A New Car Loan From the Dealer is Not Always the Best Choice For Your New Car Finance

When purchasing a new car it is always very easy to be swept away in the excitement of it all and want to take delivery as quickly as possible. To do this it is simply a matter of agreeing on the price of your new car and signing the necessary documents for a new car loan. All done and dusted. But just how much more have you paid for your new car and your new car loan because of your "want it now" approach?

Probably more than you think. Car dealers can be very persuasive and once they feel you are sold on a car then there is little hope of a reduced price or a very competitively priced new car loan. Here are a few tips when you are looking for a new car:

o Don't go to the dealership with the expectation or desire to buy "today". Check out the internet first to see just what the price range is for the vehicle you are looking for.

o Speak to a mortgage broker or a lease broker to see what connections they may have with new car dealerships. Surprisingly, a mortgage broker can not only access good new car finance but also has negotiating "clout" with a number of new car dealerships. Most new car dealerships have monthly volume targets which when reached result in large bonuses being paid by the new car manufacturer. As a direct purchaser you will not be privy to this information but where the mortgage broker has built a good relationship with a new car dealership he or she will undoubtedly be able to negotiate a better new car price for you - unless of course there is a waiting list for the particular car you are after. Even in this situation you may find that you will be able to achieve a better price - a Sydney based client recently ended up purchasing a new car through a mortgage broker where the car was sourced out of Wollongong (dealer wanted the sale to reach his monthly target). The new car was delivered straight to her Sydney home.

o If you are not absolutely set on a particular new car then find out what the re-sale value is of similar model cars when sold say 3 years later or at the expiration of your new car lease and new car loan. It is generally accepted that most new cars diminish in value by up to 15 % the moment you drive it out of the car yard. To ensure you retain value in your new car and that the residual value after 3 or 5 years under your new car loan will be met from the sale proceeds as a "used" car, it is imperative to check the sales history of the car / model/ manufacturer. It can be disheartening to find that when you eventually sell the car you do not realise a price that allows you to pay out the residual under the new car finance.

o If your cash flow allows it, try and keep the residual to as low a figure as possible. This negates the likelihood of there being a shortfall between the used car sale price and the residual value under your new car loan. If you maintain your car well and have it serviced on a regular basis then there remains the possibility that when you come to sell you actually realise more than the residual value under the new car loan - this should be a non-taxable profit in your hands.

Mark Bona is the managing director of My Choice Finance, the company is a mortgage broker offering new car finance and new car loans.