If you dont have enough cash on hand to purchase the car straight out, you will need to consider your financing options. If you are a smart shopper you should figure out how you are going to finance the used car before you begin shopping. There are three main components that will come into play when you purchase a car. The first is the monthly payment, the second is the down payment and the third is the price of the car.
The monthly payment is going to be how much you can afford to pay each month. This will help the lender determine the life of the loan and when the payments will be due. Many lenders will require that you use the car to secure the loan. The car can be used as collateral and in the event that you default on the loan the lender will repossess the car to satisfy your debt. Monthly payments can also be lowered if you are able to make a down payment.
The down payment is how much cash you can afford to put down before financing the car. This will help to reduce your monthly payments as well. The better a down payment you are able to supply to the bank, the less amount of money you will have to finance through the lender.
The purchase price will...