Overview of refinancing a car

The process of refinancing a car is similar to that of refinancing a home loan, whereby the existing loan is replaced by a new loan which is negotiated with more favourable terms for the borrower. Auto refinance has become more popular since interest rates have become low.

It is more applicable if the existing loan is for an expensive car as that gives greater scope for money saving by refinancing.

Refinancing a car
Refinancing a car

The amount of money you will save will vary according to how much of your current loan is outstanding, the length of time left on the loan and the difference between the interest rate on the old and new car loan. You will need to shop around and find out which provider has the most competitive interest rates. Shopping around online is certainly easier than physically visiting the various providers.

Use a car finance calculator to help to evaluate your options.

Important: when disclosing your financial details online, make sure that the site you are visiting is secure.

Typically, cars financed from a dealership have a high interest rate. If this is the case it may make sense to consider a refinance car loan. Ideally there should be at least a 1% difference between this and your existing loan.

Your existing lender may penalty charge you for early redemption of your loan. Additionally, you may be charged fees for the new loan application

About Auto Refinance

Refinancing a car loan can be quite beneficial in the sense that it might end up saving an individual a significant amount of money. This is not a difficult undertaking provided a person is well informed. Bettering your credit score will go a long way in making it possible to refinance your car loan and pay reduced interest and also bring down the amount of payments you make on the loan every month.

In order to be able to refinance your car loan you will need to qualify for the same. There are a number of things that are look at to determine whether or not you qualify. The first thing is the amount of money that you still owe as far as your vehicle is concerned. Many companies that provide auto refinancing will require that car’s overall value is not more than what you owe. If you do not pass this requirement then it might be hard to get refinancing.

A point of advice therefore if you are looking to refinance your auto loan is that you make an effort to bring down the amount of money you owe. This can be done by paying more money every month for your loan. It is also important to note that when refinancing a car loan, your vehicle may not qualify if it is more than half a decade old. The amount of money that you owe should also not be less than seven thousand five hundred dollars.

In order to refinance your car loan, you will need to search for a reputable car loan refinancing company. Once you find your company of choice, you will need to make an application; most of the time this you can do online on their website. All the details regarding the amount of money borrowed and information regarding the car will be required in this process. The benefit of doing this online is the fact that you will get approved really fast.

In order to find a good refinancing company, you will need to carry out a great deal of research for the best auto loans rates. This means that you cannot jump at the first company that you come across. Doing so may see you lose out on much better deals and quotes from other companies and make the whole process (whose aim is to save money) meaningless.

You should not embark upon auto refinance without making your intentions known to your original lender. If you do not inform your original lender of your intentions then you might end up being penalized. This will mean that you will pay more money and hence eliminating the possibility of bringing costs down.

It is also important to first determine why you want a refinancing car loan in the first place. The options are whether you want to reduce the amount you pay monthly or reduce the interest rate. Get with a plan that you find the most comfortable and suitable for your financial situation. As already mentioned; work on your credit score to make the whole process easy.

Considerations of refinancing a car

Does the cost of auto refinance outweigh the costs saved with the new deal? If you were to reduce your monthly payments this would most likely be offset by an increase in the length of the time taken to pay off the loan.

How much of your existing loan is already paid off? If you have paid off the greater part of, then it might not be worth refinancing a car loan.

Check how much your car is worth on the open market. Refinancing providers are unlikely to lend more than the present value of the vehicle.

It is important to compare and contrast interest rates offered by the various providers.

If it was a while since you took out the original finance then be prepared for the more stringent rules which lenders now apply to borrowers. You may well have to provide more information about your finances than you would have had to previously.

To qualify for the most favourable interest rates you will need a good credit score, and be up to date with the payments on the existing loan.

If you do decide to refinance a car, it is important to take the time and effort to read the accompanying documentation carefully, paying particular attention to the small print.