Cars are typically the second most expensive purchase for consumers in the UK. This is why many people opt to purchase their Cars on Finance instead of paying a full up-front payment.
What is car finance?
Car finance is basically a loan; you would normally have to pay a deposit which is a percentage of the overall cost of the car. The rest is paid off by a car finance company; the buyer is obliged to sign a loan agreement document agreeing to pay a certain amount every month until the loan is fully paid off.
How to get car finance
There are various ways however, if you make your application directly with a finance company they may offer you a loan of a specific amount and then you would have to find a car that matches that price. When all relevant checks have been carried out, the finance company would transfer the funds to the car company and you can drive away. When organising your funds through the dealer the whole transaction can be handled in one visit, – quote, application, documentation and then drive away.
What do you need to get car finance?
Purchasing Cars on Finance requires the following:
– Good credit rating
– No CCJ’s Defaults
– Full time verifiable employment
– Current Account
– Deposit
– Proof of address dated within the last three months
– Bank statements
– Address history from the past five years
– Proof of employment
– Proof of salary (Last three months wage slips)
– Photo ID such as passport and or Full UK driver’s license
You may need more or less depending on the finance company.
How much can you borrow?
How much you can borrow really is dependent on how much money you have coming in on a monthly basis. It will also depend on your outgoings as this will determine how much you can afford to pay back and over what period of time. It is never advisable to opt for a car that is so high in price that you will be unable to afford the repayments. One other factor that will determine how much you can borrow is the amount of money you have available to put down as a deposit.
Once you have been accepted for the loan you must make sure that you keep up with monthly repayments. Failure to pay could result in the car being repossessed and it will affect your good credit rating. All financial behaviour is recorded by credit reference agencies; therefore it is a good idea to make sure that you have available funds every month to make the repayments.
Buying Cars on Finance is an option if you want to buy a particular vehicle but do not have the funds readily available to pay upfront. Car finance gives you the opportunity to spread the cost over a period of time therefore giving you the option to purchase a car that you might not have been able to afford without the help of a loan.
