A Detailed Guideline for Getting the Best Car Loan

Getting the best car loan takes a bit of smart planning and research. You need to understand your options and potential pitfalls so you don’t end up paying more than you should. If you don’t take care, your car loan could cost you much more. In this article we’ll look at some key tips to get the right car loan for you. 

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Research And Know Your Options

Before you even begin shopping for a car loan, you need to know your options. There are a lot of loan products out there, and you’ll end up spending a lot of time sorting them out if you just jump in without doing your research. Start your research by understanding the different types of car loans. They include:

  • Retail loans: You apply directly to a lender and are responsible for obtaining a loan. If approved, you can then use the amount borrowed to purchase a car.
  • Wholesale loans: A wholesale loan is similar to a retail loan, but the lender is a third party and you’re not personally borrowing the money.
  • Lease: With a lease, you pay a set amount for the car and then make payments to the leasing company who then owns the car. The lease runs for a certain period of time and then the car is returned to you.
  • Cash purchase: With a cash purchase, you bring a certain amount of money to the car dealership and then take ownership of the car immediately.
  • Financing: The terms of a financing loan are determined by the dealer, so you don’t have complete control over the deal.
  • Asset-based lending: It involves you selling some of your ownership in a business to one of your lenders for a loan. This can be a good option for some, but keep in mind that it does involve some serious risk.

Also Read: Find the Best Used Car Loan Interest Rates with this Quick and Easy Guide

Personal Loan

Quick Approval in 24 Hours

Starting at 11.99% p.a.
No hidden fees
Up to  50 Lakhs
Instant approval
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Guideline for Getting the Best Car Loan

Be transparent with your finances – The best way to ensure you’re getting a good car loan deal is by being transparent with your finances. You need to know exactly what you’re capable of borrowing, which will help you negotiate a better deal. Be honest with any financial institution you deal with, and don’t try to pull any fast ones. You want to make sure they know exactly what you’re borrowing and why. You can also use this negotiation opportunity to make sure you’re getting the best deal on your car loan terms. The terms of the loan will affect how much you’re paying each month and what you’re paying on. Make sure you’re aware of these terms and how they affect you, so you know what you’re getting.

Know what you’re paying for

Another important tip is to know exactly what you’re paying for. There are a lot of hidden costs with car loans, so you need to be aware of what you’re paying. First, you need to understand what the loan amount is really covering. The loan amount is the amount you actually owe the lender. The interest on the loan amount is what you’ll pay off the loan. The majority of the cost is the interest. In addition to this, you need to understand the length of the loan as well as how much you’re paying each month. The length of the loan will affect the amount you pay each month, so you need to know what you’re paying each year.

Don’t just ask for the lowest rate

One of the biggest mistakes people make when getting a car loan is simply asking for the lowest rate. While the best way to go about this is to look at a range of rates, you also need to know what you’re getting. The problem is that you don’t have a good idea of what you’re getting with the best car loans. Some lenders will try to hide some of the costs so they don’t look too bad. Others may try to hide the true cost of their loan. With the best car loans, you’ll want to look closely at a range of costs. You need to look at what you’re paying in interest as well as what you’re paying in fees. You may also want to look at the length of the loan.

Negotiate and be flexible

When getting a car loan, you may have to sign a contract. However, you can negotiate a number of terms. One of the most important things to negotiate is the interest rate. Make sure you’re not paying more than you need to. The best way to negotiate the interest rate is to compare it to other loans. There are a number of websites that allow you to do this. Comparing rates is a good way to make sure you’re getting the best deal. The other thing you can negotiate is the length of the loan. There are a lot of loans out there that have a fixed length of time. While this may help you get the loan faster, it also costs you more.

Check the fine print and conditions

When you’re ready to sign on the dotted line, don’t just sign the loan documents. Take the time to read them and make sure you’re not agreeing to anything you don’t want. Make sure you understand the repayment terms and conditions. Some companies will try to sneak in hidden costs and terms. These terms can have a huge impact on your overall cost. Make sure you’re okay with everything. If anything seems too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure you’re happy with the terms of the loan.

Personal Loan

Quick Approval in 24 Hours

Starting at 11.99% p.a.
No hidden fees
Up to  50 Lakhs
Instant approval
Apply Now →

💰 No processing fee for first 100 customers | ⚡ Digital KYC in 5 minutes

Documents Required:

To prove your eligibility, you’ll need to provide certain documents. Though this too is specific to different lenders, the common documents will be:

Identity Proof (any of the following)Aadhaar
Passport
Driving license
Voters ID card
PAN card
Address Proof (any of the following)Aadhaar
Passport
Driving license
Ration card
Utility bills
Proof of IncomeForm 16
Salary slips if you are salaried
Latest Income Tax Returns
Bank statements going back 6 months

Eligibility Requirement And Criteria

AgeAge must be between 18 years and 75 years.
IncomeThe minimum  net income of Rs 20,000 monthly.
Years of Employment At least it should be an employment of 1 year.
EmploymentSelf employed – salaried.

