Buying a car often means that there is a lot of paperwork. In fact, sometimes it seems that all the paperwork is designed just to confuse the buyer and take away a lot of the savings that were negotiated. The truth is this may actually be the case with some lenders - especially car dealers who also finance. There may be a way around it, though, and here are a few tips to help you avoid the confusion.
If you want to save some money at the car lot, then it would be a real good idea to start by looking at your own credit report. The lender, any lender, will give you an interest rate and a limit on how much you can borrow according to the information found in your credit report. You can get one free each year online. Look it over carefully and make sure that there are not any errors on it. Notice that it also shows your overall indebtedness. If you owe too much, then this will mean you will not be able to borrow very much.
You will then want to go online and see what kind of a car loan you can get. Go after a preapproved car loan. This will let you know exactly how much money you can borrow and it will show you what kind of car you should look - the price range. Get several quotes online and then compare them carefully to know which one is the better deal. It will take a little time, but it will enable you to save some money.
A preapproved car loan means that you are already given the money for your car. Once you accept a lender's terms, they will send you a blank check, with a specified credit limit. You can buy whatever kind of car you want within the specified cost range. Receiving the blank check does not mean that you are obligated to the loan, either - only signing it and using will do that. You will be limited to a number of days to use the check, though, and this will probably be between 30 to 60 days.
After you have found the car you are interested in, go online and do a little searching for the value of that car. Also, see what kind of deals there might be on the Web. This will give you a real good idea as to what kind of price that dealer is actually offering you. Obviously, if it is much higher than other dealers, you will want to go somewhere else to buy your car.
When you are talking with the salesman and other staff at the car dealer’s, be sure to negotiate for some better terms. Since you are coming to them with a check in your hand, this will give you a better position for negotiations. They are interested in the cash and don't want to see you walk out with the check in your hand. That check actually gives you greater leverage with them - so be sure to use it to your advantage.
Other tips for saving money on your car loan include paying as large of a down payment as possible. The more cash you put down - the smaller the size of the loan and the less it will cost you in the long run. Another way is to make sure that you are actually getting the proper trade-in value for your old car.
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