March 29, 2010

If you are considering whether to buy or perhaps lease your next car and which would afford you the best deal, most consumer experts agree that from a purely financial aspect you will be better off in buying your next car.

Of course paying cash in full is the best possible scenario since with this option you would avoid any type of finance charge. But for the vast majority of us and for the scope of this article well take a look those purchases or leases that involve financing.

In the short term leasing may look attractive to you because monthly lease payments will more than likely be less than the monthly payments of a purchase agreement. Why? Because with a lease you are essentially only paying for the part of the car you are going to use. Its kind of like splitting the cost of a pizza with someone. You are only paying for the pieces that you are going to eat. In car terminology the part that is left over in a lease is called the residual value of the car. The higher the residual value of the car the less of the car you will use during the lease so you payments for the part that you do use (the lease) will be lower.

Typically lease durations are 24, 36, or 48 months. Do not sign up for a lease beyond 48 months. Actually anything beyond 36 months is pushing the value of the lease. Dont let the car salesman get you into a longer lease just because they make your monthly payments look more attractive. Remember time costs you money and the cars residual value will plummet and you loose all the advantages of leasing and still be left with nothing in the end.

For some drivers the car buying decision isnt based purely on bottom line numbers. And this is fine. Its strictly personal. Leasing does afford you the ability to always be driving a new car. A car that is within a few years of the latest body style and technology. A car that is always under the factory warranty. For the person that has accepted the fact that they enjoy being in a newer car and that car payments is just another monthly expense, then why not get the most car for the money? Then leasing could be a good alternative.

If this is your personal preference the other two questions you must answer are how many miles a year do I drive and how hard on cars am I? The mileage question can really come back to haunt you if you are not careful. People who are in new cars and thus enjoy driving them and showing them off more will have a tendency to drive them more. Be very careful with you mileage. Going over your allotted mileage on your lease could end up costing anywhere from 15 to 30 cents per mile beyond the lease mileage allowance and this can get painful in a hurry. In most leases you can purchase additional mileage up front at the time of the lease but keep in mind if at the end of your lease you havent used all of your miles, you dont get that money refunded back to you.

I mentioned a bit earlier you need to consider how well you treat your cars. Only you will know this and you need to be honest with this one. Dont think that you can turn your lease car in at the end of the lease with the car in sub par condition. If you do, you may be assessed reconditioning fees that could become rather hefty.

In summary, from a purely financial perspective buying your next new car is the best over the long haul. But, car with car ownership, so much personal preference, and personal priorities come into play. If you think leases look attractive, be absolutely certain about your mileage you will drive. Take good care of the car. And finally check with your insurance agent first to make sure that you dont give back the money you save in monthly payments to your insurance company.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts



Cheap Auto Insurance – A Practical Solution for Reducing Car Expenses

In todays world auto insurance is a necessity for any one with a car. I believe you will agree with me when saying that having a car is an expense on its own. Not to mention the
Fuel prices these days. So what actually can be done to cut costs from your car payments?

One of the easiest, quickest, safest and cost efficient ways to save money is getting cheap auto insurance rates. Some will say that their insurance payments are relatively low. That may be true but keep in mind that over 35% of auto insurance policy holders are overpaying their insurance and dont even know about it.

The competition among insurance companies these days is huge due to a simple fact; the amount of cars in the world is constantly growing, meaning more insurance is needed. Some people insure 2 or even 3 cars through the same insurance company and arent aware that if they demand an additional discount they will easily get it and even if they dont, no worries, there are lots of other reliable companies that will give them a better rate.

There are plenty of ways of saving hundreds of dollars from your annual premium. The first step is getting a quote. Filling out a quote should be done correctly and the cheapest and fastest way to get free quotes is online. Correct comparison is the key to great rates and its needless to say you should compare quotes from at least 3 different companies (the more the better). There are organizations which provide unbiased services helping you compare 1000 of bids from different auto insurance companies with filling out just one form. These systems can come in handy and save hours of quote comparison.

Ways To Save

The following are a few tested strategies you can apply for saving $300 – $500 from your premium. The more tips you apply the more you can save, believe it or not saving couldnt be easier.

  • Raise your deductibles
  • Reduce coverage on older cars
  • Compare male and female as main drivers
  • If you havent had an accident negotiate a discount
  • Take a defensive driving course and let the insurance company know that you have
  • Install anti theft devices
  • Ask for a discount if you have more than one type of insurance from the same company
  • Check for low mileage discounts

All in all it is important to understand that there are more than enough ways to save money, all you need to do is get started and it doesnt require much effort or time. If you take a close look at what your payments are all about you will see that you could cut costs daily if you just give it a bit of time and correct calculation.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts



January 24, 2010

Low Interest Rate New Car Loan – Tips For A Smooth Car Buying Experience

The car buying process varies for each person. If you have purchased or financed several vehicles, you likely know several tricks and techniques for securing a good deal. On the other hand, if you have never bought a new or used vehicle, you may fall victim to dealership scams. Here are a few tips to help make the car buying experience easier.

How Much Do You Want to Pay?

Before entering a showroom or dealership, do your research. What types of car do you want to buy? How much are you willing to pay monthly? Walking into a dealership blindly is a bad move. Car salesmen are very clever. Additionally, they have several tactics for convincing car buyers to purchase a vehicle they cannot afford.

