Auto Exprez

For many of us, we need a car to get around, and it can be a lifeline for several drivers. Having your vehicle allows you to do what you want, transport your family, and use it to get to work. Whatever your reason for needing a car, you may wonder what’s the best way to purchase a vehicle. This guide looks at the five most popular ways in which you can buy a car and provides more information so you can decide which is best for your circumstances.

Paying outright with cash.

Paying for a car with cash is probably the most cost-effective way to fund your next car purchase. You can buy a car from a dealer or a private seller and pay for it with one lump sum. It means you are the legal owner of the vehicle from the start of the deal; you can modify it as you like, sell it when you want, and there’s no interest to pay! However, it’s worth remembering both second-hand and brand-new cars can now cost a lot of money to buy outright, so you would have to have a large savings account, which means you do not have any emergency money left if you use all your savings on a car.

Finance a car with Hire Purchase.

Hire purchase is one of the most straightforward ways to finance a car. Hire purchase is when a lender agrees to buy the vehicle from the dealer on your behalf, and you make equal monthly payments that equate to the value of your chosen car and any interest to pay. You can spread the cost over a term that suits you, usually over 3-5 years, and tailor the deal to fit your monthly budget. Hire purchases can be a good option for car finance for bad credit scores as the lenders own the car and can take the car away from you if you fail to repay. However, you will need to meet the lender’s criteria first before you can get a car on finance.

Take out a Personal Loan.

Personal loans can be used to buy a car, but they can also be used to buy whatever you like. A personal loan is when you borrow money from a lender, and if accepted, the required amount gets deposited straight into your bank account. You can then buy a car just like a cash buyer and make payments back to the lender each month over an agreed term. The loan isn’t secured against the vehicle, which means you own the vehicle outright. If you fail to stick to the terms of the agreement, it can lead to more serious financial consequences, and the lender can take you to court if needed.

Personal Contract Purchase car finance.

Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) is a form of hire purchase, but it works differently. Instead of making equal payments to cover the cost of the car, you instead make smaller monthly payments and leave much of the loan till a final balloon payment. If you wish to keep the vehicle at the end of the deal, you will need to pay the balloon payment, which can be thousands of pounds to pay, depending on the value of your car. If not, you can return the vehicle to the dealer or use any positive equity in the deal to get another car on PCP.

Purchase a car on a credit card.

It can be possible to pay for a car on a credit card, but not all dealers will allow you. It can be worth checking with the dealer before you decide to go down this route. You will need to make sure your credit limit will stretch to buying a car first and be able to make more than the minimum payment back, or it can take a long time to pay off the loan. You are protected under the Consumer Credit Act when you buy a car on a credit card, and you will usually be able to get your money back if anything goes wrong with the purchase.