Owning a car is different than owning a home. A home will generally hold (or increase) its value, while a car will almost always lose its value the longer you own it. When you owe more money on the asset than it’s worth, that’s called being “upside down” or “underwater.” And one of the things people often find themselves saying when they’re in debt is “I owe more than my car is worth.”
If that applies to you, then you’ve got some tough decisions to make. But the good news is, there is hope! Thankfully there are several strategies you can implement when your car’s loan is more than the car’s value:
How to Get Out of an Upside Down Car Loan
1. Find out how much your car is worth
The very first step you need to take is to find out how much your car is worth. You can use sites like Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds to determine the amount of your car’s current value for free. To get an accurate valuation, be honest about the condition of your car and enter the exact mileage.
2. Get updated on the balance of the loan
Contact your local bank or loan company to find out the “payoff” balance of the loan. Then compare this figure to the estimated value price from step one. Sometimes car owners discover they’re not really upside down after all. However, if you bought a new car with nothing down, or rolled the balance of a previous car loan into your new one, the chances are high that you’re in an upside down car.
3. Move the excess car debt to a local bank or credit union
If you discover you are in fact underwater with your car loan, if you try to sell the car you’ll end up with excess debt. For example, if you owe $10,000 on the car but it’s only worth $7,500 you’ll end up with a balance of $2,500 to pay the bank before they’ll release the title to the new owner.
One of the most cost effective ways to handle this, is to take out a loan from a local bank or credit union to cover the excess debt. Local banks often have lower interest rates and you’ll have a higher chance of getting approved. This step is a lot easier if your loan is already financed through the same bank.
4. Consider alternate sources of funding for paying off the car loan
If your bank or credit union won’t budge, or your car is financed through the dealership, you’ll have to look for alternate sources of funding to cover the difference. If you have good credit, using peer-to-peer lending networks like Lending Club or Prosper could be good options.
You could also consider taking advantage of a credit card with a balance transfer offer. You might be able to get a low introductory APR of 0% for a period of 6-12 months or until the introductory period ends. This method can be risky, though, so be cautious when choosing this option.
5. Throw extra money towards the car loan
Finally, if you can’t find a buyer who wants to purchase your car or you can’t secure a way to pay the excess debt you owe on the car, you’ll need to find extra money to cover the difference. There are two ways you can do this:
- Find stuff to sell
- Boost your income
Selling some major items like extra furniture or jewelry might help, or you can sell electronics or other items on eBay or Craigslist to raise money. If you’d rather go the boost income route, the only answer is to get a second job or work over-time at your current job.
This doesn’t have to be anything permanent, just a temporary fix until the car loan shortage is corrected. There are even legitimate ways to make extra money from home, which might be the push you need to start your own small business or freelance career.
The remaining debt is much more manageable than the full balance of the loan, so you’ll want to get as much out of the sale of the car as you can. The balance left over is what you need to makeup by selling stuff or making extra money.
Avoid Owing More than Your Car is Worth in the Future
Once you’ve finally recovered from an underwater car loan, you’ll want to make a plan to avoid this problem again in the future. Cars will always rapidly go down in value. Once you drive them off the lot, they aren’t so much an asset as they are an expense. When you’re ready for your next car, keep these tips in mind so you’ll never have to be upside down on a car loan again.
1. Don’t finance an auto loan through the dealership
Car dealers know that as long as it has an engine in it, the car’s value will always be going down – which is why they push hard for the financing with them. I learned this lesson the hard way, when I financed my new car through the dealership. They come with higher interest rates and excess fees than if you finance through a local bank or credit union.
2. Put at least 20% down on any car loan
Treat your car like a house and try to have at least 20% of the purchase price available in cash for a down payment. In the past, I’ve put about 50% down on my vehicles and it’s saved me loads of hassle and money in interest charges. This extra down payment will be your best defense against the horrendous depreciation that your new car experiences over the next two years.
3. Pay more than the minimum payment on your car loan
If you’re going to finance, try to pay more than minimum payment. Do whatever you can, even if it’s $20 or $50 extra per month, every little bit helps. You’ll be able to payoff more of the principal balance earlier, which means you’ll build up less interest. The faster you pay off the loan, the better off you and your car will be.
Hopefully, with all of these tips, you’ll never again find yourself saying the words “I owe more than my car is worth.”
Have you ever been stuck in an underwater car loan? What did you do? Tell us about your experience!
Image credit: UggBoy
This post was published by Carrie, Guest Blogger for ReadyForZero. ReadyForZero is a company that helps people get out of debt on their own with a simple and free online tool that can automate and track your debt paydown.
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