Even if it is just chemicals outgassing, there’s nothing like that new car smell. It says you’re smart, responsible and successful. In fact, the only thing better than the new car smell is the pride you’ll feel as you take your new wheels for a spin.

It’s certainly no secret that driving a stylish new car is fun and exciting. New cars carry warranties that protect you from unnecessary maintenance and repair bills for extended periods of time, so they can be great investments. The secret is in buying a brand new car, truck, van or SUV without deflating your budget. For many smart shoppers, the right car loans turn their new car dreams into realities.

Direct Auto Financing

One of the biggest money-saving actions you can take in purchasing your new vehicle is with financing through an independent car lender. This borrowing plan is referred to as "direct financing" or "direct loans."

Direct financing is any kind of financing action, set up by you, without the help of the car dealer. There are considerable savings and minimal risks involved in direct loans, making them the best option for many new car buyers. When you walk into a dealership with a guarantee new car loan in hand, you’ve got automatic bargaining power. You’re able to have an upper hand in negotiations, and you can stand equally to your dealer. In the end, this increase flexibility keeps you from falling into the common trap of dealership price fixing and additional financing costs.

Shopping Strategies

The first strategy in shopping for new car loans is securing independent financing. With that in mind, allow yourself further flexibility by applying for a loan limit of at least a little over what you expect to pay. This gives you extra room for flexibility at closing time, without having to worry about the loan limit. Of course, you’re under no obligation to use your entire loan limit. Arranging for automatic payments is another way to lower your rates. By having your car loan payments deducted electronically from your bank account, you can save more money over the duration of your loan.

Price Haggling

Car dealers are seasoned professionals who are trained to get every dime out of you.

For that reason, it’s no wonder that so many people part with a lot of money after "negotiating" with a car dealer. Unless you’re an experienced negotiator, or have an armor of thick skin, going through a new car purchase can be an agonizing experience. The best protection from slick sales types is to walk in to the dealership with your financing already in place. When you’re in this position, you’ll find car dealers haggling with each other to get your business. Talk to local car dealers, and make it clear to them that you’ve been shopping around. Let them understand that you won’t settle for anything less than the very best deal. This leaves the dealers working to get your business, while all you need to do is choose the best one.

Owning a new car can make you feel like a million bucks, without feeling like you’ve just spent a million bucks. Shop around for car loans and make smart financing decisions, and you’ll soon be cruising along and taking in that new car smell.

The term "refinancing" should be familiar to anyone who has purchased a loan. Simply put, refinancing is the process of obtaining a loan to pay off an existing loan. Obviously it’s not quite as simple as it sounds, but understanding that basic description is enough to begin the process of learning about refinancing.

One of the best-kept secrets in the finance industry is refinancing. A great deal of time, trouble, and most importantly cash can be saved through this method alone. Home refinancing has been around for a long time now and is used by many people to save money on their loans and/or reduce their monthly payments. However, many people still balk at the idea of car loan refinancing despite being familiar with the benefits of refinancing a home loan. Those who have a less than perfect credit rating to back them up, in particular, are likely to react this way.

What exactly is different about car loan refinancing? In essence, nothing. At the basic level, car loan refinancing works the same as refinancing your home. In car loan refinancing, a new car loan is obtained in order to pay off the existing car loan. The new loan may have different (typically better) interest rates, a new lender, or both. Again, as in home refinancing, this is beneficial since car loan refinancing can make your monthly car loan payments lesser. Alternately lower interest rates garnered through car loan refinancing can be capitalized on to pay off the balance of the current car loan in a shorter period of time.

Very few people understand the time value of money–that the longer a loan is paid on, the more money is spent on interest charges. Take for example a 60-month loan for $16,500 on a new Honda Accord and assume that the buyer’s credit is poor. The car dealer manages to get the buyer approved at 21% APR for that loan, making the monthly payments $446.38. By the end of the loan term, the buyer will have paid $10,282.83 on interest charges alone–almost as much as the initial price of the vehicle (which, of course, is now worth far less than when it was purchased). Now, if the car loan were refinanced with another lender at 6% APR after the first few months, the monthly payment would have been $318.99, allowing the buyer to save as much as $7,643 on interest charges. If the buyer refinanced at the lower APR but retained the same monthly payment, the term of the loan would be shorter and the interest savings even higher.

