Car loans: what's different from a personal loan
The car is pledged to the bank. Two consequences: the rate drops several points below a personal loan (vehicle credit runs 16–18% E.A. at banks), and you must carry full-coverage insurance for the life of the loan — an annual cost of 3–6% of the car's value to budget from day one.
The down payment matters more than it looks. Banks typically finance 70–80% of the value; arriving with 30% down instead of 20% doesn't just lower the instalment — it improves the rate offered, because the bank sees less risk. Banco Finandina lives off this product and usually sharpens pricing better than a generalist bank; Occidente fights for the segment under its Occiauto brand.
- ✓New or used (age limit varies by bank)
- ✓Typical down payment: 20–30% of value
- ✓Usual rate: 16–18% E.A. at banks
- ✓Terms: 24 to 84 months