Whilst buying a car is without doubt an exciting time, it can also be stressful and costly. Most people (at least 80%) cannot afford to buy a new car outright. Therefore, most car buyers acquire a new car using a deposit as down payment and obtain car finance to fund the rest. The following five tips are valuable for people considering obtaining a new car as they give different options on how to best to fund the transaction.1. Sell your current car privately instead of a part exchange – Whilst it is much more convenient to ‘trade in’ an existing vehicle as a part exchange on a new vehicle this will not maximise the money you get for your car. Done primarily for ease and convenience (if you put your car in as part exchange against a newer model you remove the whole selling process, advertising costs, people calling around your home to view the car and being annoyed by phone calls for weeks after the car has been sold), it is a known fact that a part exchange is the least profitable way to sell your car. Therefore, if you have the time and patience, it is advised that you opt for a private sale. Perhaps the best way to determine whether you should part exchange or sell is to determine the market value for your vehicle and compare this with some part exchange values. Whatever the difference between the two can be considered your payment for the hassle of private sale and therefore you can make an informed decision.2. Car Finance From A Dealership – This is the most popular way to finance a car. Dealers provide approximately 65% of all car finance. The reason for this is that people shop for cars based on the price of the car and because 80% of all new car buyers need finance they end up taking finance from the same dealer that provides the best price on the car.Dealers typically offer hire purchase or car leasing. Hire purchase is an arrangement where people sign a contract to make monthly payments across 3 – 5 years and they end up owning the car at the end of that payment period. Leasing is slightly different because it is often much, much cheaper you can have the option to buy the car at the end of the period or simply return it to the dealer. However, you must be careful with dealer finance (or any car finance for that matter) and you should always shop around and compare the monthly deal that you have been offered. Just because you negotiated a good price on the car doesn’t always mean that you are getting a good monthly price on the finance. In some cases the monthly payment could have a premium hidden in it with a high APR and therefore the calculation of your monthly payment may not relate to the ‘good price’ that you think you negotiated on your car. Therefore, shop around and compare the monthly payment, the total payment ensuring that you are comparing the same contract period etc with different dealers and finance providers irrespective of the price that you have negotiated on the car.3. Car loans from a bank – Personal car loans account for only 13% of all new car finance. This is surprising because other than using cash, this is the only form of finance that enables the borrower to own the car from the point of purchase. Therefore, whilst most people think they own the car that they are driving, if they bought the car with finance and are still making monthly payments, then approximately 87% of all new cars are not actually owned by the drivers.If you are thinking of purchasing a car using a car loan of some form you should always shop around based on APR. There are various comparison websites that enable you to compare car loans but you should always be careful about two things:(i) the Apr that the website quotes to you is unlikely to be the one that you get. This is most likely the best APR you could get and it is often adjusted to meet how much of a ‘risk’ that bank may think you are;
(ii) do not submit too many applications for finance. If you submit three or four applications to different banks and you are refused by all of them, you might damage your credit record and make it difficult for you to obtain finance in the future. Some finance websites enable you to apply for a loan and they can advise you whether or not you are likely to succeed and this can be a safer way to apply4. Lease your new car – As discussed above, car leasing is most often the cheapest way to finance your new car. In fact, according to the Finance & Leasing Association, in the first 6 months of this year it was the most popular form or finance provided by dealers. When making a decision on car finance, be sure that you actually need to own your next car? If so, then the only form of finance that permits this immediately is a personal loan from a bank – remember, with hire purchase you will not own the car. If ownership is not so important, then leasing is a cheap form of finance – but you must have a good credit rating. There are many benefits with car leasing as it allows you to receive a new car every few years (although this can change, depending on the lease agreement) without the hassle of a part exchange. However, make sure that you are familiar with the disadvantages (you need to agree an annual mileage limit) and as always be sure to shop around and compare like with like on all alternative car leasing deals.
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Home Entertainment Center Furniture
A home entertainment center is a major piece of furniture and can hold many major electronic items, such as a television set, a VCR and/or DVD player, stereo components such as an AM/FM tuner, multi-disc compact disc changer, record player, and cable or satellite television receivers. The home entertainment center can be a welcome addition to your family room or home theater. The key point of your home entertainment center is of course the TV. Functionally, a home entertainment center is an organization tool. So Home entertainment centers serve the dual purpose of optimizing space utility and providing room for all electronic equipment to be kept togetherToday’s home entertainment systems are every bit as good in quality and sound as the movie theatres, plus they are getting better and even cheaper as technology continues to advance. In fact, with today’s home entertainment centers, watching a DVD at home with your surround sound system is a very enjoyable experience. If your idea of relaxation or recreation is watching TV, listening to music, reading books, or browsing the net to your heart’s content, then a perfect home entertainment center is an answer to match your lifestyle.These are excellent contemporary furniture sets that will make your big screen shine and provide space for your home entertainment center accessories as well. Home entertainment center furniture such as seating, television stands and home theater equipment rack or cabinet are essential items in a home theater. It is very important to make sure that all of your home theater furniture matches the decor and design of your roomThe bookcases and television cabinets can be configured into a wide variety of entertainment settings. TV entertainment cabinets, though a relatively new concept, are fast gaining popularity so much so that a TV cabinet is now the primary cabinet for any home entertainment center. The size of the cabinet you choose will depend upon the size of the TV. If you choose to buy a closed-door entertainment center, you can choose between glass doors or wooden doors for your cabinets. If your TV operates with a remote control it is better to opt for a glass door TV cabinet, otherwise the remote will not be effective. Then again, you must keep in mind that the design of the TV cabinet is such that heat should not collect because it can ruin the sensitive circuits on the microchips of the components.These cabinets will help you proudly display your equipment, hide your cables and connectors, all in an attractive piece of furniture that complements your decor and matches your style. Home theater furniture will add a great deal of style and functionality to your home theater system. Make sure to allow sufficient dollars in your overall home theater budget in order to meet the needs for furniture. A well-designed, functional and beautiful entertainment center brings your television and other media equipment into its rightful place as an important part of your living space.