Predominately more people apply for used car loans when buying  a second hand car but do not have enough cash available at the time to cover its costs. In Australia, there are many car loan company that offer used vehicle lending facilities. These companies have different policies and car loans packages.

When considering a purchase for used car loans, you ought to look at the different packages that are obtainable by auto lending institutions. Keep an eye on at the car loans interest rates, car loan terms, repayment period, length of time before the loan gets approved, the company’s fees and charges and any break fees if you make your payments earlier, among other items that make up the whole package. Although the interest rate is one of the most important items in the package, the other items are best not ignored.

Putting aside the above, in your own time to go through the used car finance quotation and find the best one that suits you. To find the best cheap car loans package, be patient as you do your research. It is not necessary a big job since a simple search in the internet can give you much of the information you need on used car finance companies. You can rank the companies according to their interest rates or other criteria that you wish. If you don’t have the time to do research, having a car loans broker do it for you is an alternative.

When you are thinking submitting an application for a used car finance, ensure you know the payments that you will need to make. You can easily do this using a car finance calculator, which is available on the websites of most auto finance companies. This simple car loan calculator, with an easy-to-use interface, enables you to calculate the length of time over which you will repay the loan.

After settling on a number of possible car finance lenders from which you wish to apply for the finance, it would be a good idea to check the credentials of the financier. Is it a financier that you approve of? What is its history in lending and dealing with second-hand auto loan borrowers? What about its integrity, is it known to be an ethical financier? These are some of the few things that should guide you in filtering out the potential companies and eventually remain with the loan company that you will borrow the car finance loan.

Companies offer two types of used car loans: a personal loan and a car loan using the motor vehicle as security. The loans are usually offered over a payment period of between 5 to 7 years, with the term of the loan very much depending on the age of the car that you are buying. Some car financiers do not provide finance for cars that are over seven years while others reduce the finance period. This differs from bank to bank so be sure to ask the company about their policy on old vehicles. A finance broker specializing in auto finance may also be able to help you with this.

In addition to very old cars, some car loans companies do not accept used car loan applications for cars that are imported. If you are purchasing an imported car a unsecured car loan may be your best alternative. Note that personal finance are charged higher car finance rates than secured loans.

Make sure that the finance for which you are applying has extra features that you might want included. Some of these could include comprehensive on the car, warranties on mechanical breakdown of the vehicle, unemployment loan protection, disability and/or death insurance and so on. If these items are approved by the car loan company, do not forget that you will still have to finance the loan over the terms that are laid out in the finance contract.

Another point to consider is the finance itself, and the ability of the car loan company to raise the cash. Not all lenders use their own money, and while some are financially strong enough to weather the storm of a recession, others are not.

Notwithstanding that, you can get a good car loans package if you take time to compare the interest rates and terms of used car loans offered by different car finance lenders. Having an experienced vehicle financing broker can help you a great deal in choosing a car finance package that you will be able to repay with no burden.



Secured or unsecured car loans, what is the real difference and how that difference affects their finance and their repayments. Basically the difference is small in terms of the car loan details themselves, but is larger when the true cost of each is taken into account.

Before discussing secured and unsecured car loans in more detail, let’s first have a look at the different mechanism that determine the cost of your loan and of your monthly repayments. The cost of the car finance package is the total you repay less the amount borrowed. Hence, let’s say you are repaying $20,000 at 12% interest rate over 36 months; you will repay at the rate of $664.29 per month. That would total a repayment of $23,914.44, and the cost of the loan would be $3,914.44 plus any set-up or administration fees. A loan calculator will enable you to work this out for yourself.

An alternative to a car loan package would be car hire purchase (HP), where you hire the car over the repayment period and be given the title to the vehicle with your final payment. Until then the car belongs to the HP company.

However, most credits are either secured or unsecured, and not all loan companies offer car loans that are unsecured so let’s look at secured car finance first. A secured car loan is one whereby the lender offers the loan with the car as security. If you fail to make payments, the lender can sell the car to recoup their money. It could be probable to get a secured car loan on older motor vehicles, often 7 years, but the finance term could be shorter than 5 yearsor not at all by using your home or some other form of security. These are not exactly classed as a car loan. It is generally the car that is the security.

Secured car loans can include on-road expenses such as the registration, loan protection insurance for disability,death or unemploymentand comprehensive auto insurance as part of the financing deal. Loan protection insurance makes sure that the loan is paid off in the event of your death during the loan period, and car insuranceis needed to make sure that the car is in good condition should it be needed to repay the lend in the event of you defaulting on your loan commitment.

