May 6, 2010

Before purchasing a dream car, try to assess if the budget can really afford it. Questions like, how will it be paid, who will be helping to pay for it, what is the price limit of the car to be bought, and how long will it take to pay off the car? These should be considered even while planning to buy the car. The trend nowadays is that people buy the cars by cashing out the down payment, and the balance will be paid by installment. Others are just lucky enough to have saved the right amount of money that they are able to cash out the total cost of the car, which, by the way, seldom happens now. Never set aside the possibility of paying thousands of dollars when buying from a dealer or a specific car company, where in the end, charges you more for the interest which takes even years to pay.

Once you have found a way to finance the car you are eyeing on, then it’s time to start shopping around. There are credit unions and even local banks that are willing to loan the needed amount to purchase the car with an Annual Percentage Rate of only 1.9 per cent. However, this may turn out to be a catch, since this will only be happening on the first year. Without prior notice, these interest rates can increase which is a total inconvenience for those with just a fix income every year.

It is a big plus if a buyer is a member of a credit union. Being a member could save you from the trouble of spending a whole day in a lender’s office because the processing of the loan could only take just a few minutes after filling out the necessary papers for the request. In a credit union, fifteen to twenty minutes is all that is needed to do the application. They could even loan even up to $25,000.00 within just an hour after signing the papers.

It will be very helpful when a research is made prior to making that loan for a car. Believe it or not, car dealers are really digging out most of the penny in a buyer’s pocket by issuing interest that is sometimes unreasonable. There are two things needed to consider when thinking of financing a new car:

First, what’s the price willing to be spent by a buyer? More often than not, other people would rather ask themselves the question: How much of the car price do they intend to buy instead? They will be willing if the know they can afford their choice. Consider monthly regular expenditures. The monthly payment for the new car should not get in the way of paying the fixed monthly dues in the household. If in case it does, by merely doing a math, then just consider a second hand car. Just make sure that all is checked and examined to avoid hassle in the future.

Second, is it really important to change cars every two to four years? Consider cars offered on a lease, if so. Other dealers and car companies offer the leasing of a car for that amount of time, which you can return but no money will be refunded. However, there is an allotted amount of distance or mileage that should be covered during those years of lease, but this is negotiable. On the other hand, if a buyer is not interested in changing cars, it’s best not to opt for the cars for lease.

It is safest to get a loan from a credit union or a financial institution instead of a local car salesman; they would definitely try to reach even a buyer’s bottom dollar. Getting information from someone whom can be trusted and expert about financing a car, for they will be able to give you tips at your own interest. Financing either a new or a second hand car is a lot of sweat, but the determination to get the best car at the best price can be considered a success.

This should be a win, win situation for anyone. After all its your money that is at stake here. Do your research and it can be a beneficial decision on your part.

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Buying a Used Car

Author: admin
April 25, 2010

Before getting your own car, it pays to do some homework. Think about what you need, what the car will be used for, and your budget. Look in books and online and think about repair costs, safety tests, mileage etc.

All this research can save you some serious money and help you avoid being ripped off.

Once youve chosen the car you want, you have to decide how you are going to pay for it. You can pay the whole amount upfront or you can finance the purchase over time. If you do use financing, you should be aware that this increases the total cost of the car as you must pay for the car plus the credit.

Once you have decided on how much you can put down, you can look at the annual percentage rate (APR) of the loan and the length of the loan and see how much your monthly payments will be.

Generally speaking, the shorter the term of the loan, the higher the APR. If you are in your teens, cosigning with your parents will help you to get a better rate. You may also want to think about paying in cash for a less expensive car.

Dealer or Private Sale?

This is an important decision to make. If you buy from a dealer you will generally pay more. But you will benefit from knowing that if there is a problem you can return to the dealer to complain. Many dealers offer warranties and guarantee the quality of the car.

On the other hand, buying from an individual will offer less security as the car will generally be sold as is, which means you must bare the cost of any problems that later arise. You also cannot go back and complain to an individual if something they told you turns out to be untrue. That said, buying from an individual can often offer very good value.

First of all, they will not add a mark up on the price, which is what a dealer would do if he had bought it first. Also, if you bring along your own mechanic, or someone who knows about cars, you can have it checked out to make sure everything looks ok.

Before you buy the car, make sure you examine it with an inspection checklist. Get a good test drive over varied road conditions and be sure to get the cars maintenance record. It is also worth having the car inspected by a mechanic if you have serious concerns about it.

Finally, before you buy, make sure you are ready to meet all the associated costs of having the car. These include insurance, fuel, maintenance and repairs.

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Want To Buy A Car After Graduation? Opt For Driver’s Edge Card For College Students

There are very few people who have not heard of Citibank. The renowned company serves and caters to the needs of frequent travelers, business personnel as well as students. The Citi Driver’s Edge Card for College Students is one such card that caters to the needs of students. The card is part of the Thank You Network.

Benefits of the Card

The card permits the students to earn rebates for the purchase of a new, used or leased car each time the student uses his/her card to make a purchase.

The card also permits you to earn 3% rebates at the drugstores, grocery stores or gas stations. On all the other purchases you make, you will be getting a 1% rebate. You can further gain rebates for the number of miles that you drive. All the points you gather can be used for purchasing a vehicle, only that the maximum amount of points that can be redeemed per vehicle is $5000.

The card has all the benefits offered by the other Citi student credit cards. The Citi Driver’s Edge Card for College Students lets you shop with confidence whether you are buying online or from retail outlets. It shields you from credit card theft as well as identity theft. Furthermore, you can avail of customer service whenever you wish.

The card offers 0% annual percentage rate (APR) for the initial six months on purchases, balance transfers and cash advances. However, the regular APR is fixed at 18.24%. There is no annual fee and balance transfer fee.

Other Benefits

As a student, you will enjoy a 25% discount to shop for books at Peterson.com. (Peterson is a well-known career and educational advisory body). The card understands you and enables you to utilize all your accumulated rebates over a period of 5 years at the maximum, for repairing or servicing your car.

For better security, there is the provision of adding your photo to the face of the credit card. This will stop anyone from stealing and utilizing your card at a retail establishment. This photo ID is practical always.

The card further provides the benefit of zero liability for unauthorized purchases policy, which gives you mental peace. You can avail of the customer service 24/7, that too via the toll free telephone. The privilege of accessing your account online also comes with the card.

The free protection services that come with card include fraud early warning block, online guarantee and lost wallet service, making you feel secure, which is akin to the Citibank policies.

Added Advantages

The Driver’s Edge Card for College Students comes along with other common benefits like many Internet account related services, emergency card and cash replacement, medical and legal referral services and different travel and emergency assistant services.

The card further provides automatic bill payments, auto rental discounts, and a maximum of $1000000 in travel accident insurance and many more facilities.

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