Record numbers of homeowners refinanced their homes and saved thousands of dollars during the years 2001 and 2002. More car owners are beginning to realize the benefits of car loan refinancing every day. With the steady drop in interest rates, car loan refinancing is fast becoming a trend as more and more people realize how much money can be saved simply by refinancing a car loan.

Sooner or later, everyone wants or needs to buy a vehicle; and unless you have a money tree in your backyard, you’re going to need to take out a loan.

Virtually every new car purchase requires financing from a bank or other financial institution. The only other choice is to pay cash, an option few of us have at our disposal. If you’re in the market for a new car you’ll need financing, and in order to make the right decisions you need to know about car loan calculations. If you fully understand how to make car loan calculations, you’ll be able to estimate the values involved in your purchase, as well as balance the expenses that come with buying a new car. Knowing this information is crucial to buying a car that’s within your budget.

Car loan calculations involve a number of factors. Consider the loan term, interest rate and loan principal and work them into your calculations. Only then will you know if the car you want is the car you’re able to afford.

Loan Term Basically, this is amount of time it will take to pay the loan in full. A shorter term will mean higher monthly payments, but the loan will be paid off faster. Longer terms involve more affordable monthly payments, but it will take more time to meet your obligation. The length of your loan term can also affect the interest rate, and can increase the amount you pay in interest overall.

Interest Rate No banks or finance companies will lend you money out of the goodness of their hearts. They make money from interest. The interest rate determines how much extra you will pay for the convenience of borrowing money. Interest rates will fluctuate based on the market, and lenders will try to get your business by offering a lower rate. Shopping around for a good rate can save you hundreds of dollars over the term of the loan.

Loan Principal This is the base amount of money you borrow, before any interest or financing fees are added on. The amount of your monthly payments, and the total amount of interest you pay, are based solely on the principal amount. Naturally, the monthly payments and overall interest will get higher as the principal increases. If you find that the monthly payment is beyond your means, then you should consider starting with a smaller loan principal. In some cases, the term "loan principal" can also be used when referring to your outstanding loan balance. At any given time during the term of your loan, you can check to see what your existing loan principal is.

If your loan is an amortization, you’ll find that your first few months of payments will only pay off the interest amount. You can pay $500 a month for 8 or 9 months, only to find that a fraction of that amount has been taken off of the principal. Over time, however, the payments will balance out and you’ll begin to see more money coming off of the principal. Eventually, the entire loan will be paid.

Buying a car always seems like a great idea, but the payments really can be quite overwhelming. Don’t put yourself in a situation where there’s more month than money. Car loan calculations are absolutely necessary to putting yourself in the driver’s seat, without putting yourself in the hole.

Is it possible to own a new car, even if you don’t have $20,000 to spend? Absolutely. Auto loans make car ownership an affordable reality, and virtually anyone can arrange for financing. If you have sufficient income and a good credit rating, you will be able to choose from a selection of auto loans.

Step 1 Choose your wheels before arranging your loan. The bank or finance company will want to know what you’re buying, and how much you’ll need to borrow. Shop around by checking automotive websites and visiting local car dealers. Once you know exactly what you want to buy, you can negotiate a price with the seller. With price in hand, you’ll find it easier and faster to secure your financing.

Step 2 Shop around for the best interest rates. There are online websites like http://www.Bankrate.com that publish surveys and polls of loan rates across the United States. The rates of auto loans will fluctuate with the market, and they definitely differ from lender to lender. Shop around to find the lowest rate and best lending terms. Checking with local banks, credit unions and even car dealers can save you money.

Step 3 Purchasing a new car is a costly, and sometimes risky business.