This might all sound like doom and gloom, but these are conditions you see with most secured car loans, not only car loans. You can normally have a secured car loan over one to five years, and the interest rate will be lower than that for an unsecured car loan where the lender charges extra to compensate for their added risk. As with any loan, a deposit will result in lower payments, or a shorter term, whichever you prefer.

You could also apply a balloon, which is like a deposit in reverse, payable at the end of the period. This is popular by those whose income will increase over the period, and they will be in a better financial position to pay a lump sum in 3 - 5 years time. This too results in either a lower monthly repayment or a shorter repayment term.

If you are purchasing a used car, your finance package will be priced differentlyaccording to the finance company and the age of your car. Many will charge higher interest rates, and the current credit squeeze has changed the outlook of many lenders to unsecured car finance in particular. Many no longer offer unsecured car finance due to the increased risk in the current economic climate.

However, they are still available, and some car loan brokers can assist in getting you a good low rate unsecured car loan. In addition to the car finance interest rates, you should also evaluate the fees charged, since they can involve a considerable outlay for you before you get the loan.

The main differences between secured and unsecured car finance, therefore, can be summed up as:

Secured loans are cheaper to repay, with in general lower interest rates.

You need to have full comprehensive car insurance with all secured car loans, while unsecured financing does not.

Both finance packages could require life insurance cover for the credit, but secured car finance packages are more likely to.

You can sometimes include comprehensive insurance, registration and other costs in the secured loan, but with an unsecured car loan you must include the the outlay on top of the amount borrowed.

Fees for unsecured loan package can be greatly higher than for secured loans.

Not all car loan lenders will offer unsecured motor loan.

There few doubts that if your vehicle is young enough to be given a loan with the motor car as security, then that should be your option. You might be able to arrange a secured loan for an older automobile with your residential home as security, but you will have to make sure to maintain the payments since lenders are becoming unsympathetic in the current economic down turn.



To properly use a loan calculator properly it is recommended to first get all the important information together to enter into the calculator.  To start with some information on about car finance and why many people use a car loan calculator.

When you enter into a finance commitment of any style, whether it is for a motor vehicle, a marine vessel, business equipment or even a motorcycle loans, you take the finance for an amount of money to facilitate you to acquire your new vehicle or equipment, and arrange repayments of the loan period.  The function of the credit facility is to make possible you to stretch the expense of your purchase over time, so that you can pay it as per your loan schedule when you salary or wages are paid.

Car Loan Company

It is also, of course, to enable the car loan company to make money; otherwise there would be no incentive for the finance company to arrange the finance package. The loan companies profit is based upon charging you a calculated amount of interest for every dollar you borrow:  a terms fees and charges (also known as interest fees), and that is detailed out in terms of a percentage of the borrowed financed amount.

Finance Calculator

The outlay of the credit given to you will be dependent on the amount borrowed, the term length borrowed over and the interest rate.  As any of these figures increase, so does the cost of your finance.  While increasing the term of the loan will decrease your finance repayments, your overall loan cost will be much more, because you will be charged more interest for the additional term.  This is where a finance calculator is handing to show the difference in costs.

To operate the calculator you need is the amount you are borrowing, the finance interest rate that you will be charged and the loan term the finance.  To minimize the finance repayments you may also consider a balloon amount: that is a lump sum left until the end of the term to repay in a lump sum.

Car Finance Calculator

Now take the car finance calculator and first input the the suggested finance amount, payment period and the current interest rate being offered by the lender.  Calculated will be your car finance repayments per month.   If you find that the repayments are too high, you can increase the loan period:  it might cost you more overall, but could permit you to meet the expense of a car loan that you otherwise could not.  This will reduce your monthly loan repayments.

Lower Car Loans Rates

You can keep doing this, increasing the loan period, until you attain a monthly payment that fits your budget.  Then check to make sure it is possible for you to borrow the sum desired over that period.  Keep in mind that if your car is new or not too old, usually less than 5 years, then you can apply for a secured car loan, which could mean a lower car loans rate than an personal car loan. However, a secured car loan also requires that you will need a comprehensive auto insurance policy in order to protect the lender’s security:  your car.

Car Loans Calculator

If the interest rate changes according to the type of finance you get, enter that into the car loans calculator, and calculate the new monthly payment.

