South Portland Auto Loan & Financing Companies

Below is a list of South Portland auto loan companies and dealers that will work to get you the money you need to get into a new or used car today. View contact information for each South Portland auto loan lender, or read tips and advice on how to get the best auto loan rates online!

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Buying a new vehicle is stressful enough without having to make a decision about how to pay for it. When it comes to South Portland auto financing, loans, and lending companies, there many choices are enough to make your head spin. We offer these tips to help you save time and money when it comes to shopping for auto loans online.

Step 1. Review your credit report long before you intend to apply for a loan. Why should you see your credit report before applying for an South Portland auto loan? To correct any error before it slows down your credit approval or prevents you from getting the best possible loan terms. It's also smart to review your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus that operate nationwide-Equifax (www.equifax.com), Experian (www.experian.com) and TransUnion (www.transunion.com).

Step 2. Shop for an South Portland auto loan before you visit a dealership or bid for a car online. Contact your bank and several other local lenders. Ask about the auto loans they offer – the number of months for which you can borrow, the interest rates being offered, whether there are penalties if you pay the loan off early, and so on. Ask about other options for financing the car.

For example, some homeowners may want to consider a home equity loan or line of credit instead of a traditional South Portland auto loan. Also consider getting pre-approved for your auto loan, meaning a lender evaluates your creditworthiness and explains your auto financing options and likely costs before you buy a car. Consumer advocates also suggest that you not tell the dealer if you've been pre-approved elsewhere for an South Portland auto loan until after you've negotiated the best price on a car.

After you know what's available in the marketplace, including the South Portland auto loan interest rates, consider learning what the dealers are currently offering. Find out if only certain models are eligible for zero-percent auto financing from the dealer or if a manufacturer's rebate isn't available if you opt for zero-percent South Portland auto loan financing. Having this information helps you make a good decision about financing when you're face-to-face with a sales person or finance officer at the car dealer.

Step 3. Be careful figuring out how much to borrow and for how long. Of course, the dollar amount of your auto loan largely will be determined by the sale price of the vehicle minus your down payment, any rebates and the value of any trade-in. But there are other costs that you should consider when deciding how much of a car you can afford and how much of an South Portland auto loan you need. Those costs include auto insurance, sales taxes, annual property taxes on the car (if any), and options you may be inclined to buy, such as an extended warranty.

After you determine how big an auto loan you need, try to pick a repayment period that makes sense for you. While it's tempting to go with a longer South Portland auto loan to get a lower monthly payment, be careful.

Step 4. Know what you are signing and speak up if you think there's a problem with your South Portland auto loan financing papers. A variety of laws provide consumer protections in the context of auto loans. Among them: the federal Truth in Lending Act, which requires lenders to disclose to borrowers the terms of auto loans(including the Annual Percentage Rate and the total cost of the loan), and federal and state laws that prohibit unfair or deceptive business practices.

Auto Loan Tips