It's been a while since I've published a segment on 0 APR Car Deals. In some cases, these no-interest car loans make more sense than a lease; especially those with the 60 month and 72 month terms. But, there is one thing to keep in mind with 0 APR Car Deals:  The car makers and dealers offering them are still making money on the car. So, how do they do it? They make their money on the sales price of the car. Consider this example of a no-interest loan at full MSRP vs a low-interest loan for a car sold at a traditional, low interest rate. Read the rest of this entry

If cash is king than why are some people willing to give it away for a depreciating asset like a new or near-new car? Then, they accuse those of us who lease cars of not being frugal enough with our money? What's up with that? It is precisely because cash is king that it makes no sense to deplete your bank account.  Life is temporary  and nothing we have can be owned forever. Would any of us pay cash up front for a life insurance policy while not knowing how long it will be needed? Life is full of uncertainties and so it makes sense to pay as we go. I really get annoyed when the so-called, financial experts like Suze Orman advise people against taking on reasonable and affordable monthly loan payments for useful luxuries in life like cars. Yes, there is a such thing as taking on car payments one cannot afford, but is that any less responsible than putting a big chunk of cash down on a used car which is bound to present repair bills?

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0 Interest Car Financing

Is 0 Finance on New Cars Better Than Leasing?

What's not to like about 0 Finance On New Cars?  If there is one thing I like better than a super low, sub-vented car lease payment, it's 0 Finance on New Cars.
These loans are not really loans at all because you don't pay one dime of interest on 0 Finance on New Cars. It's even better when No Interest Car Loans go for 60 and 72 month terms. The way I look at is like this: If I can borrow $20, $30, $40 or $50K or more, free of interest for 5 or 6 years to get the car I want, I'd be crazy to finance a car any other way. Paying Cash For a New Car is one other way to avoid interest charges, but how many years will it take you to recoup the cash you laid out for the car?  For most of us, paying cash for a car is not a viable option. While I still believe that car leasing is the most affordable way to finance and drive new cars, there are times when it makes a great deal of sense to buy, particularly when you can find 0 finance on new cars. Last year, I featured some of the top 0% APR Car Loan Offers from Toyota, Honda, Ford and GM. We dearly hoped that we would see more of these 0-finance-on-new-cars offers this year. I'm pleased to say that these great No-Interest-No-Money-Down Car Financing Offers are still just as popular as ever. Read the rest of this entry

Minivan Ratings

Minivan Ratings vs SUV

Minivan Ratings

Even Minivan Ratings are not as cool as SUVs.. But these things evolve in our society. By the time my oldest child entered high school, my wife and I had really grown tired of driving a minivan around town. We had just assumed that we had outgrown Minivans. We stopped buying them after trading in the 2000 model Chevrolet Venture in 2007. The Venture served us well, but was beginning to show its age in the way of maintenance and repairs. Also, it didn't look cool. We seemed too old for it. I believe that a great deal of us feel this way as we get into our late 30s or 40s and are no longer lugging strollers, walkers, bikes, carriers and toddler toys wherever we go. So, while the feeling is mutual, is the disdain for minivans rational from a practical standpoint? The next logical progression for a parent who has seeming outgrown minivans is of course, the SUV. While I loved the Hyundai Veracruz SUV that we leased for two years, I had a hard time justifying the extra cost of the all-wheel drive and diminished gas mileage. What I do miss, however, is the extra cargo and passenger space the Veracruz provided. Passenger and cargo room are certainly things you get from a minivan and they are great on vacations. Now that the kids are grown, perhaps you enjoy road trips and are realizing how convenient it would be to have two automatic sliding doors for easily lifting your cooler and luggage items in and out of your vehicle? Or, perhaps you'd like to throw a bike in back and still have room for the dog? The truth of the matter is that there is pretty much nothing an SUV can do that a Minivan cannot do. The 1996 Dodge Caravan and 2000 Chevy Venture were safe to drive and got excellent traction in the snow. It really amazes me how many people will pay good money for an SUV with front wheel drive only. There is definitely some psychological materialism involved in the decision to buy a vehicle that looks like an SUV, but is more expensive and less practical than a Minivan. So, with the high popularity of SUVs, you might expect to find better leasing and financing offers for them. This is not the case. Read the rest of this entry