Brainy Loans

Are car purchase with a personal loan possible?

Shopping for a car is challenging in itself with all sorts of models available, different dealerships, and conditions.

There are a million things you need to consider when buying a car with the world moving fast we all need transportation to not be left behind, cars vary quite a bit in price and on average cost consumers around $20,000.

If you don’t have funds saved up to make that purchase just like most individuals you will need to obtain a loan of some sort. This article will describe how getting a personal loan for an auto purchase can work for you.

Obtaining a personal loan for a used or new car purchase. 

Are you able to use a personal loan to obtain a car? Yes, you are able to but there are many factors you should consider before selecting a person or an auto loan for you.

Personal loans are a great choice for many things, not only auto loans, due to them being flexible on the restrictions on what the loan can be used which expands your options as a car buyer.

But there are also a few reasons why some individuals prefer getting an auto loan instead of a personal loan such as less loan fees, lower rates, and an easier qualification process.

Although on the other hand with an auto loan, you’re limited to certain criteria that are allowed by lenders which can eliminate a lot of vehicles such as private party sales in most cases, older vehicles, higher mile cars, cars with title brands, etc.

Here are a few comparisons to consider before selecting the right choice for you. 

Criteria

Personal Loan

Car Loans

Loan Use

is Pretty open and can be used for anything.

Can have restrictions such as age, miles, book value, vehicle type and etc.

Annual Percentage Rates for loans

In most cases higher but can be pretty competitive depending on the lender.

Usually, better rates and are able to secure extremely low rates with certain promotions. 

Are co-signers allowed?

Yes but depends on the lender.

Yes but depends on the lender.

Initial payment is made at the time of purchase

Not required.

Depending on the lender and your situation might be required. 

Are branded titles allowed

Typically loans can be used for anything so you are able to purchase cars with brands on them? 

Strongly varies on the lender but has strict criteria for approvals such as lower loan values. 

Approval time

As fast as the same day.

As fast as the same day.

Private party purchases.

Good as cash so can be used on the dealer or private party purchases. 

Depending on the lender can either be restricted or not allowed. 

Things to consider when applying for a personal loan to use for a car purchase. 

Credit score: This is a pretty important factor lenders will look at when an individual applies for a personal loan. The higher the credit score the more choices of lender and the chances of approval you will have.

Typically buyers with a lower credit score will be limited to the number of lenders who are willing to accept their business and its always recommended to boost your credit score as much as you can before applying for either auto or personal loan, be sure to ask the lender what are their credit score criteria and compare it with your own. 

Rates & Fees: Interest rates are really important when applying for a loan they determine how much of a percentage you will be paying on the loan you borrow.

To simplify how an interest rate works for example if you get a loan for $200 and the interest rate will be 5% after the loan you will be paying the lender back $10 as a simplified equation.

Before applying for a loan be sure to compare personal and auto rates to select the right loan for you, but don’t make interest rate the deciding factor on the loan you use.

Another factor to consider is the fees associated with both of the loans be sure to compare any origination fees and prepayment penalty fees which can add to the cost of the loan.

Length of a loan: The loan terms are pretty important because they can change your monthly payment by making it lower or higher.

For example, a longer term will stretch your payment for more months which will decrease your payment but in most cases the longer the term the higher the interest rate lenders will be asking for and the longer you’re going to be paying for that item.

Find the perfect balance for your loan options. Both personal and auto loans have a large option of how many long you can stretch your payment out for helping you lower your payment. 

Other factors: There are some other factors to consider when getting a personal loan such as how easy the process is when applying for a loan can it be done online, do they integrate easily with your bank, and how quickly is the loan funded, are there any prepayment penalties, can you use anything as collateral and such.

Also no matter what loan you use to purchase yourself a new vehicle be sure to do a lot of research on the dealer and the vehicle you’re looking to purchase. Even selecting the right loan for yourself will not protect you from buying a vehicle that’s a lemon causing you to spend thousands on repairs. 

What is a personal loan?

A personal loan is a loan that is not backed by anything so an unsecured loan is usually can be used for anything a borrower decided.

What is an Auto Loan?

An auto loan also known as a car loan is a loan most individuals take out to purchase a new or used car. These loans are strictly used for auto purchases and nothing else is usually easier to get approved for because of the collateral a car has.

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