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A recent article in a UK newspaper claimed 1.6 million Brits currently lease their car – but how many actually understand what they’re doing?

When I first leased a car, I had no idea how it worked. I assumed a lease was something you got on a retail building and not a car!

Don’t let the complexity scare you though. Leasing can be a practical and affordable form of car finance if you take the time to get to know how it works. In this blog, I’ll run you through what leasing is, how it works and a couple different forms of leasing finance.

What is a lease?

To understand the difference between leasing and buying, you need to have a look at what you’re actually paying for in a lease.

When you buy a car outright, your payment covers the full value that the vehicle is worth. Once you’ve paid the full price (either immediately or over time), you become the legal owner of the car.

With leasing, you essentially ‘rent’ a car for a given period of time and return it at the end of your contract. Unlike buying a car, you’re never the legal owner of the car, although you are usually its registered keeper.

Why lease? Because depreciation hurts

Leasing is an attractive option for a lot of people because it eliminates one of the major problems that comes with owning a car – the cost of depreciation (depreciation is how quickly a car loses value).

According to the AA, new cars can lose up to 10% of their value the moment you drive them off the forecourt. Worse, the worst of the bunch can lose up to 60% of their value in the first year of ownership!

With these motors, if you’re planning on selling your car after a few years, you’re in for a shock when you check what it’s worth.

Contract Hire

Contract hire (more commonly known as leasing) is an arrangement where someone ‘rents’ a new car for a set period of time from a dealer. During the contract, the individual pays just enough to pay off the car’s depreciation. (Plus a little profit for the dealer, of course.) At the end of the contract, the individual returns the car to the dealer and they both go their separate ways.

With leasing deals, you aren’t the legal owner of the car but you are the registered keeper. That means you have get the car regularly serviced and keep it in a good condition.

The best thing about leasing compared to other finance options is the monthly payments, which tend to be significantly lower. That’s because, as I already mentioned, you’re only paying off the depreciation. You can also trade your car in every few years for a brand new model!

Tom Butcher worked behind the scenes in print journalism for years until he discovered the wonders of the web. He writes for several publications, covering the finance, automotive and tech sectors. At the moment, he is helping LeaseFetcher teach the world about car leasing.

Most people come to a certain point when they have to borrow money to buy something expensive. This could be a house, home improvements, school fees or a car. Times are economically difficult at the moment so getting a loan isn’t always as easy as it once was. If you have a reasonable credit history though, there are car loans available. Here are some ways that you can make sure you get the best car loan possible.

Know your credit history

First of all make sure you know your credit score, this will put you in a much better negotiating position. Money lenders are far more likely to lend you money if you have shown that you can be trusted to repay the money you have borrowed. That isn’t to say that you can’t be trusted if you have a less than perfect credit history, many people have lost their jobs over the last few years and have found themselves unable to repay their credit. Unfortunately the banks will still penalise those people with higher interest rates and less car loan choice. Check the APR on any car finance you are considering and make sure that you work out the difference between the flat rate and the APR as the difference can be considerable. Even if you have a low credit score, there are many ways that you can improve it over time so don’t get too disheartened. There will also still be loans available to you but they will have much higher interest rates. To avoid a footprint on your credit history if you think you will be turned down, try to get car loan quotes over the phone.

Get a higher acceptance rate

Another way of getting a good car loan deal is to apply for PPI, or payment protection insurance. This doesn’t mean that you have to take it out, in fact it isn’t recommended at all. But, just for applying for a loan with PPI means that you are more than likely going to be accepted. When you have your quote and you have been offered your loan then you can say you have just changed your mind and cancel the payment protection insurance and get the car loan company to give you a new quote. You will normally have fourteen days to do this. Doing it this way will usually mean that you get the lower interest rate too.

The best way to make sure you get a good deal on your car loan is to shop around. If you get a good quote, make sure you read the small print to ensure it is as good as it appears.

What do you do when your car suddenly starts emitting a rattling sound or a funny “feel” to it when you’re driving… and you just had it serviced 2 weeks ago? Many loan providers understand that car maintenance can be costly, especially if it is unforeseen. Thus, car owners may now take advantage of advancement from car loans and personal loans in the form of a product specific to car maintenance and repairs. Those for whom unexpected vehicle maintenance can be a budget catastrophe can rest easy knowing that they can turn to car repair loans for help.

Car repair loans are a quick, hassle-free way to get that extra cash needed when unexpected maintenance is required for a car. It can be used for car maintenance, car repairs, or just about any emergency maintenance needs that your car may develop. Surprises like these are wholly unwelcome!

All you have to do is to apply for the loan, and if everything in your application is in order, you can receive an immediate car repair cash advance. Many providers of car maintenance loans grant quick loans to vehicle owners who find themselves in a situation where they did not expect to spend any more than they already have on their vehicle.

Car maintenance loans like these are a great solution for the cash-strapped car owner. Instead of allowing the car to rattle on, possibly causing even more damage and thus exacerbating the problem, you can immediately have your car looked at and work out the payment soon after that. This can save the car owner a lot of trouble and worry as a car that is well taken care of would go further, both literally and figuratively, as compared to a car whose maintenance has been neglected. Furthermore, this ensures that your car meets safety and compliance regulations that allow it to stay on the road.

Car maintenance loans are also a great solution if you need to carry out unexpected car repairs in the unfortunate event of a car accident. Many times, an accident puts the owner in a dilemma, especially since no one ever saves up for a car accident. The car involved in the accident may not be road-worthy, yet very much needed for daily activities such as just getting to and from work, or sending the children to school and bringing them home again. Thus, car repair loans come in very handy in situations like these.