Posts Tagged ‘Secured Loan’
The Advantages of Getting Car Finance
Even a used car can make a severe dent in your bank balance, which is why many people opt to apply for a car loan to pay for their purchase. But quite apart from the fact that car finance enables you to keep your savings where they belong – namely in your pocket – it also has several other advantages over a cash transaction.
Firstly, it enables you to buy a better car than you could otherwise afford. Trying to save money by buying an older model can result in more costly repairs being needed, which all amounts to a false economy in the long run. Taking out a car loan also means you can spread the cost over a longer period of time, which in turn makes your car much easier to pay for – and you will always know where you stand with your monthly payments. You’ll also know exactly how long you’ll be paying the loan for until it’s completed.
If the car credit you get is either unsecured or secured on the car itself, it’s a very low risk option – much more attractive than a secured loan, which could put your home at risk should you default on payments.
Car finance is often also easier to successfully apply for than a standard bank loan. Many people who have bad credit problems are still able to get a car loan and if you are unable to buy a car in any other way then yes car credit could change your life. Becoming more mobile could enable you to apply for better jobs further afield, for example.
Another key benefit of opting for car credit to buy your new motor is that whatever APR you get, it will often be fixed for the length of the loan term. This takes away the worry of wondering how high your repayments could go if interest rates go up, as you will be unaffected. It means you can have more confidence in taking out this kind of loan than another loan which doesn’t have a fixed repayment amount each month.
Car credit is also better than a standard loan as it often comes with added perks. For example, if you buy your car from the same company that provides you with the loan, they may add in six month’s free road tax or a full vehicle inspection before you drive the car home. These give the loan added value that you wouldn’t be able to get elsewhere.
So if you are considering buying a new car, opting for car credit to make it possible could well be your best choice. Not only can it bring added benefits, but you’ll always know exactly where you stand.
Car Finance Options Explained
When buying a new or used car there are so many options now available. From personal loans to more specialist finance such as Personal Contract Purchase it leaves a lot of options for which to choose from. So what are all the options and which one is right for you.
Personal Contract Purchase
PCP is fast becoming a very popular method of car finance. You pay a monthly amount towards the purchase of the car and at the end of a pre-defined purchase period you can then choose pay a lump sum to buy the car or just return the car with no obligation. This style of finance is great for those people who like to change their car on a regular basis but do not want to pay the full amount for a new car.
Hire Purchase
This is the more traditional way to buy a car. You enter into a contract to buy the car over a certain period of time during which pay the car off in monthly instalments. At the end of this period the car is paid for and legally becomes yours. As a Hire Purchase is effectively a secured loan if you miss any payments then the seller has a right to repossess the car.
Lease Purchase
Lease / Credit Purchase is similar to a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) in that a lump sum amount is deferred to the end of the agreement. This lump sum reduces the regular monthly payments and allows you to purchase a more expensive care than you thought possible.
Unlike PCP a lease Purchase offers no option to return the vehicle to the finance company at the end of the agreed contract period. It is up to the customer to settle the final balloon payment through additional finance, cash or part-exchange with the finance company.
Contract Hire
This is an agreement where a rental is paid in return for the vehicle over a period of 1, 2, 3 or 4 years. It is ideal if your business prefers to reduce its financial risk by not owning the vehicle and having to deal with the administration with new cars and also worrying about the value of the car over time.
As a business you may also be able to apportion some of the rentals towards tax relief if you are VAT registered. Contract Hire is also deemed to be an operating and is regarded differently to purchase contracts. As a result your business may benefit from other tax advantages.
Contract Hire payments are specific to the car you buy and are also dependent on the amount of mileage the car will do each year. A deposit will have to be paid and this normally amounts to 3 months of the contract hire payment.
Conclusion
There are so many car finance options now available it would be hard to see why you cannot get your hands on whatever car you wanted, within reason. If you don’t fancy taking on car finance then you can also look at secured or personal loans if you think it would work out cheaper or easier to make your dream car purchase.