Car finance is not complicated. Once you understand the basic knowledge, you can better choose the car finance scheme suitable for you.
Buying a car seems a little unbearable, especially for people who buy a car for the first time. However, even if the car is one of the biggest consumption of most people (except buying a house), understanding car finance is not necessarily a major event.
Let's take a look at the basics of auto financing.
Car financing increases the total cost of cars
Once you decide to buy a car, you have two payment methods: full payment or loan or lease.
Most car purchases involve financing, but you should know that financing will increase the total cost of the vehicle. This is because, in addition to the cost of cars, you have to pay the cost of credit (interest and other loan costs).
Learn more about the process of buying a car.
Buy a car with a loan
There are three main factors to consider when using car loan financing: the loan amount (this is the total amount of car you borrow), the annual percentage (also known as April, which is the interest rate loan you pay), and the duration of the loan (you must repay the loan amount).
The interest rate for buying a used car is usually higher than that for buying a new car, so shop around for the best interest rate. You can use Bank of America's auto loan calculator to see how different loan amounts, loan interest rates, and loan terms will affect your monthly payment.
In addition, find a car loan without a prepayment penalty. This will save you money if you decide to prepay your loan or refinance your car loan.
Financing cars by leasing
Most people think that auto financing is a loan to buy a car, but car rental is another popular form of auto financing.
When you rent a car, you only need to pay part of the cost of the car. In other words, you pay for the use of the car, not the car itself. You may or may not need to pay the down payment. Sales tax is only charged in your monthly payment (in most states). The financial interest rate you pay is called the monetary factor, which is similar to the interest rate of a loan. You may also need to pay special fees and deposits related to the lease.
When you rent a car, your monthly payment is usually lower than when you buy the same car, but you don't get any equity from the car, which can be converted into old for new or resale value in the future. You can choose to buy the car at the end of the lease period, but this will usually be more expensive than buying the car from the beginning.
You must also be acutely aware of the number of miles you drive (most rentals cost more than the allowable miles per unit trip per year), and you need to take good care of the car (most rentals will charge you to wear, tear and damage during the lease term).
If you are interested in keeping your car at the end of the lease period, you can buy your car through lease buyout.
Refinance a car
If you currently have a car loan, you may want to consider refinancing to reduce your monthly payment. Use Bank of America's refinancing calculator to compare your current loans with potential new loans to see if refinancing is right for you.
By 2020, that number had jumped to 2.25 percent, a 268 percent increase in just five years, though still a small percentage of the overall car population.
How much it costs to charge an electric car In the United States today, electric car owners do 80 percent of their charging at home, adding to their electricity costs.
It should show how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) you are currently using and how much you are paying per kWh.
The national average is 13 cents per kilowatt-hour, and most electric cars can go four miles per kilowatt-hour.
So, if you typically drive 1,000 miles a month, you'll need at least 250 kWh to recharge properly.
If you live in a state with high electricity prices, like California, your electricity bills will of course be higher.
