Personal Finance

A few posts ago, we investigated a range of car advertisements and had a look at the loan packages offered when you bought through these dealers. However, car companies and the finance packages aren’t the only options when it comes to taking out a car loan. Sure, the loan packages you can get through car dealers are often very simple but if you’re smart, you probably want to shop around to find the best loan package which is why you’ve come this site so we can do all the legwork for you. You may have seen ads offering loans in other places.’ Let’s have a look at some of these and decide whether they’re a good idea or not.

From the very start, we can dismiss the sort of ad that landed in my email inbox this morning (oddly, the spam filter missed this one). This email simply said I am Mr XXXX the advertising agent of (name loan firm and the brackets were in the original). This company is a registered loan company that give out fund to those who need financial support in their businesses or other activities. Our offer is with a very low interest rate. For one to apply he/she must be above the age of 18.You have to take advantage of this as preference will be given to first seven applicant. All interested persons should contact us Via Email and then proceeded to ask for a bunch of personal details. We’ve probably all seen emails like this ‘ some are even briefer like yesterday’s beauty (which was caught by the spam filter): Do you need loan contact us now with: Name, Amount, Duration, Phone, Country.

No matter how badly you need a loan or whatever your history is, IGNORE THESE EMAILS. They are out to nick your personal information and even if they do give you a loan, the terms are likely to be absolutely vicious. Never trust any offer of a loan that comes to you  you should be the one to approach the company, not the other way around. And never trust a loan company that has an ad in bad English  if they’re good enough and they’re genuine, they should be able to hire a decent writer to do the job for them.

But what about other ads? Can you trust them? As usual, the age-old advice of caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) applies, and you want to keep your wits about you so you don’t end up wishing you lived back in the Renaissance or the Middle Ages when charging exorbitant interest was considered to be among the most disgusting of sins, on a par with perversion.

Let’s take a look such loan ad in my local freebie newspaper: this one offers hassle free cash loans and instant cash. It all sounds very easy but I, for one, would ask a lot of questions before hopping on their website and applying and would ask even more (probably over the phone) before calling out one of their mobile managers to come round and give me the hard sell. Frankly, the ad on the same page that offers cash for scrap metal looks a lot more trustworthy and attractive. Some of the ads you see in the paper might be for decent companies, but always do your homework and ask thoroughly about terms and conditions before signing anything.

Or, even easier, you could get us to do the homework for you. We don’t like nasty loan sharks any more than you do, and we want to help you get the wheels you need without getting in over your head.

So you’ve decided that a motorbike is a good option for you, either because you want the fun of cruising the highways or the convenience of a form of transport for one that uses less fuel than a car does. And you’ve checked out what you need in the way of licences. You’re ready to organise a motorbike loan, you’ve saved the deposit and you’re ready to start shopping.

You probably already know that not all cars are created equal and the same goes for motorbikes. If you run your eyes over what’s on offer at your local car dealers, you’ll see a number of different styles of vehicle with four wheels: hatchbacks, sedans/saloons, stationwagons/estates, sports cars, coup’s, convertibles, four-wheel-drives, utes, SUVs… the list of body styles and specs seems almost endless. While motorbikes don’t come in such a wide range of styles, there are different types out there. If you’re going to all the effort of taking out a loan to purchase a motorbike, it’s wise to do your homework and choose the right bike for you.

So what’s out there?

