Common
mistakes motorcycle buyers make when looking for a motorcycle
loan
by
Jay Fran
Whether
interest rates are high or low or it's the end of a
model year with lots of incentives, motorcycle buyers
tend to make the same mistakes when shopping for a motorcycle
loan. Here are four common mistakes motorcycle buyers
make with motorcycle loans.
Shopping
for a motorcycle before shopping for a motorcycle loan.
Many
motorcycle buyers enter the showroom looking for a motorcycle
before they determine how much money a motorcycle lender
is willing to loan to them for the purchase of a motorcycle.
There is no need to shop for a $20,000 Harley Davidson
motorcycle, if a lender is only willing to provide a
loan amount of $10,000.
Additionally,
once motorcycle buyers enter the showroom slick salespeople
often pressure them into motorcycle loans with much
higher internet rates than they could have gotten had
they shopped for a motorcycle loan at a bank, credit
union or online. Salespeople do not like motorcycle
buyers to leave the dealership to get a motorcycle loan.
In the salespersons mind this only increases the chance
of loosing a sale and commission. Therefore, salespeople
frequently try for a quick sale which normally results
in pushing motorcycle buyers to get motorcycle financing
at the dealership.
The
bottom-line is that it is always best to shop for a
motorcycle loan before entering the showroom.
Diving
into the unknown motorcycle loan.
Motorcycle
buyers often jump into motorcycle loans that they do
not completely understand or may not be the best alternative
for them. For instance, in today's age manufacturers
frequently run credit card motorcycle loan promotions
on their private-label credit cards. But these promotions
typically offer a low interest rate for a short term
like 12 or 24 months and have a much higher interest
rate after the short promotional term. On a credit card
promotion if motorcycle buyers can not afford to pay
off the loan during the short promotion period, then
they are typically better taking a slightly higher interest
rate on an installment motorcycle loan for a longer
term.
Borrowing
too much.
The
most common mistake the first time motorcycle buyer
makes in not having a clear sense of how much motorcycle
they can afford. This is especially true for young motorcycle
buyers who look to buy the top sport bikes that cost
up to $10,000 - $15,000. What they fail to realize is
that financing a $10,000 - $15,000 motorcycle can stretch
them to thin, resulting in them having little cash to
enjoy themselves and the motorcycling lifestyle. They
may also have too little cash to pay for insurance,
maintenance, registration or new accessories for their
motorcycle.
Not
asking the right questions.
The
first warning sign that motorcycle buyers should see
is that if they do not understand the type of motorcycle
loan, then they should be sure to ask a lot of questions.
Here
are some good questions to ask:
- Is
the interest rate fixed or variable? If fixed how long
will it be fixed for?
- Are
there circumstances that can make the interest rate
on the motorcycle loan change in the future?
- What
happens if a payment is 30 days late? Does the interest
rate increase?
- What
happens if a payment is 60 days late? Does the interest
rate increase?
- How
long is the term on the motorcycle loan?
- If
the loan is an installment loan, does it use rule of
78 or simple interest? (Simple interest is always better
because it does not penalize the motorcycle buyer if
the loan is paid off early.
-
What
is the down payment requirement to get the motorcycle
loan?
-
Is
full coverage insurance required?
-
How
much is registration and are these fees included in
the motorcycle loan?
-
Are
there any administrative fees to get the motorcycle
loan and if so how much are the fees?
Overall,
motorcycle buyers can avoid these common mistakes by spending
a little extra time focusing on shopping for a motorcycle
loan and asking lots of questions.
Jay
Fran is a successful author and publisher at http://www.motorcycle-financing-guide.com.
A comprehensive resource on how to have the best experience
and get the best deal on motorcycle financing, bad credit
motorcycle loans, high risk motorcycle loans and motorcycle
buying.
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