Auto loans involve a lot of money, and you need to prevent any possibility of getting ripped off. Check with used car values to see how much your current vehicle is worth. Knowing your car’s value will help you to get the most money for your trade-in.

Consult a black book or research online to find the current market value of your vehicle.

Step 4 Determine how much you’re able to spend as your down payment. Providing cash up front can help you to secure an auto loan, as it proves to the lender that you’re responsible and willing to repay. It also decreases the amount of principle and interest you’ll pay throughout the term of your loan. Some lenders require a down payment of twenty percent of the vehicle price. Remember that the value of your current vehicle may be applied toward your down payment.

Step 5 Once you know the type of car you’re buying, the purchase price, the available rates and the amount of down payment you’ll need, it’s time to shop for a lender. Be careful in this step, as there are many shady lenders who are quick to hand out cash in exchange for very steep repayment amounts. Compare interest rates, the loan term (two years, three years, etc), monthly payment amounts and, of course, how much you’re able to spend. These factors will all help to determine your choice of lenders.

Step 6 Don’t panic if you don’t qualify with the first lender you choose. There are literally endless auto loan options available to you. Just be sure that you’re not living beyond your means. You may need to save a little more to come up with a bigger down payment, or simply choose a less expensive car.

Step 7 It’s easy to create a lousy credit rating, and the poor rating can hound you for a long time. If your credit rating is keeping you from securing an auto loan, you can begin working to rebuild it. Pay your bills on time, and clear up any outstanding debts. After six months, you’ll be able to reapply for a new credit rating. If this is not an option, you can choose to look into bad credit auto loans. Insurance companies that offer bad credit loans don’t require their customers to submit their credit histories, so it is possible to secure an auto loan despite poor credit. However, remember that the financer will view you as a risk, and you will pay higher rates.

Auto loans make it possible for virtually anyone to buy a new car. It’s why you see so many new vehicles on the road today. If you think you can’t afford the car of your dreams, shop around. You might be surprised at what you find.

Is it possible to own a new car, even if you don’t have $20,000 to spend? Absolutely. Auto loans make car ownership an affordable reality, and virtually anyone can arrange for financing. If you have sufficient income and a good credit rating, you will be able to choose from a selection of auto loans.

Step 1 Choose your wheels before arranging your loan. The bank or finance company will want to know what you’re buying, and how much you’ll need to borrow. Shop around by checking automotive websites and visiting local car dealers. Once you know exactly what you want to buy, you can negotiate a price with the seller. With price in hand, you’ll find it easier and faster to secure your financing.

Step 2 Shop around for the best interest rates. There are online websites like http://www.Bankrate.com that publish surveys and polls of loan rates across the United States. The rates of auto loans will fluctuate with the market, and they definitely differ from lender to lender. Shop around to find the lowest rate and best lending terms. Checking with local banks, credit unions and even car dealers can save you money.

Step 3 Purchasing a new car is a costly, and sometimes risky business.

Auto loans involve a lot of money, and you need to prevent any possibility of getting ripped off. Check with used car values to see how much your current vehicle is worth. Knowing your car’s value will help you to get the most money for your trade-in.

Consult a black book or research online to find the current market value of your vehicle.

Step 4 Determine how much you’re able to spend as your down payment. Providing cash up front can help you to secure an auto loan, as it proves to the lender that you’re responsible and willing to repay. It also decreases the amount of principle and interest you’ll pay throughout the term of your loan. Some lenders require a down payment of twenty percent of the vehicle price. Remember that the value of your current vehicle may be applied toward your down payment.

Step 5 Once you know the type of car you’re buying, the purchase price, the available rates and the amount of down payment you’ll need, it’s time to shop for a lender. Be careful in this step, as there are many shady lenders who are quick to hand out cash in exchange for very steep repayment amounts. Compare interest rates, the loan term (two years, three years, etc), monthly payment amounts and, of course, how much you’re able to spend. These factors will all help to determine your choice of lenders.