Car Finance

Some people use the finance calculator to workout what interest rate they find more affordable. Most secured car finance packages have a fixed interest rates but personal loans can be variable.  However, it might be of use to some to know the maximum interest rate they can afford for the sum borrowed. To do that, input the principal (amount of loan) and the term of the loan you wish to borrow over.

Then decide how much you can afford to pay, and enter various car finance interest rates into the car finance calculator until the result is that figure. You now know the amount of loan, repayment period and maximum car loans interest rate you can afford.  That will help you when shopping around for a car loan, equipment lease, home finance - or a marine loan or bike loan.

These examples show how to use a car loan calculator properly to provide you with as much useful information as possible. If you are seeking a car loan, or any type of vehicle, then look for a site offering an loan calculator and use it.  It can help you a great deal, rather than you just leaving it to chance.



One of the major things to think about when you want to buy a new motor vehicle  is the car loan rate that is offered by the car finance company. It is important to compare car loans rates by different companies so that you can make your decision based on how comfortable you will are with the rates.

Car Loan Rate

A car loan rate is mainly affected by two things:what you want to borrow and the time you wish to have the car finance repaid over. Although these seem usual points to think of before choosing a car loan rate, the process of calculating how much you should apply for and the repayments that you will pay can be a daunting task. This is where a car loans calculator comes in.

Online Car Loan Calculator

A online car loan calculator is an loan calculator that you can use to calculate the installments you will pay suppose you apply for a certain loan amount. The calculator has an easy-to-use interface, where you input data and it automatically does your calculations.

Car Finance Company

When choosing a car loan rate,the car finance company may allow you to borrow more for a number of items you may want. For instance, you may want the comprehensive car insurance, warranties for mechanical breakdowns that the car may encounter, on road costs, among others included in the rate. The lending firm will have to approve this car loans proposal. If it passes through, don’t forget that you will still have to borrow the money over the same period as stipulated in the car finance agreement.

Personal Loans

Used cars sometimes attract a higher car loan rate compared to new cars. Also, the rates differ for secured loans and personal unsecured loans. Personal loans or unsecured car loans are normally much higher in interest rates. If you decide to go for the secured loans due to their lower rates, you have to have enough money to pay for the car’s insurance, and you will also have to offset the loan if you sell your car. It can be more difficult to get a car loan approved when the car is more than 7years old. The normal repayment period for the auto loan is usually between 5 to 7 years for most lenders.

The car loan rates that you choose may also be determined by where you intend to get your motor vehicle from. Imported used cars are not liked by most car loan companies, or they have a very rigorous process for those applying financing for such. In such a case, getting a personal unsecured loan may be the best alternative.

When its time to choose a car loans rate, you have to be patient and do wide research. The bank or car finance companies may not be the best option. This is because they usually come up with their interest rates based on different factors. For example, some institutions may price the loan based on the age of the car, while others may offer interest rates based on the strength of the application.

Car Loan Broker

If you are not an ace in doing the legwork or researching on the rates offered by different banks and lenders, you can employ the services of a good car loan broker. A finance broker who is knowledgeable in car loans options and the prevailing rates at the market may ease your work and make your rate selection much easier. He should be able to compare the car loans interest rates and recommend different options that are best for you. Therefore, choosing a good car broker may also be a determining factor on whether your quest for purchasing a car will be fruitful or not. Also, they are the people who can recommend you the best car loan companies or institutions to work with based on their terms of the contract.

Compare Car Loans

Therefore it is important to compare different car loans interest rates available in the market before settling for one. You have to select a rate that you will be comfortable with, that is one that offers you a repayment period and terms that you can work with. A good car broker can be a vital stepping stone that will enable you get a good car loan rate deal.



For many years we have seen the car finance market prosper. With low unemployment, positive financial outlook and a general feeling of financial security, there have been so many car loans available that almost anybody could get car finance. Then along came the biggest economic downturn for decades, and the brakes have been well and truly applied to our economy and in particular lending markets.

What does this mean to the regular person on the street who wants to borrow money a new car? The main difference that has happened is that lenders have tightened their lending criteria. Due to economical uncertainty, job losses, and rising costs, lenders are more cautious with who they will lend their money. They feel the risk of defaults is higher, so they are more careful when approving finance for cars, boats, trucks and other equipment.

A consequence of less loans in the market is that the amount of brokers who can get you a cheap car loan has now shrunk dramatically. This is particularly true when the loan being applied for is a non standard loan. Bad credit loans, self employed loans, no deposit loans and other non conforming car loan options have become harder and harder to qualify for.

