Alternatives to a car finance loan

While car finance loans are attractive because they directly relate to vehicles, they are not the only option when it comes to borrowing money for a new car.

If you’re buying a relatively cheap car then a credit card might be a viable option. Many purchase cards offer a 0% introductory period which can help you with budgeted-for purchases. However you should only choose this option if you are confident that you can pay the money back before the 0% period ends.

If you are buying the car with cash (which is likely to happen if it is a private sale) a money transfer card is also a good option to consider. Money transfer cards can be particularly useful when buying something like a car as they allow you to transfer cash from the money transfer card to your current account. Money transfer cards often have a 0% introductory interest rate, essentially acting as a small loan which you can use to raise the cash for a car. However, you must make sure you can pay back the money on the card before the introductory period ends, as the interest will often jump to a much higher rate after this period.