Memorial Day car sales are looming especially large this year, as consumers across the country are no doubt contemplating a new set of wheels, with interest rates at record lows, depressed oil prices producing a household windfall, and the average vehicle being more than 11 years old.

In order to help prospective buyers find the best deals, the personal finance website WalletHub today released the second-quarter installment of its 2015 Auto Financing Report, which analyzes auto loan and lease offers from more than 150 financiers.

• Interest rates for new cars are at the lowest point in three years, with the average new car loan now charging 17% less interest than the average used car loan.

• Overall, buyers who have fair credit will end up spending about four-and-a-half times more to finance a vehicle than someone with excellent credit, which equates to about $5,300 in additional interest payments over the life of a $20K, five-year loan.

• People in the market for a new car should start their search for financing with car manufacturers (rates 49% below average) and credit unions (23% below average). National banks (10% above average), and regional banks (43% above average) should be secondary options.

• Car manufacturers continue to lack transparency when it comes to leasing offers, with the average one receiving a WalletHub Transparency Score of 3.9/10.

• Toyota, Volkswagen, Kia, Ford, Dodge, Nissan and Cadillac offer the lowest financing rates out of the major car manufacturers we surveyed. Volvo, Audi, Ford and Toyota have the best leasing offers, on the other hand.

To see the entire report, click HERE.

 

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