Many of the tier one lenders, such as banks and large finance companies, now limit the amount of non conforming car loans they are willing to offer to the market and particular brokers each on a monthly basis. So A large number of finance brokers find it impossible to exist in today’s environment. They simply cannot turn over a high enough volume of loans to make ends meet.

This reduction in competition might sound bad for the consumer but it is not necessarily the case. It has become more important for those research and have their financial history well presented. Interest rates are no higher than before, as long as you can find the right broker to place your loan. It is still likely to be more expensive to go directly to a bank or lender directly.

One trap to avoid is to resort to disreputable lenders or ‘fantasy loans’ that claim to be offering 0% interest, or time periods that are interest free. Nobody lends money for free and you should be aware of that from the beginning. Any loan mentioning such offers have a catch, that could be a very expensive one. It is better to stick to established respected lenders who can still offer a wide range of car finance options to suit your needs. One that can sum up your financial situation and future economic position to and then suggest the cheapest loan option available for the car you want to buy.

When working out how much you can afford to borrow, there is more to be considered than just the rate of interest. should allow for the the other necessary costs of registration, car insurance, any other required insurance, running costs, possible repairs, the potential of rising oil prices, and any account fees associated with the loan.

These costs should be factored in when calculating your monthly repayments. This will help you calculate how much you can afford to borrow and also prepare you in advance for changes to your daily budget.

A good car loan broker will have a wide variety of loans based on your situation. larger their panel of lenders they can utilise or the bigger, better quality their borrowers are, the better opportunity you have to get a good loan. Smaller brokers in the todays finance market will always it increasingly more difficult to get a loan that is actually the right one for you, and may try to push a loan because it is one they still have the ability to get approved.

One word sums up the current world economy… unpredictable. This means you should also be considering for a flexible loan, particularly when buying new cars. Check the fine print if you want to pay off your car loan in a lump sum or refinance to a different car loan.

Having a loan already approved for the amount you want to borrow also gives you more buying power when you go to buy your car. You will be aware of your limits and the seller will need to compromise to meet you demands. It will also reduce you into using finance companies they are associated with, whose conditions you may not fully understand.

It is more important than ever to do your research when applying for a car loan. Stick to the trusted established brokers with strong lending history and avoid offers of free finance or convenient convenience loans with lots of hidden charges and conditions.



What is car finance?
Car finance allows people to buy the car of their dreams without having to pay the total amount due in a lump sum. Thus you can take ownership of the car without paying the total amount due. Instead you pay regular payments to the financier for the car loan. Cars don’t come cheap and buying a car is a serious financial decision. The term of car finance is usually about five to eight years and thus a fairly long term financial commitment.

Before applying for car finance you need to assess the amount of finance that you may be eligible for. To check this you would need to calculate your income and existing debts. Most lenders are more than willing to provide car finance to people with a good credit record. It is recommended that you check your credit report and ensure that no mistakes or inconsistencies occur in the same. This is vital as it will effect your chances of getting car finance.

There are several banks and lenders willing to provide car finance. It is recommended that you select a reputed bank or financial institution. Considering a few quotes from financiers will provide you a good idea of what to expect from car finance. Also this will help you realise the amount of money you may be able to finance for your car.

If you have a less than perfect credit score you may want to improve it before applying for car finance. People with bad credit are most often offered car finance at high interest rates or refused finance. You would be required to provide crucial financial papers and need to get them ready before applying for car finance.



Financing your car is the best way to pay for it. Car finance allows you to buy a car even if you don’t have all the money for it. It is important that you understand the basics of car finance before applying for it. Here are some great tips to get you started.

* There are plenty of banks and financial institutions that offer car finance. It is a good idea to take your time and consider several quotes from lenders before you make up your mind.
* It is important that you know how much car finance you are looking for before you apply for it. It is a good idea to survey the automobile market and select a few models that are to your liking and budget.
* Whether or not you receive the financing you seek is largely dependent on your credit history. It is a good idea to study your credit report before you apply for car finance. Errors should be rectified and it is important that debts that have been repaid be mentioned as closed.
* The amount of finance you receive and the rate of interest may be guided by the down payment you are willing to make.
* Most car finance is available for five to seven years. And hence if the loan amount is large the monthly instalments would also increase. You may able to receive car finance for a longer period of time for an expensive car.
* Some car dealerships may be associated with financial institutions and have special offers for car finance. You may want to look into these before you are ready to buy a car.