Ever notice how there are things it feels safe to ask about and other things you feel like you’re supposed to just magically… know?
A friend of mine recently mentioned she’d purchased a car. She told me the color, make, and model. I asked about the engine, its features, and how it felt to drive. These are the polite things one does when someone is excited about a recent purchase, right?
What I really wanted to know, however – but didn’t feel I could ask – was how she financed it. What interest rates are auto lenders offering these days? Also, what sorts of terms can someone with average or even bad credit get? Is the process as painful as I seem to recall from when my parents were doing it a generation ago, or has it gotten any better?
Too many of us feel foolish asking about auto loan basics when there’s really no reason we should. You’re not missing some critical link in your genetic code. You weren’t skipping the day they covered auto financing in Adulting 101. Maybe you’ve simply not financed a vehicle lately. (If it makes you feel any better, I know plenty of people who have financed their cars. Those often still don’t quite know how it works.)
Let’s look at a few auto loan basics.