How to handle late car payments

If you foresee that you might miss your car payment, take these steps to ensure that things don’t end in disaster or repossession!

Step 1 - Tell your lender

Your lender is likely to be lenient and help you to work things out so that they don’t lose their investment in you!

Step 2 - Find a solution

Work together with your lender to figure out how best to settle the issue of non repayment in a way that works best for both parties.

Step 3 - Make restitution

Once you’ve got a solution, get it done and executed! The faster action is taken, the faster the problem goes away!

Worst case Scenario - sell the car!

If you can’t find funds anywhere else, selling the car is the best way to bring the issue back to square 1.

Don’t worry too much if you miss your payments. As long as you are genuine and committed to rectifying the situation, things will work out in a matter of time.

How to handle late car payments

How to Pay less on a Car

Here’s how you can afford a car on a small budget

Refinance your loan

Make the most of lower interest rates in the car financing market so that you pay less on your monthly repayments!

Cut down on your Car expenses

Look at what you’re spending on your car like your insurance, petrol and maintenance, can you opt for a cheaper alternative so that you can save more money?

Cut down on your Other expenses

It’s a good habit to be thrifty, and starting with your own spending habits can help you put some money aside when you spend only on what you absolutely need and cut down on luxury items.

Buy a cheaper car

A cheaper car will cost less in the long run but serve the same purpose - to get you around town!

If you are still having trouble affording your car after trying out these methods, perhaps it’s time to seriously evaluate if you should sell your car off. Never put yourself into debt for the want of a car!

How to Pay less on a Car

Researching What Car to Buy

Here is a quick guide on how to research a new or used car for yourself that will hopefully help you cut your search time down!

Research the Car

·         Visit manufacturer’s websites

·         Look for car forums

·         View professional reviews and videos

·         Go to the showrooms and speak to sales people

·         Borrow cars from your friends

·         Find out about mileage maintenance history for used cars

Research Prices

·         Compare different dealerships in your area

·         Different dealerships in different areas will have (obviously) different price ranges. Even after shipping, things may be cheaper than where you are!

·         Check out online dealerships too

·         Look at different banks and lending institutions

Double confirm the information that you receive and take it slow when you are comparing one aspect to another. Make decisions quickly so that your information is still reliable and we hope you find the car you are looking for! 

Researching What Car to Buy

How to Get a Great Car Financing Loan

Here’s how you and your financial institution can work out a better car financing deal for you when you are looking at a new or used car!

Calculate your down payments

A larger deposit means less money to pay off later - that results in smaller monthly payments!

Get quotes from everywhere!

Different lenders have different rates, sometimes simple comparisons can help pinpoint a great deal!

Compare loan periods

The longer your financing plan, the higher the interest rate may be but that means the costs are more spread out over time. A balance must be worked out.

Overall Costs matter

The longer your loan tenure, the more interest you pay! Find a contrast that suits you and your budget so that you don’t pay too much out of your initial costs.

Looking at a number of different options can be made simpler if you work with a reputable car financing specialist like The Smarter Financing Company! 

How to Get a Great Car Financing Loan

Things to look out for during a Test Drive

What do you need to look out for when you go for a test drive? Here is a list of items that you should focus on when you schedule your appointment!

Engine - listen for engine noise and take note of how fast the car takes to speed up

Steering - take note of how easy it is to steer, especially tight corners and at a speed.  Also watch for pulling on a straight road.  

Gear changing - changing gears should be easy and car should be responsive

Brakes  - it’s important for brakes to be sensitive and responsive so that your car stops when you want it to!

Seating Space - make sure that you feel comfortable, both in front and in the back

Boot Space - check out your boot space especially if you regularly use it for tools or sporting equipment.

Having friends around can give you a different opinion and arranging to test drive other models can give you a better perspective of the car you’ve driven. Also ask as many questions as possible so that you are absolutely comfortable to make a decision in due time!

Things to look out for during a Test Drive

Using Interest Rates for your Car Financing Advantage!

Figuring out interest rates can help you negotiate a better car financing rate for yourself! Here’s how:-

What is affected by interest rates?

Credit History - Your background and income history tells lenders how risky you are. The more risky you are, the higher the interest rate.

Period of loan- The longer your loan, the higher the interest rate because over time, conditions are unpredictable.

