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kywildcatfanone
Kentucky Fan
Wildcat Country!
Member since Oct 2012
108987 posts

Take out car loan at 3.9%?

My credit score is 822. Buying the wife a new car. After trade in, cost is $15k. I could just pay it off and spend $15k, but should I just do a loan for 36 months? Looks like interest rates are about 3.9%. My only other credit is a few cards that I pay off each month.

Just trying to decide if I should keep the cash and do they payment, or pay cash and be done.

How do you guys decide?


Hussss
Auburn Fan
Living the Dream
Member since Oct 2016
6556 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
Put the money in gold and gold miners and make the payments on the car.

Headed for a decade long breakout.


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426
DawgCountry
Kennesaw St. Fan
Great State of GA
Member since Sep 2012
30010 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
Many savings accounts are paying 3.5% and higher. So in theory, you could put that money in a high yield savings account and cancel much of the car interest out, but $15K isn’t a ton. If you value the car being paid off, there is nothing wrong with that

And if you don’t know, don’t listen to Husss


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290
Double Oh
Louisiana
Member since Sep 2008
15551 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
Damn 3.9% is nice these days


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210
Big Scrub TX
LSU Fan
Member since Dec 2013
31038 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

Just trying to decide if I should keep the cash and do they payment, or pay cash and be done.

How do you guys decide?
It's obviously entirely situational, but from what it sounds like, I'd be a lean to taking it. Inflation is at 7% ish. You're still borrowing at negative real rates.


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120
Jag_Warrior
Virginia Fan
Virginia
Member since May 2015
3571 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

a loan for 36 months? Looks like interest rates are about 3.9%.


quote:

How do you guys decide?


I picked up a new Mazda last week. For a 36 month loan, they offered a .9% rate. I could have written a check or taken the loan and put the loan amount in a 3 year treasury at something around 4.5%. I didn’t hesitate to take the loan. Even though treasury yields have crashed during this banking kerfuffle, you can still come close to meeting or exceeding that loan rate in a safe investment. No offense Husss, but…. come on, man!


kywildcatfanone
Kentucky Fan
Wildcat Country!
Member since Oct 2012
108987 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
0.9. Nice. Honda is at 3.9 and so is my credit union.


And yes, I'm about to dump a bunch in either a HY account or some 6 month to a year bond.


tigerstripedjacket
LSU Fan
This side of the wall
Member since Sep 2011
2907 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

How do you guys decide?


Do I have an investment that will yield more than the amount of interest? If yes, take loan. If no, spend cash.

And FWIW if I have 15k I can always find an investment that yields greater than 3.9%.


bbap
Pacific Fan
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Feb 2006
95726 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
T-bills are yielding more than that right now. Could always reevaluate in a year or so.


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Joshjrn
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
23998 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

Honda is at 3.9


They must have finally ticked up a bit. I got 2.9% from them a few months ago.


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Member since 2001
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pwejr88
LSU Fan
Red Stick
Member since Apr 2007
35233 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
Depends on how much liquidity you have. I wouldn’t spend all my cash for sure.

You can always get a $15,000 CD, then take out a CD-secured loan for $15,000, buy the car in cash, and once you pay off the CD loan, and you’re left at the end with the car and your $15,000.


Turf Taint
LSU Fan
New Orleans
Member since Jun 2021
6010 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

Do I have an investment that will yield more than the amount of interest? If yes, take loan. If no, spend cash.


This

quote:

My credit score is 822.


My company's customer satisfaction score target is 8.5.
It is NOT 10.0.
Anything higher than 8.5 is incrementally greater cost for excellence than effective value for customer and our company.

Why do I share this here?
IMO, 822 is too high.
You may be leaving value on the table above a certain point, let's say 780, for example
You may want to use more credit to work your OP
ie, borrow lower interest than your money is earning and work positive spread
In doing so, you lower your credit score but you are increasing your wealth by using other peoples' money
Just reinforcing the point for consideration.
This post was edited on 3/14 at 2:58 pm


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Big Scrub TX
LSU Fan
Member since Dec 2013
31038 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

You can always get a $15,000 CD, then take out a CD-secured loan for $15,000, buy the car in cash, and once you pay off the CD loan, and you’re left at the end with the car and your $15,000.
what did I just read?


LSUFanHouston
LSU Fan
NOLA
Member since Jul 2009
33699 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

You can always get a $15,000 CD, then take out a CD-secured loan for $15,000, buy the car in cash, and once you pay off the CD loan, and you’re left at the end with the car and your $15,000.


Wait... the car is free??


Big Scrub TX
LSU Fan
Member since Dec 2013
31038 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:


Wait... the car is free??
No, you pay off the loan with Shrutebucks.


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Meauxjeaux
Memphis Fan
98721 posts including my alters
Member since Jun 2005
37349 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
Pay off the car, put it in an LLC and carry liability insurance only?

You can save a good bit in La. like that.


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Grinder
LSU Fan
Member since Nov 2007
1372 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
Pay the $15K for the car


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pwejr88
LSU Fan
Red Stick
Member since Apr 2007
35233 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

what did I just read?


Do you not get it?

You’re basically paying interest on a CD-secured loan, which is usually the CD rate + 2.00%, to keep your cash.
You’ll have the car and your $15,000 at the end of the CD loan term.


Joshjrn
LSU Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
23998 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

Wait... the car is free??


Car salesmen hate this one weird trick...


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bbap
Pacific Fan
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Feb 2006
95726 posts

re: Take out car loan at 3.9%?
quote:

You’re basically paying interest on a CD-secured loan, which is usually the CD rate + 2.00%, to keep your cash.
You’ll have the car and your $15,000 at the end of the CD loan term.


Why would you still have your 15k cash at the end of the loan term?

How is the CD loan being paid off to release it from custody?
This post was edited on 3/14 at 9:48 pm


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