Most of the time, people seek car loan refinancing to lower their monthly payments. This priority is understandable because monthly car loan payments can have an immediate impact on a household’s monthly finances. However, your monthly payment should not be your only consideration when refinancing as the sections below describe.
You have two ways to lower your car loan monthly payments. You can get a lower interest rate, you can extend your loan term, or you can do both. Usually, the best way to lower your car loan payments dramatically is to extend the number of months over which you pay for your car. However, when you extend your loan term, you may end up paying more for your car in total than you would without extending it. Still, if your lender allows you to extend your loan term and gives you a lower interest rate, you may both lower your monthly payments and pay less in total for your car. The example below will illustrate how this outcome can occur.
While it is interrelated to lower monthly payments, some refinance customers prioritize lowering the interest rates on their loans.