Security- If you pledge an item, interest rates go down quite drastically because lenders have a security that they can claim if you default.

Market outlook - Lenders plan interest rates based on how they foresee the market changing. With inflation increasing, interest rates increase to make sure that their money retains its value.

Managing your expectations on interest rates can help you plan better for your car financing deal so we hope that these tips can help you if you’re on the search for a great car financing rate!

Using Interest Rates for your Car Financing Advantage!

How to get a Good Car Financing Rate

Here are some handy tips about how to get a great car financing deal when you’re on the market for a new or used car!

1 - Keep your loan costs separate from your car costs

You can be objective with your car financing plan and car costs so that you get the best deal on both ends!

2 - Decide quickly once you have a quote

Car financing quotes last only 2weeks so in order to make use of a good deal, don’t delay with making a decision!

3 - Improve your credit score

Take some measures to improve your credit score so that lenders see your situation more favourably and give you a better car financing deal!

4 - Calculate overall costs

Take into consideration the amount of interest you pay over time and readjust your car financing plan accordingly.

You can continue to look for the best car financing deals with a qualified car financing agency like The Smarter Finance Company!

How to get a Good Car Financing Rate

Deciding what car to buy

If there are too many choices and you don’t know where to start looking, here we look at some aspects of a car that might help you make a decision!

Capacity                       

How much space do you need? How big is your family and do you need extra capacity for transporting things around town?

Power

Do you really need 4 wheel drive or extra horse power under the hood? If you aren’t expecting to cross too much terrain, perhaps you can scale down your requirements.

Safety

How many airbags does your car have and whether there are additional safety features installed in your car will depend heavily on your environment. Wet and cold weather as well as off-road conditions will require more control and safety from your vehicle for you and your passengers.

Economy

Different cars have varying levels of fuel economy. It’s always a good idea to get a car that doesn’t drink gasoline too much because it’s expensive, especially if you expect long commutes!

If you have your sights set on a car, you can start looking at car financing rates so that you can be prepared to put your money down when a good deal comes up!  

Deciding what car to buy

Financing a car with a bad credit history

If you really need to finance a new or used car but your credit history isn’t that fantastic, we hope these tips give you a bit of help to get closer to the car that you need!

Be Realistic

Expectations can be killer, so don’t set yourself up for disappointment. Expect not to get a large amount of financing and aim for a car within budget..

Start Saving

Setting aside a little bit of money can help you fund a bigger deposit or balloon payment when you’re financing a car and even help you afford your monthly payment amount.

Improve your credit

Take steps to rank higher on the confidence level of lenders so that you are able to get better terms on your car financing plan.

Look at Financing Options

A good car financing company is sure to be able to help you with your applications and increase the chances of loan approval.

There are plenty of options to help you buy or lease a car for yourself, so don’t give up hope!

Financing a car with a bad credit history

Should I Lease or Purchase my Car?

Getting a car financing plan for a car brings up a big question - to lease or to buy? The Smarter Finance Company outlines some points on both options for you.

Leasing a Car

Renting a car from someone means that you are obligated to upkeep the car to the owners preferences and that can put some restrictions on how you use the car. But while there are areas that you can’t negotiate, leasing a car also gives you a certain degree of freedom - possibly lower  monthly payments, the chance to switch cars and a smaller overall debt!

Buying a Car

The obvious benefit to buying a car is that it’s yours to do with however you like! Unfortunately, not everyone has that kind of moola in the bank to just go out there and buy a car. A good car financing plan would help you out with that of course but with that comes its own pros and cons for each different plan...

Let your heart be your guide. You know best what you’d like and how you can best manage your commitments. When in doubt, check with a professional car financing company like The Smarter Finance Company and ask for help to weight your options.

Should I Lease or Purchase my Car?

Is a Secured versus Unsecured loan better?

Want to find out about the benefits of a secured loan versus an unsecured loan? We examine and explain how they work here so that you can make an informed decision!

What is a secured loan?

It means putting something that belongs to the borrower - a house, other assets or even the car itself up as collateral in case they default the loan.

How does having a security attached to a plan help?

With something at stake in case of default, chances are that repayments will be paid on time. That makes lenders more confident about issuing the loan and better terms for the contract like a lower interest, longer tenures and even larger amounts!

