Dealer Financing and Bad Credit Situations
Lastly, in a dealer financed situation, the dealer controls how much interest is charged on the loan. This is because the interest rate is not expressed as a percentage tacked on to the amount of each payment, but as a flat fee that is incorporated into the base price of the car. For instance, if Dealer A wants to make a specific percentage of profit on vehicle A, the sales price will reflect the dealer’s initial investment plus the markup expressed as the total price of the vehicle. What you see on the window is what you will pay.
Benefits/Drawbacks to Dealer Financed Loans
The stand out benefit to people with blemished credit is that dealers who choose to finance their vehicles do not check credit in order to approve you for a loan. Money talks in these situations and as long as you can cover the down payment and are willing to sign documents agreeing to regular payments, you will leave the lot with the vehicle of your choice. Another benefit is that if you default on this type of arrangement, the loan will not be reported to your credit file, keeping any further damage from occurring. This is not true in all cases, however. If the vehicle is not returned to the dealer, a collections action or judgment can be lodged against you that will affect your credit file negatively.
One of the major drawbacks to this type of arrangement is that there is quite a bit of upfront cash required to purchase a good used vehicle. Many times the vehicles offered at lower price points will have mechanical or cosmetic defects that will need to be addresses, on the new owner’s dime. The cars that are sold in this fashion are sold as is. The dealer will not pay for repair work nor perform any repairs on the vehicle without reimbursement. Depending on the type of vehicle you choose, your down payment can be anywhere from $500 to $5000.
Also, the markup on most of these vehicles usually exceeds what the vehicle is currently worth. Dealer financed vehicles are being sold for retail prices when they are not in retail condition as defined by most car valuing authorities. This practice means that the borrower will pay a much higher price for the vehicle than they will ever hope to recover at sale. Of course, this also happens with new cars, though the influencing factor is depreciation instead of markup.
A Final Thought
Dealer financing arrangements are helpful for individuals that find themselves without transportation due to poor credit issues. While the initial outlay of money may be somewhat prohibitive, the alternative may be unemployment or an inability to meet basic living needs.
Learn more about no credit check personal loans and no credit check banks here.