Step 6 Don’t panic if you don’t qualify with the first lender you choose. There are literally endless auto loan options available to you. Just be sure that you’re not living beyond your means. You may need to save a little more to come up with a bigger down payment, or simply choose a less expensive car.

Step 7 It’s easy to create a lousy credit rating, and the poor rating can hound you for a long time. If your credit rating is keeping you from securing an auto loan, you can begin working to rebuild it. Pay your bills on time, and clear up any outstanding debts. After six months, you’ll be able to reapply for a new credit rating. If this is not an option, you can choose to look into bad credit auto loans. Insurance companies that offer bad credit loans don’t require their customers to submit their credit histories, so it is possible to secure an auto loan despite poor credit. However, remember that the financer will view you as a risk, and you will pay higher rates.

Auto loans make it possible for virtually anyone to buy a new car. It’s why you see so many new vehicles on the road today. If you think you can’t afford the car of your dreams, shop around. You might be surprised at what you find.

Normally, in all those SUVs like vans, there is quite enough space than in any small cars, yes you may have to spend more money on fuel but still the comfort level that you get in the van is high and that cannot be ignored.

You may plan to purchase a second hand van but if only you get a low price deal. But if you don’t think the deal is in your favor, you can go for purchasing a van from government surplus vans auction.

In government auctions you may find a vehicle that is seized by the financer who was unable to get his loan money back or other government vehicles which are now off duty. These vehicles are mostly very less used and normally the history of such automobiles is very well known. This information is provides is important while you bid for it later.

As mentioned before, the vans bought from government auctions are in near perfect conditions and it not normally mandatory required to be serviced. Simply buy them and drive them.

Once you make up your mind to buy one of the vans from government surplus auctions, you may register your self and allow yourself to ignition start it, one of the best way to buy any automobile! Get into the drivers’ seat and check for the interior of the car. Check for the air-conditioner or heater, the wipers, all those switches and other electronics that it may have.

Do remember one thing that no one is allowed to take a test drive of the vehicle unless he or she wins the bid. Now, like in any auction, or a bidding event, the one who bids the highest, wins. Who knows if you are lucky and smart enough you might take the vehicle home.

Also remember there are so may people play a part in government surplus auction. Some want to use the vehicle for personal purpose and some for the business purpose. Therefore the competition is quite high when you wish to get a vehicle at very reasonable prices. Keeping another choice is helpful if you are unable to secure a dream car.

Furthermore, even if all your efforts go in vain, there is no need to get disheartened, as these auctions happen several times during each year. Just an eye on the news sections of the government websites.

But for those lucky ones who are able secure a good van must be careful about the papers and the legalities of the vehicle. Make sure you have completed all the formalities about transferring the same to yourself. The formalities can be completed there at the auction’s site or later. As sometimes officials allows you to simply reveal your social security number or with any other identification document.

If you finally decided to get rid of your old and ugly car, don’t jump into a car buying without calculating.

It’s o.k. that you already know what you want. The latest Ferrari model, of course. The red one you saw at http://thecarofyourfantasies.com. But maybe you should reconsider it. By the way, did you know that red cars and sports type cars are stopped more often?

Purchasing a new car is a complicated financial operation and a highlight of your life. Take it seriously.

First, have a look at your family budget. Sit down and check all your household expenses, as well as cash on hand and your take-home pay and determine what you can reasonably afford to pay for a new car. According to the experts you shouldn’t spend on your car more than 20 percent of your monthly income.

Afterwards check your credit. Start this process months before you plan to purchase, if possible, because if you have incorrect or outdated information that’s lowering your score - and therefore raising the interest rate you’ll have to pay - it can removed, but it takes at least 60 to 90 days.

To calculate monthly payments, you should factor in proposed purchase price, the down payment, interest rate and term of your loan. All will affect how much you can afford to spend on your car.

Don’t worry if you can’t get a standard loan, there are alternatives. If the banks, building societies and credit unions won’t lend to you because you’re self employed, newly arrived in the country or have a poor credit history, consider the booming non-conforming and "low doc" loan market.