To avoid overspending, research various cars and their prices. Take advantage of auto loan calculators. These provide a rough estimate of future car payments. When negotiating with a salesperson, let them know upfront how much you are willing to spend on monthly payments.

Check Your Credit Report Beforehand

When determining an interest rate for a new vehicle, finance companies will review your credit report. Prior to applying for a loan, obtain a copy of your personal report. This way, you have an idea of the interest rate you qualify for. Moreover, credit reports will reveal credit problems and inaccuracies that may hinder you from obtaining a low rate. If problems are present, fix credit blemishes before applying for a car loan.

In some instances, you may improve your credit by simply paying current creditors on time and reducing debt to income ratio. If possible, delay financing a vehicle until your credit score improves.

Get Pre-Approved for an Auto Loan

Dealership financing is offered. However, to get the best rate possible, you should obtain quotes from at least three auto loan lenders. If you are looking to speed up the process, consider getting pre-approved for an auto loan.

A pre-approval involves completing a loan application and providing necessary documentations. The lender will approve you for a specific amount. This is ideal because you avoid overspending. In most cases, lenders approve you for an amount that fits comfortably into your budget.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts



December 17, 2009

Buying a new car is a major purchase with major amounts of money leaving your pocket. Ask an honest car salesman and he will tell you that he is trying to get his potential customers to buy something they dont really need. Ask a dishonest salesman and he wont tell you why. That about sums it up plus it opens the door for all kinds of scam artists to try to use tricks to get you to buy a new car. Arm yourself with all the information you can when buying a new car. Here are some tips:

There are some classic scams that car salespeople use to get you to sign the dotted line on a sales contract. Get on the internet and see what these scams are. Car salespeople are probably the most persuasive type of salesmen/women (most tend to be men) that you will come across. It is very tempting to give into their hype.

Dont be afraid to say No.

If there is ONE thing you dont like about a car dont buy it. That one thing will bug you down the road as you make those expensive car payments and the honeymoon has worn off. Often, people find the need to purchase another car than keep mending the current one, because of their poor decision making when purchasing the existing one.

Dont give the salesperson a feel for what you like and dont like. Dont get too personal with the salesperson. Scam and con artists are skilled at getting into you head and detecting something you have an emotional or preference stake in. Keep focused on buying a car and try to avoid the small talk with the salesperson.

How much is that car really going to cost you in terms of maintenance, insurance, and fuel? There are web sites where you can get this information. Another bit of knowledge to arm yourself with is knowing how much that car loan is going to cost you in terms of interest.

Check your credit report and correct any errors that may be there. It will help to get your loan approved faster.

Read reviews on various cars and educate yourself before going to the car lot. The internet has a wealth of information resources for buying new cars.

Today, there are many places where you can purchase a car. There are classifieds in your local newspapers, local car dealerships, car magazines, the internet, with a huge array of sites, also offers many great deals. Ebay is also an increasingly popular destination to find cars and not necessarily just to from it. Ebay can also be used for researching the car you are looking to buy. You can use it to gain an idea of how much cars in general go for based on your specifications and conditions. There are many, many new listings every hour that you can browse through to help find your new car.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts



Cheap Auto Insurance – A Practical Solution for Reducing Car Expenses

In todays world auto insurance is a necessity for any one with a car. I believe you will agree with me when saying that having a car is an expense on its own. Not to mention the
Fuel prices these days. So what actually can be done to cut costs from your car payments?

One of the easiest, quickest, safest and cost efficient ways to save money is getting cheap auto insurance rates. Some will say that their insurance payments are relatively low. That may be true but keep in mind that over 35% of auto insurance policy holders are overpaying their insurance and dont even know about it.

The competition among insurance companies these days is huge due to a simple fact; the amount of cars in the world is constantly growing, meaning more insurance is needed. Some people insure 2 or even 3 cars through the same insurance company and arent aware that if they demand an additional discount they will easily get it and even if they dont, no worries, there are lots of other reliable companies that will give them a better rate.

There are plenty of ways of saving hundreds of dollars from your annual premium. The first step is getting a quote. Filling out a quote should be done correctly and the cheapest and fastest way to get free quotes is online. Correct comparison is the key to great rates and its needless to say you should compare quotes from at least 3 different companies (the more the better). There are organizations which provide unbiased services helping you compare 1000 of bids from different auto insurance companies with filling out just one form. These systems can come in handy and save hours of quote comparison.

Ways To Save

The following are a few tested strategies you can apply for saving $300 – $500 from your premium. The more tips you apply the more you can save, believe it or not saving couldnt be easier.

  • Raise your deductibles
  • Reduce coverage on older cars
  • Compare male and female as main drivers
  • If you havent had an accident negotiate a discount
  • Take a defensive driving course and let the insurance company know that you have
  • Install anti theft devices
  • Ask for a discount if you have more than one type of insurance from the same company
  • Check for low mileage discounts

All in all it is important to understand that there are more than enough ways to save money, all you need to do is get started and it doesnt require much effort or time. If you take a close look at what your payments are all about you will see that you could cut costs daily if you just give it a bit of time and correct calculation.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts