According to most personal finance experts, the optimal length for a car loan is 48 months, although some are upping this length to 60 months due to the increased cost of vehicles and lower interest rates.
This is why Edmunds recommends a 60-month auto loan if you can manage it. A longer loan may have a more palatable monthly payment, but it comes with a number of drawbacks, as we'll discuss later. The trend is actually worse for used car loans, where just over 80% of used car loan terms were over 60 months.
Because of the high interest rates and risk of going upside down, most experts agree that a 72-month loan isn't an ideal choice. Experts recommend that borrowers take out a shorter loan. And for an optimal interest rate, a loan term fewer than 60 months is a better way to go. You can learn more about car loans here.
(1) You will generally pay less interest on a 36 or 48 month loan than you would on a 60 (assuming that we are not talking about 0% interest deals here). So, while your payments will be higher the shorter the term, your total interest paid will be lower.
Depending on multiple factors, such as credit score, some consumers may qualify for financing of 84 months – an eight-year term – or more. The average loan term at the start of 2021 was 69 months for new and nearly 66 months for used vehicles, according to Experian data.
A 72-month car loan can make sense in some cases, but it typically only applies if you have good credit. When you have bad credit, a 72-month auto loan can sound appealing due to the lower monthly payment, but, in reality, you're probably going to pay more than you bargained for.
With a loan amount of $30,000, an interest rate of 8%, and a loan repayment period of 60-months, your monthly payment is around $700. Before you purchase your new vehicle, remember to budget for car maintenance, gas, and car insurance.
Paying off a car loan early can save you money — provided there aren't added fees and you don't have other debt. Even a few extra payments can go a long way to reducing your costs. Keep your financial situation, monthly goals and the cost of the debt in mind and do your research to determine the best strategy for you.
Shorter loans will come with less interest over the term and have higher payments. Longer-term loans will have lower monthly payments, but more interest over the term.
The Longer the Loan, the Higher the Interest Rate
History shows them that the longer the loan, the less likely the borrower will make all of the payments and ultimately pay off the car.
Generally speaking, if your credit score is 700 or less, 4.5% APR is considered good. In fact, it's close to average for a standard car loan. If your credit score is above 750, you can likely find lower interest rates in the 2% to 3% range. The lower the interest rate, the better it is for you and your wallet.
Since a new car starts losing value the moment you drive it off the lot, an 84-month auto car loan can also put you at higher risk of going upside down on your loan. That means you may end up with negative equity — owing more than your car is worth.
A 48-month loan is the optimal car loan length as recommended by personal finance experts. The reason that it's so popular is that it has a great balance between monthly payments and interest paid over the life of the loan.
And if you're hoping to score a 0% APR car loan, you'll likely need a very good or exceptional FICO® Score☉ , which means a score of 740 or above. Before you start shopping for a new vehicle, take some time to check your credit score to see where you stand.
The average monthly car loan payment in the U.S. was $648 for new vehicles and $503 for used ones originated in the first quarter of 2022, according to credit reporting agency Experian. While it's helpful to use average car loan payments as a benchmark, your actual car loan payment is determined by several factors.
Auto loans over 60 months are not the best way to finance a car because, for one thing, they carry higher car loan interest rates. Yet 39% of new-car buyers in the first quarter of 2021 took out loans of 61 to 72 months, according to Experian.
As of January 2020, U.S. News reports the following statistics for average auto loan rates: Excellent (750 - 850): 4.93 percent for new, 5.18 percent for used, 4.36 percent for refinancing. Good (700 - 749): 5.06 percent for new, 5.31 percent for used, 5.06 percent for refinancing.
When you make a timely payment to your auto loan each month, you'll see a boost in your score at key milestones like six months, one year, and eighteen months. Making your payments on time does the extra chore of paying down your installment debt as well.
No, paying off your car doesn't reduce your insurance rates, but it does give you more control over the type and amount of coverage you have, which can help you save money on your insurance rates.
PAY HALF YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENT EVERY TWO WEEKS
That adds up to 13 full payments a year, rather than 12. If you have a 60-month, $10,000 loan, you'll save only about $35 in interest, but you'll repay the loan in 54 months rather than 60.
ADVANTAGES. Leasing a car is much cheaper than buying it outright, because you're only paying a percentage of the total price. You won't have to worry about fetching a good price or finding a buyer for it when you're done, as the dealership will take it back from you.
Monthly Payments
Lease payments are almost always lower than loan payments because you're paying only for the vehicle's depreciation during the lease term, plus interest charges (called rent charges), taxes, and fees.
Consider a $30,000 car loan for a five-year repayment schedule at a rate of 4.5 percent. The total interest paid on this loan without a down payment would be $3557.43. However, with $6,000 put down on the car, you're only financing $24,000, which translates to $2845.95 in interest over the five years.