What is car finance?
Car finance is a type of loan that enables you to buy a used or new vehicle by spreading the cost over a period of time, usually between 3 to 5 years. There are three main types of car finance available – Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), Hire Purchase (HP) and a Personal Loan.
What are the pros and cons of car finance?
Buying a vehicle can be a minefield. There are so many options available to you, making the right choice can be somewhat daunting.
Options available to you include personal car loans, hire purchase, leasing and more.
Once you’ve decided which way you intend to buy your next vehicle, we recommend you research any companies you apply with.
Once you have received your quote, ensure that you:
- Make sure you read and understand the small print.
- Take the time to read online reviews about the company on reputable review platforms such as Trust Pilot or reviews.co.uk
- Compare the APR’s and monthly payments.
If you’re considering options like PCP (personal contract purchase), make sure you understand how the balloon payment has been calculated and whether the mileage reasonably aligns with the quote provided.
Car Finance is one of the most popular options for motorists. Car Finance is a method of paying for your vehicle by dividing up its total fixed value over affordable monthly payments. The amount you pay each month will remain the same throughout the payment period, which is usually between one and five years.
Rates can vary depending on how much you are borrowing, the term of the loan, and your personal circumstances.
Car loans rates are also referred to as ‘representative’ APR’s (Annual Percentage Rates).
They should represent that 51% of people accepted for that loan should get that rate, and the other 49% would get given a higher rate.
My credit history isn’t great - can you help?
If your credit history isn’t perfect., there is every possibility of you being approved for finance to buy a vehicle. We have many finance packages available for those with fair credit, so we should be able to find a deal that suits you.
As a truly independent broker, we have access to a large panel of lenders, enabling us to scour the market to find the best deal for your individual circumstances.
I’ve been refused finance elsewhere - can you help?
If you have poor or bad credit, or you have been refused finance elsewhere, the good news is that we may still be able to help you. In fact, a number of our lenders specialise in assisting those with bad credit obtain car finance.
While car finance cannot always be guaranteed, we do have options available to help people in a wide range of personal circumstances, including those that have CCJs on their file, are in an IVA or have previously been bankrupt (now discharged).
Even if you have been declined for a car loan elsewhere (such as from a bank, a car dealership or even another car finance broker), the good news is that we do work with lenders that specialise in bad credit car finance, so still may be able to help you.
What is the annual percentage rate – APR?
APR is the abbreviation for ‘annual percentage rate’, which describes the amount of interest a bank or a lender charges on money that it lends, calculated for a period of a year. The purpose is to provide an easy, comparable figure which takes into account interest and fees.
What’s the difference between representative and exact APR?
Representative APR is the figure that companies use to advertise their rates. Once a credit check has been taken into consideration, the lender will decide whether you’re eligible for the representative rate or a different rate.
By law, only 51% of people are actually required to receive the advertised rate. So once your information has been checked, you will get your exact APR – which will be the amount you actually end up paying.
If I apply for finance, what happens next?
Once you complete our application, our technology reviews your application, to establish a partner that looks to best fit your requirement. Your application will be shared with this partner, who will endeavour to seek a pre-approval, generally by conducting a soft search using a panel of lenders and/or a credit bureau. The Practice we ask of our partners is that they perform a soft search, which ultimately means your credit file is not affected if you decide to proceed a full check is sometimes required, and sometimes further information may be needed if you wish to proceed.
