02/02/2016
Last night a customer of one of our salesmen asked what his rate would be on a used vehicle and if he had an approval for a $25000 loan and needed only $15,000 what would happen. These are two great questions asked all the time. I answered that on the first question the interest rate on the loan is dependent on several variables but usually three main things. First the installment credit score. Installment credit is a fixed loan paid over a certain time... as opposed to revolving credit which is credit card credit...paid over different times and at different amounts, paid and renewed and paid again. People have installment credit scores, revolving credit scores and even mortgage credit scores.
Second factor is the age of the vehicle. The third factor is the length of the loan. Older cars at a longer loan are higher in interest than a shorter term newer car loan. So a first time buyer on a older car looking for a 5 year loan can expect higher interest rates as compared to a person with previous good credit getting a newer car at a shorter loan term. So when a salesman can't answer you when you ask exactly what your rate will be, understand that the bank will assign a rate depending on these variables are.
If an approval for $25,000 is obtained and the car is only $15,000 the loan will become only what is needed and no overage will be paid to the bank or customer. However if a car is in the book for $13,000 and the dealer wants $15,000 it is possible that even when an approval for $15,000 exists... the banks may also stipulate that $15,000 is only authorized if the car is in the book for that much. So many variables! It is complicated sometimes and a good, honest, helpful consultant is always a good ally