re just lazy or simply don’t know that determining the kind of interest rate you get depends largely on your credit score. I’m praying for the former because that can be cured. The latter just answers itself. Therefore, it’s critical to obtain your credit report before shopping for a car so you will know exactly where you stand when it comes to your auto financing options.

Upper #3: Where to Get Credit Report

The solution to not knowing your credit rating is to get a copy of your credit report. And where can you get that copy? There are a number of sites that offer it for a minimal fee. These sites are:

• http://Equifax.com

• http://Experian.com

• http://TransUnion.com

Order a copy of your credit report from the above sites and look for items that may stand in the way of you getting a good rate. In case of any errors, correct them promptly and make sure that all your lines of credit are in good standing. Also, while you’re at it, watch out for any signs of identity theft as this crime has become rampant these days, and then contact the credit bureaus for help on this particular issue.

Downer #4: The Last Temptation of Mr. Car Buyer

Granted you are a really conscientious buyer and so far you’ve managed to avoid many of the pitfalls and downers we’ve outlined above. You made it. You have an approved auto financing program from an independent auto financing company and are now on your way to the dealership. Nothing can possibly go wrong now.

Ah, but how wrong you are. Because once you get to the dealership, the smooth-talking salesman will try to egg you into overspending.

Upper #4: Set a Price Range

Having a budget is the sensible thing to do. If you set a sensible price range for yourself, then you have less reason to go beyond that range and succumb to the temptation of overspending. If you’re really firm on that budget, no amount of sales talk can sway you.

Creating a budget for a car is easy once you have some idea on what financing options are available to you and the price of the car that you want. Remember that the dealer’s offer is often marked up – that is, it is a percentage higher than the real price set by the car maker. One good tip is to make sure that your monthly car payments and related expenses do not exceed about 20 percent of your monthly net income.

Downer #5: Discounted Financing vs. Rebate

Here’s the dilemma to car buying: Many dealers offer a choice between discounted financing or a rebate, but not both. Discounted financing means that you get zero-percent financing while rebate means that you get a certain amount of cash some time after purchase. The common error many car buyers make is that the zero-percent loan will deliver the most savings. But will it really?

Upper #5: Get the Cash Rebate

In most cases, it’s better to get the cash rebate and apply it against the purchase price of the vehicle. If you already have a pre-approved car loan, then that’s even better since you have positively no need of additional financing from your dealer. Just use your car loan to finance the car and let the rebate handle some of the charges.