• Scooters: Scooters are the smaller type of bike and are suitable for people on a provisional licence.They’re great for city running and if you just want a nice cheap way to get about, a scooter may be all the bike you need. Think the classic Nifty 50 (Honda 50) and the little Italian Vespa types. You can also pick up electric-powered scooters that reduce your petrol bill to nil  although they do bump up your electricity bill. Scooters aren’t built for speed but for compactness, but even so, a good scooter might make a good addition to a commercial fleet if you want an in-house courier to negotiate heavy traffic (scooters can glide along the side of queues) to get documents, samples and lab results across town quickly.
• Cruisers: This is the bike you need if you’re planning on going on long journeys and road trips. Cruisers are built for comfort and tend to be bigger bikes. They also tend to have a bit more room for a pillion passenger and a variety of saddlebags for carrying the gear needed for overnight trips. Harley-Davidson is the iconic type of cruiser, but BMW also makes some very comfortable and reliable cruisers  police forces in various parts of the world have used BMW bikes for their motorbike fleets. Needless to say, you need a full licence to ride one of these, as they tend to have bigger motors.
• Dirt bikes: These are designed for off-road use in rough conditions and usually have juicy suspension and heavy studding on the tyres. They’re not the best choice for on-road use, but if you live in one of the remoter parts of Australia and most of your roads are gravel or you do a lot of off-road running, a dirt bike might be the best option for you. Some dirt bikes are designed purely for off-road use and may not be road legal, so ask the dealer the right questions if you have your eyes on one of these.
• Racing machines: Definitely not for the learner rider or the inexperienced, these tend to be built for speed and power Kawasaki, for example, makes some very powerful machines indeed. These tend to be heavy bikes with streamlined design. Don’t forget to buy all the safety gear you can to be on the safe side  you might need to take out a larger loan than you would have otherwise to do this.
• Classic bikes: Triumphs, older Hondas, Harley-Davidsons and other bikes from the 1970s and earlier. These tend to be bought for fun and for sentimental reasons, but they are surprisingly practical and reliable. They tend to have bigger engines (except in the case of very old models that date back to the Second World War) and might not be the best choice for learner riders.

Expect to have complete strangers come up to you and talk to you about your bike if you have a cruiser or a classic, especially if that stranger also owns a bike. This could be another reason for buying a motorbike  it’s a great way to meet people with a common interest.

We don’t just deal with car loans here at Fincar. We also process plenty of applications for motorbikes as well. Whether you’re getting two wheels for business or for pleasure, a motorbike has plenty to offer in the way of fun and for fuel-efficiency. But what do you need to look out for if you’re buying your first motorbike?

The first thing you have to make sure that you have before you apply for a motorbike loan is a motorbike licence  duh! You’re going to look pretty silly if you go down to the dealers, loan all approved and ready to go, only to find out that you can’t drive the thing home. Alert readers might have spotted the Catch-22 situation here: you need a motorbike to pass the practical licence test but you can’t ride the bike out of the dealer’s yard without a licence.No worries.You can sit a theoretical test and get a learner’s permit, as long as you’re over the right age (which, presumably, you are if you are considering taking out a loan and reading this  although some younger readers and potential riders might think about getting loans from the First National Bank Of Mum And Dad).The age does vary from state to state you have to be 16 to get your learner’s permit in South Australia but you have to be 17 to get the same bit of paper in Western Australia  check the regulations for where you live.Don’t forget to attach your L-plate before you ride away, and if you’ve never ridden before, get someone to show you how to ride (another duh! statement).Also don’t forget to include the price of your helmet and other safety gear when you apply for that loan.

Your licence will determine the sort of bike you have. A person holding a learner’s permit (and those who’ve been riding for less than 12 months) can only ride motorbikes with under 250cc engine capacity but there are a few exceptions, as some motorbikes are pocket rockets that can twist a huge amount of power out of a small engine, and these are on the No Way list for those with an R-Date licence (also known as an R-E licence).Later on, you can get the bigger bike with 250+ cc. Often, we see people applying for motorbike loans when the time comes for the big bike, as these are often more expensive (it’s easy to pick up second-hand <250cc bikes at a reasonable price  people who have bought the new big bike often sell the old one, or else they try to sell the small bike so they can use the money as a deposit on the new one).

Mopeds are a different kettle of fish altogether. Mopeds have an engine capacity of under 50cc and can’t work up any speed over 60 km/h. Some mopeds can best be described as a cross between a regular pushbike and a motorbike. They’re not as common as regular motorbikes, and we hardly see anyone coming to us so they can take out a loan for a moped!

But what do you choose when you pick the big one? Are all bikes created equal or are there different sorts for different purposes, similar to what happens with cars. And do you have to go to a larger bike at all ? This is a bit more complex and will take another post to address properly.

In our last post, we had a look at some of the headlines that hit you in the face when you have a look at a car ad  and some of the fine print that usually turns up at the bottom of the page. Most of these headlines relate to car finance and the various conditions of the loan, but a few don’t.Here’s another selection, again taken more or less at random from the automotive section of an old newspaper with identifying information about makes, models and dealers removed to protect the innocent and the guilty.