A number of non-bank lenders offer loans which especially cater for this type of borrower. The interest rates on non-conforming loans are generally higher but come down after a few years of on-time repayments.

Think about all the expenses of a car: Insurance rates, fuel costs, maintenance, repair and not only the purchase price. Some luxury cars and not American-made cars cost more to repair.

Decide if you want to buy a new car or a used one. Both have pros and cons. A used car costs significantly cheaper but there is no comprehensive new-car warranty, not as many safety and convenience features but a questionable maintenance.

As for the timing, the two best times of the year to buy a car are the end of December (when dealers are competing for Christmas shoppers) and between July and October (when dealers are making room for new models).

You should also consider what’s the primary use of the car, who’ll drive, where will you use the car and so on.

Financing the purchase of your car can be difficult. Recent research has highlighted the fact that most consumers have decided how to pay for their vehicle even before visiting a forecourt. Reasons for this include high interest rate charges and the motor trade’s poor reputation. Showroom finance is often not considered as an option, with high street and online lenders greatly preferred, perhaps not surprising considering that they do traditionally provide better car finance deals.

There are six main ways in which a new car can be financed. The first is a credit card. However, high interest rates mean that this should only be used as a short-term measure, possibly to pay a deposit. One of the most popular ways of paying for a car is through a personal loan. This simply involves taking out a loan with a bank or other financial institution, and can often be arranged over the phone. Interest rates are competitive and you can pay for the whole cost of your car. Alternatively you could deal with your existing lender if you have a mortgage. Money can be borrowed from a mortgage provider, either by getting a second mortgage or withdrawing equity from your house. The advantage of this is that you can deal with your existing lender and interest rates are very low. However, mortgage loans are over a longer period and a penalty may be imposed if you decide to repay the loan early.

Personal loans, mortgage top-ups and credit cards are the three most popular and well-known methods of paying for a new car. However, three additional options are available which may suit certain people. The first is Hire-Purchase or Conditional Sale, whereby you discuss and agree with the dealer how much you need to borrow. The dealer then gets in contact with the Motor Finance Company and pays for the car on your behalf. You then agree to make monthly payments to the dealer, with the car only owned by yourself once the car has been fully paid for. Low interest rates, deposits and flexible payment terms are associated with this form of payment.

If the car you wish to buy is slightly out of your price range you may want to consider a Personal Contract Purchase. In this option you defer part of the cost of the car until the end of the payment agreement, at which point you can decide to trade-in the car, hand it back to the dealer, or pay the outstanding amount and keep the car. This is an excellent way of being able to afford a car which would otherwise be too expensive. The final option for financing a car is simply to rent it, known as Personal Leasing or Personal Contract Hire. In this case you agree to rent the car from the dealer for a fixed period of time, which includes all maintenance costs. This is an excellent choice if you only require a car for a set period of time, such as 6 months. It eliminates the hassle of buying a selling a car and is simply fixed cost motoring.

To decide exactly what car finance deal you should choose you can fill out a questionnaire on financingyourcar.org.uk – it’ll then recommend the type of finance deal that will suit you best, potentially saving you hundreds of pounds.

Every car commercial tells you that their car has a five-star safety rating. Does this score really mean anything? What tests are being performed and who does the measuring?

The Organizations

In the United States, there are two organizations that score cars on safety ratings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The NHTSA is run by the Department of Transportation and is sometimes called the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) or the government five star rating.

Frontal Collision Ratings

The NHTSA gets its data by running a car directly into a wall at 35 mph. The IIHS does a different test, where the impact is offset, and not directly in the middle. The IIHS test does a better job of mimicking real-life accidents. While most cars do well in directly head-on collisions, most real-life collisions are offset.

The NHTSA scores with five stars. Five stars means that there is ten percent or less chance of injury. Injury is defined as something life-threatening or for which you will need immediate hospitalization. Four stars is between eleven and twenty percent chance of injury. Three stars is between twenty-one and thirty-five percent chance.

The IIHS score is not in a five star format. They rate a vehicle as Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor.