Personal Loan

Quick Approval in 24 Hours

Starting at 11.99% p.a.
No hidden fees
Up to  50 Lakhs
Instant approval
Apply Now →

💰 No processing fee for first 100 customers | ⚡ Digital KYC in 5 minutes

Best Car Loan Interest Rates in India

Bank NameCar Loan Interest RatesProcessing Fee
Bank of Baroda Car Loan7.00%p.a. onwardsRs.1,500
Canara Bank Car Loan7.30%p.a. onwards0.25% of the loan amount, subject to a minimum of Rs.1,000 and a maximum of Rs.5,000
Axis Bank Car Loan7.45%p.a. onwardsMinimum of Rs.3,500 and maximum of Rs.7,000
Federal Bank Car Loan8.50%p.a. onwardsContact the bank
SBI Car Loan7.20%p.a. onwardsNew Car: Nil (offer valid until 31 January 2022)

Car Loan – Checklist to Follow While Applying for it

StepsRequirementInference
Apply for a car loanCompare all offers availableTo find the loan that offers you the highest loan amount and the most affordable interest rate
Submit Income ProofBank Statement (last 6 months) Pay-Slips (last 3 months) IT- Returns (last 2 years)Lender wants to establish your ability to repay the loan
Submit Proof of Address and IdentityPAN Card, Voter’s ID, Aadhaar Card, Passport, etc.Lender wants to establish your nationality, identity, and permanent address
Credit HistoryPAN CardLender wants to check your past credit records and establish if you can be trusted to make regular repayments
Information About VehicleSales Receipts from the showroom from where the vehicle was purchasedLender must confirm that the deal was affected as intended
Proof of Insurance and Driving LicenseCopies of the vehicle’s Motor Insurance and your Driving LicenseLenders must establish that all laws and protocols are followed with regards to the purchased vehicle.

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Features and Benefits of Car Loan

Car loans in India are offered with benefits and features. The following section will take a generalized approach to car loans. Individually, car loan lenders have customized deals for the customer base.

  • It enables you to purchase a car even if you don’t have all the money right now.
  • Most car loans finance the on-road price of a car.
  • With no down payments, most car loans will even finance 100% of the on-road price.
  • Some banks also offer financing in the crores, and you are not limited in your choice of cars.
  • A car loan offered in India is the most secured loan, meaning the car serves as the security/collateral for the loan.
  • A  car loan is simple if compared to other loan products. People with slightly unsavory credit scores can avail of one.
  • Many car loans in India often offer fixed interest rate options. You should be assured of a fixed amount that needs to be repaid monthly.
  • Lenders will offer interest rates based on your credit score to help you get a cheaper loan.
  • Car loans are not meant only for cars. But a used car loan can also help you buy a pre-owned car. 

Car Loan – Process to Get the Loan Approved Faster

Especially if you want to receive funds to purchase the new or used car that you have had on your wishlist for a long while, then it is better for  you to opt for a pre-approved loan. Inorder to  avail such a loan, you have to follow these steps to quickly receive the required funds.

  • You can track your credit report to check your standing of credit score. A score of 750 or more should get you a lower interest rate. However, the interest rate for a score of 750 will be slightly higher. So , if you have defaults in your report, or have a very low score, your application has a high chance of getting rejected.
  • Paying  Bills on Time to get a loan to purchase your dream car as soon as possible,  with a minimum monthly pre-tax income along with a  manageable debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Also, sometimes it is absolutely  not possible to change one’s income, you can improve your DTI by paying off all your  pending debts.
  • Looking for Car Loan Options as there are multiple options available in the market. However, you can get a loan to purchase your new or used car. You should track  the car loan interest rates of other banks as  car financing firms help you to find the one that fits your needs.
  • Borrowing as Less as Possible , in order to  pay a larger amount as down payment, you can also reduce that  sum that you want  to borrow that equals to the price  of your dream car. If you borrow  a lesser amount, then you might have a higher chance to be in a good stature to repay your loan quickly .As any smaller loan amount means smaller EMIs or a shorter loan tenure period.
  • Choose a Plan That is for  Your Budget and  your capability as an applicant greatly impacts the approval of a loan that you have applied for.  You have to  decide to purchase the car that you have always wished for, you should also ensure that you choose a scheme that you actually  afford. Now if  you are  already paying EMIs for other loans that you have availed, you should make sure that you can also pay the EMI of the car loan only that you have chosen.
  • Now getting  a Car Insurance with Complete Coverage is easier ,as offering a loan has always been the main concern of banks and NBFCs is not to incur any losses. So, having full-cover insurance is a requirement for many organizations before availing a car loan as it will help you recover the balance debt in case there is an accident with the borrower.

Also Read: How to Find the Best Used Car Loan in Bengaluru

Bottom Line

Availing the best car loan is all about doing your research and understanding your options. Once you know what you’re getting, it’s important to negotiate the interest rate and terms. That will make sure you understand what you’re paying for and what you’re getting.

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