So which one should I choose?

It really depends on your situation; do you have assets that you can put up as collateral and are you willing to forfeit that item if you default on your payments?

Why not look at The Smarter Finance Company for some professional car financing help so that you can choose the right financing plan for your situation?

Is a Secured versus Unsecured loan better?

How to Pay Less for a New Car

We’d like to share with you some amazing ways to get a better deal for yourself when you are financing your car.

It’s about the CAR
Besides looking at the capacity and size of your car, you can look at the other installed features of your vehicle too. Different options and opting out of some installations will give you a  price range to choose from.

It’s about the LOAN
When you finance your car, the amount you pay depends on the tenure and the interest rate. Check with your professional car finance consultant to work out a rate that works for you!

It’s about the DEALERSHIP
When you look at buying a car from a car dealership, they might be able to help you out with a financing plan at a better rate too!

Take your time and examine your options so that you can settle with a vehicle and financing plan that you are happy with and can sustain! 

How to Pay Less for a New Car

What are the True Costs of Owning a Car

Owning a car takes a great deal of money, and not just the price of the car itself. Here’s what else you need to consider when you consider how much a car is going to cost you.

Car Loan
The monthly payments and servicing fees of your car loan is probably a big item on the list since not everyone has the cash to pay for the price of a car in full!

Maintenance
You might not to maintain your car too often if you take care of it, but washing, waxing and tuning it up once in a while can cost money too!

Parking & Road Taxes
Parking may depend on whether your house or apartment has the facility for you while taxes are dependent on the size of your car.

Fuel
If you commute a lot, fuel is definitely another big item on the list. Using a more fuel efficient grade might help you save a few dollars here though!

Insurance Don’t skimp on your insurance because you never know when you might need it when an accident happens!

All these costs add up, so think twice when you think about purchasing a car to ensure that you can upkeep owning one in the future!

What are the True Costs of Owning a Car

How to Save Money for a Car

Not everyone is born with money in the bank. For most of us, we really need to make the effort to put money aside. Here are some handy tips to help you get the car financing you need from your own pocket.

Set aside Money Regularly
Make the effort to put a bit of your monthly income aside into a fund with a good interest rate. Besides helping you save for a car, you’ll be glad you had that bit of money put aside when a rainy day comes along.

Cut down on your Expenditure
Choosing to live on a budget can definitely help you save for a car when you put the difference into that savings fund! Just look around, there are a lot of alternatives out there!

Spend money wisely
Do you need it, or do you just want it? Think twice when deciding to put money down for it and you might be able to save yourself from purchasing something that you really could have done without.

And if you need a little more help, you can look to car financing plans for that extra help for funding!

How to Save Money for a Car

Why should You Refinance your Car

Refinancing means using lower market interest rates to reduce your loan repayments so that you pay less for your car!

Here’s some other quick tips about it...

1) Changes in the Interest Rate
Changes in the market can be good and bad, so if you keep your eye on the movement, you can pinpoint the best time to refinance and make the biggest difference in your payment amounts.

2) Changes in your financial situation
Looking at refinancing can be a solution for a tight budget since repayment rates are generally restructured to be lower than your original agreement.

3) Changes in your Credit Rating
If you personal situation has improved and your credit rating has gotten better, chances are that you’ll be able to get a better interest rate quoted when you refinance!

Refinancing can be great, just keep an eye out for any other conditions that come with signing a new contract too. Here’s to getting lower car finance rates!

Why Should You Refinance Your Car

Tips for Buying your First Car

Buying your very own car can make a big impact in your life, We’re sure you want to make a good decision!

So why not find out more about what to look out for here:-

1) When to buy
Look out for special dealership anniversaries or road show specials where they may give higher discounts than normal. The holidays and other public holidays may also yield better prices.

2) What to buy
Look at what you need to decide what car would suit you the best. Different levels of performance, safety, reliability and fuel consumption will make the difference between a station wagon and a sporty cabriolet!

3) How much to spend
Do a quick self-check to ensure that you have the funds you need for what you want. You might want to examine your savings, income and whether you want or need certain features in the car you’ve picked.

You can also look to our expert financing advice to get a good overall understanding of your situation. Good luck!

Tips for Buying your First Car