When you want to finance your next car without going through a dealership, you’ll need a private party auto loan. They can be more challenging to find than new- or used-car auto loans for dealership purchases, but it can be worth the search because buying a car from an individual can help you save money.
Not only do private sellers often charge less than dealerships, but they also often have cars for sale that you won’t find at a dealership. A private party can be the best way to find the car you want at a comfortable price.
What Is a Private Party Auto Loan?
A private party auto loan allows you to borrow money to buy a vehicle from a private seller, as opposed to a dealership. Here are some reasons you might want one:
The car you want is only available through a private party
Dealerships don’t offer cars in your price range
The same car is often less expensive when you buy it from a private party instead of a dealer
What Does a Private Party Auto Lender Do?
A private party auto lender helps individuals purchase used cars from each other. Not only do they provide financing, but they can also help the transaction go smoothly.
For example, if the seller is still paying off the loan on their vehicle, the buyer’s private party auto lender will ask for the seller’s lender statement showing the payoff amount and payoff authorization. Your private party auto lender will then send funds directly to the lender to pay off the loan so the car’s title can be transferred. They’ll also send the seller any proceeds beyond what’s required to pay off the loan.
Some private party lenders also handle the ownership transfer paperwork with the DMV so you don’t have to. But you’ll still need to find out the car’s history before you buy it and find the best car insurance as soon as possible.
How a Private Party Auto Loan Works
Just like traditional auto loans, the vehicle you’re financing will secure the private party auto loan. While secured loans tend to have lower interest rates than unsecured loans, the lender can repossess your collateral (the car) if you fall behind on payments or default.
Lenders offer terms of 12 to 84 months on private party auto loans. The longer the loan term, the more interest you’ll pay but the smaller your auto loan monthly payment will be.
Rates and Costs
These are the factors that will affect your interest rate on a private party auto loan:
Your credit score. The higher your credit score, the lower your rate.
The amount you’re borrowing. Smaller loans sometimes have higher rates than larger loans.
The loan term. Shorter terms, like a 24-month auto loan, tend to have lower rates than longer terms, like 84 months.
The vehicle’s age. Newer vehicles tend to have lower rates than older ones.
The vehicle’s mileage. Cars with more miles may entail higher-rate loans.
The lender you choose. Shopping around will help you get the best deal.
Autopay discount. Rates are often 0.25% to 0.50% lower for customers that allow automatic monthly drafts from their bank account to repay the loan.
How Can I Qualify for a Private Party Auto Loan?
Qualifying for a private party auto loan is just like qualifying for a dealership auto loan. You’ll need good credit and enough income to cover your monthly payment. You might need a down payment, but many lenders offer 100% financing on used auto loans. They may even finance more than 100% of the car’s purchase price to help you cover tax, title and license fees.
The average credit score for someone purchasing a used car with an auto loan in the fourth quarter of 2020 was 671, according to Experian. You are unlikely to qualify for an auto loan with a credit score below 500, but there are lenders that specialize in car loans for bad credit.
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