• Brand new [Make & Model] from $XXXXXX. Notice that little from.This means that the price could be more than this. In fact, it probably will be more than this if you want anything more than the basic bog-standard variant of this new car.
• Get $XXX worth of accessories free.Sounds like an attractive deal, but the chances are that these accessories will include rather basic things like soft cloths for cleaning the windscreen, a keyring with the brand name (or the name of the dealer) and a few other little bits and pieces like coffee cups, cleaning products, mats and possibly seat covers if you’re lucky. A nice deal, but don’t let this sway you away from a lower price from another dealer  these little dinky giveaways probably aren’t worth it.
• Now only… Like all ads of this type, there’s a chance that the full price isn’t really the full price and you’re being offered a discount just to make you think that you’re saving money.Shop around and look at what other dealers offer for similar vehicles and you’ll get an idea about whether you are actually getting a discount or not.
• The new [make and model]  new look and new features. This means that the manufacturers have upgraded the vehicle in question. The fine print usually clarifies what the changes are. It’s up to you as to whether you like the new features or whether you want to stick with the older type that has just been superseded  which might be a good idea if you’re on a tight budget and the new features are things like bigger wheels or a different shape for the headlights. But new models usually have a few more tweaks than that!
• This month only! or its close cousin This week only! This is a very common advertising technique, making you think that you’ll miss out on the deal of a lifetime if you don’t sign on the dotted line now. It is a gimmick, and there will be another get it now before it’s too late deal in the yard next week or next month. Never feel rushed or pressured into making a decision about a vehicle  it’s your money (OK, you’ve borrowed most of it but you will have to pay it back) and your car.
• No deposit.This means you don’t need a deposit to get the car but you will probably be stung with higher interest charges or higher weekly/monthly repayments. Shop around for loans in this case (or get us to do it for you) to find something easier to manage unless you’re in urgent need of a set of wheels (see above).

Christmas is a-coming, and it’s one of those things that you have to factor in when you’re working with a budget… and you should be working with a budget if you are considering taking out a loan for a car, bike or boat (yes, even if you are buying said car, boat or bike as a Christmas present!).

Often, when people first calculate a budget to see what sort of weekly payments can be managed for your loan repayment, they can overlook events like Christmas and birthdays, which do require a little extra expenditure. And then that time of year comes around and the pressure can start coming on. It can be tempting to overspend and possibly max out your credit cards in order to have the perfect Christmas.

However, if you cut through the hype and are smart, then you can avoid blowing your budget over this time of year and facing the choice between defaulting on a loan repayment  with all the nasty hassle that comes with this  or eating baked beans for a fortnight. (If it gets to that level, choose the baked beans. They’re good for you as well as being ultra-cheap, and it’s easier to repair the social damage caused by blowing off than the credit damage caused by blowing your credit).

First of all, remember that Christmas doesn’t have to be perfect as defined by advertisers and movies. You don’t need a huge turkey or ham for Christmas dinner, plus all the heavy food of a Northern Hemisphere Christmas. In Australia, we’re lucky enough to be able to have Christmas in the veggie growing season, so make the most of cheap seasonal veggies or even home grown veggies and built your Christmas dinner around that, with the meat being a sideshow.

And presents don’t have to be the biggest, best, flashest and most fashionable. It’s a clich, but it really is the thought that counts. Try home-made treats and gifts if you’re good with your hands (sweets, jam, biscuits, cake, photo frames, etc…) or vouchers offering your services (washing cars, mowing lawns, babysitting, weeding, cleaning) that can be redeemed throughout the year. Or set a maximum limit and see what you can find for under a certain price  it’s amazing what you can find if you use your imagination.

Other tips to help you fit Christmas into your budget are:

• Join a Christmas hamper scheme or voucher scheme through your local supermarket  this does trim down the food budget.
• Buy presents bit by bit through the year rather than in one big hit. This spreads the cost out, allowing you to fit present shopping around your repayments. October and November can be good times to start. (Oops  bit late for that one now!)
• Buy presents for families as a group rather than individuals. This is especially good if you have masses of relatives.
• Make your own Christmas cards  after all, you can get enough pictures of Christmas-related stuff on the catalogues that pour through the letterbox to provide plenty of collage material.
• Make a pact with the members of your family that the presents will be bought in the New Year/Boxing Day sales when all the excess stock in shops gets sold off cheap. Don’t go mad, though  again, set a maximum limit and stick to it. Use cash and leave the credit card at home if you’re likely to give into temptation.