Are you someone planning to buy your first car? Then you must probably be a high school student, a college student or have recently been employed. Buying a car for the first time can be a pretty exciting experience. Here are a few tips below to help you out.

• Decide on which car to buy first. Be reasonable and choose one that you can make a 20% down payment on. If you can’t do that, choose a different car. It’s best if you buy a car that you can pay off within 4 years.


• Other than the loan payment, remember that you also have to pay for the gas, insurance, batteries and a lot other things.


• There’s nothing shameful in buying a used car. Buying a used Toyota Camry or Honda Accord is actually a pretty good idea since they will give you safety, dependability and freedom from costly repairs.


• Don’t expect to get an auto loan for a car which is more than 5 years old. You will have to pay cash.


• There is no return policy for cars. You can’t give it back because you don’t like it after 2 days. So decide well.


• Most probably you don’t have a credit history if you are a first time car buyer. This is one of the biggest hurdles you will face in getting a loan. You need to establish credit. You can get a gas card and credit card from your local department store pretty easily. When you use them, make sure you pay them off within a month. Don’t dare overspend as it is going to reflect badly on your credit history. In fact, the balance should not reach more than 50% of your limit. Do this for 6 months. It will let you show some sort of a credit history to the lender.


• Asking your parents, a relative or a close friend to cosign with you is a good idea if you do not have an established credit history. This means your cosigner will also be signing the loan papers along with you. It also means that your cosigner will be responsible for payments on your loan if you default. It is a matter of great risk and delicacy and you have to make sure that your cosigner knows what he is getting into before he signs.

The most important barriers you are going to face when you apply for an auto loan for your first car are:

• Your lack of credit history will make it difficult to convince the lender


• Finding financing for a used car more than 5 years old is difficult, if not impossible


• Insurance for your car will be pretty high


• Dealing with car repairs and other maintenance costs will rake off quite a bit of your income

As a first time buyer, you should research well before you decide on finding an auto loan for your car. Happy car shopping!

• First Time Car Buyers Loan - How to Qualify for First Car Loan?
• Build Your Credit while Buying a Car with Zero Credit
• Which Can Be The Best Deal - New Car Loan or Used Car Loan?
• Applying Online Can Get You Reasonable Auto Loan Rates even with Terrible Credit?
• Buying a Brand New Car without Exceeding Your Budget?
• Used Car Financing - Making Your Car Finance Affordable!
• Auto Financing Tips for Bad Credit Car Buyers!