A.  When considering a new car loan it is important to evaluate more than just the monthly payment.  A car buyer should weigh all the costs of the loan and the vehicle including the car loan rate and term.  A key factor to evaluate with a new car loan that is often overlooked by many car buyers is the term or length of the loan. 

It is crucial to understand the costs and risks of choosing a long repayment period with a car loan.  A longer loan term can be very appealing for many car buyers because it means a lower monthly payment.  Unfortunately, the cost of the lower monthly payment is a higher total cost overall because the car buyer will be paying interest on the auto loan for a longer period of time.  Another consideration for long term car loans is the slow reduction in the principal balance of the car loan due to the extended term.  The depreciating car that was purchased using the car loan will have a lower resale value quicker and may fall below what you owe on the car loan at some point in time if the car loan term is spread out too long. 

In the later years of the car loan, the car owner may still be making payments on an older model vehicle that may have a lot of repair and maintenance costs as well as a value that is less than the loan balance.  Consider the car loan payment amount as well as the total costs of the loan before choosing the term of the car loan.  A car loan calculator can quickly assess the car loan payments and the total car loan cost based on the auto loan rate, term and loan amount.

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