The NHTSA and the IIHS scores should be looked at in conjunction with one another. Remember, both these scores only rate what would happen if you collide with another vehicle the same size as yours. However, many crashes involve only one-vehicle, so these tests are useful.

Side-Impact Ratings

Again, the NHTSA and IIHS uses different side-impact tests. The NTSA crashes a giant beam into the side of a car and measures the shock on two male-sized dummies. They then make a star rating based on the chance of chest injury to the dummies. Five stars means less than 5% chance of injury, four stars is 6%-10%, and 3 stars is 11%-20%. They don’t gage the damage to the head in this star rating, but if they think that it is excessively dangerous, they will add a safety note to their report.

The IIHS uses dummies that represent adolescents or small-statured women. This helps assess the safety of people other than men in the car. They also use a larger beam. They score their rating based on injury to the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and femur. This is arguably a more comprehensive test than the NHTSA test.

Rollover Ratings

The NHTSA is the only company that does Rollover ratings. Rollovers are often the most fatal type of accident. The NHTSA measures the chance of a car rolling with no external catalyst, and the chance of it happening for a reason (hitting a shallow ditch, hitting the curb, going onto the shoulder). 95% of rollovers are “tripped,” and have some external element.

Recent NHTSA testing has proven what we know about SUVs being much more likely to rollover than sedans or other cars.

Low-Impact Bumper Test

The IIHS performs a low-impact bumper test to see how much repairs would cost you if you gently hit something by accident. They rate the cars accordingly. Although this is not necessarily a safety rating, it will tell you what you can expect for possible repairs for your car and is something to keep in mind while purchasing a car.

When you shop

Considering the safety ratings of cars is important. But it is also important to know how these ratings are measured so that you can make the most informed decision about your purchase. Maybe you want your car to be cool, or to be functional, but most of all you want it to be safe.

You might never have owned a boat before, or you might already have your own boat, but it doesn’t suit you. Here are the things that you need to consider before purchasing a boat.

How will you use it?

Are you going to be boating mostly alone? Or will you typically be fishing with one or two other people? It can be disappointing to buy a boat and then find out that it is too small for your whole family, and so you don’t get enough use out of it. Conversely, if you buy a boat that is too big, and it is only you who use it, you might find it too much of a hassle to take out. Think of how you want to use it. It is probably a safer bet to get one bigger instead of smaller just in case. You don’t want to leave your kids or your friends on shore! (Except maybe if you do: then you can get a small fishing rig just for you and for some peace and quiet!)

How often will you use it?

If you are only going to be a pleasure boater, or if you don’t live near water, you will probably want a boat that can fit on a trailer. If you will be taking it out more than just on weekends, you will want to consider keeping it in a marina. Remember to account for the costs of storing your boat when you are making your budget: a typical rule of thumb is to double your monthly payments to find out how much you will really be spending on upkeep, maintenance, and storage.

Where will you use it?

Get a boat that you will be able to access, no matter how you plan to do it. If you live far from the nearest lake or river, then you will want to figure out how you will be getting to your boat. Consider also if you will be using your boat in freshwater or saltwater, because that can sometimes make a difference to the materials that you want to buy.

If you will be in the Great Lakes or in the Ocean, you will want a different type of boat than if you are going to be in rivers. For these types of lakes, or lakes with very choppy waters, you will want a boat with a deep-V hull so that your ride isn’t as bumpy.

What kind of boat do you want?

Buying a kayak is completely different than buying a schooner. You will probably have an idea of the type of boat that you want when you go to make your purchase. Do you want one that has a motor? Do you want one that is specialized for fishing? There are many different types of fishing boats and other specialty boats. Perhaps you are interest in a sailboat.

The best way to find out what kind of boat you want is to talk to other boaters. They will be happy to tell you about their best purchases (and sometimes their worst, too, which you can learn from). They might even take you out for a spin in their boat when you are considering your options.

In the end, you will know what boat is right for you. Do your research and you will feel well-prepared to buy any boat you want!