Ever wonder exactly how much you could save with lower financing on your vehicle loan? Does it really matter if your interest rate is 6.9% or 1.9%? The Folsom Auto Mall wants to help you understand.
The short answer is: it depends on how much you’re financing and for how long. The longer your term (48 months, 60 months, 72 months), the lower your monthly payment. BUT the longer your term, the longer you’re paying interest on your loan and that can add up. And, of course, the larger the loan, the more interest you pay.
A real life example would be financing a $30,000 loan at 4.9% for 60 months. Your monthly payment would be $565 per month. But at 0% for 60 months, your monthly payment would be $500 per month. That comes to nearly $4000 in savings over the life of the loan. And remember, you can always pay more than the minimum monthly payment to pay off your loan faster and ultimately pay less interest.
Of course, you would need to apply for credit and not everyone will qualify. But if you can qualify for no interest financing, do it! You wouldn’t risk anything and you’d save a bunch of money! You’d be borrowing money for FREE! Lower interest rates and longer terms require excellent credit so be sure to pay your bills on time to keep your credit score high. You can check your credit score online safely with companies like Experian, Equifax or even your existing credit card companies.
You can figure out your exact payment and how much you can save with a lower interest rate by using an online auto loan calculator. It’s easy. You just put in the cost of the vehicle, the loan term, interest rate, down payment, trade in value (some calculators even add in sales tax) and voila! You’ll get your monthly payment and usually even an amortization table showing how much interest you’ll pay over the course of the term. Compare different term lengths and different interest rates and see what works best for you and your budget. Side note: If you’re curious about your trade value, fill out this simple form and we’ll get you a quick estimate.
Feel free to visit the Folsom Auto Mall or check our websites for the current finance rates offered on your favorite vehicles.