NEED FOR SPEED

IF YOU can access finance for a vehicle, consider yourself lucky - and make sure to do your homework on the best loan options.

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Interest rates are the most significant factor determining the overall cost of a loan.

Make sure to shop around for the best rate, and don't forget to factor in fees when calculating the total cost of any loan.

Your repayment period matters.

A longer repayment period will reduce the size of your monthly payments, but it will also result in you incurring more interest.

It is always better to pay off any loan as quickly as possible.

Putting down a deposit will reduce the cost of your loan, and will bring down both your interest rate and your monthly instalments.

Generally, the bigger the deposit, the shorter your repayment term will be and the lower your repayment amount will be.

If you can't pay for your chosen vehicle in full, you will have to finance your big purchase. There are some main finance options

NEW CAR: Save up for a large deposit

PERSONAL FINANCE available, but your access to these options depends on a few factors.

Those include the age of the vehicle, whether you are buying from a dealer or a private seller, whether you have a mortgage and your credit score.

A home loan is often considered the best way to finance a vehicle.