A new set of wheels could cost you around $21,000 plus. Already, this is a big financial commitment even in the best of times. But what about when times are tight? Can you still afford to spend that much on a car? And is it worth it?

It takes 19.9 weeks of median family income before taxes to buy a new car. The Auto Affordability Index compiled by Detroit-based Comerica Bank stated this in their report during the third quarter of 2003. If you calculate it right, 19.9 is roughly five month's worth of salary spent on a car alone. Is this a wise way of spending our hard-earned money? A lot of people disagree. It's simply foolhardy to spend $21,000 on a car when the economy is slowing and the headlines are filled with job layoffs.

Fortunately, many car buyers like yourself are afforded many loan value options which you can take. Loan value for used cars in the market is flourishing in these hard times strangely enough. In fact, millions of cars come off lease each year and that leaves you with tons of 2 to 4-year-old vehicles to choose from. Not really a bad scene when you think about it. With all these options, you can certainly take your sweet time when considering getting loan value for a used car.

Lenders pay attention to Used Car Loan Value

When financing a used car, most lenders you'll find will only offer finance for its loan value, instead of the vehicle itself. Cars are important investments as many of you may have realized already. So never mind if it's a used car or a new car, cars are assets which you can make use of when money is tight.

The loan value of a used car is generally lower than the purchase price of the car. But if you know what the loan value of your used car is, you can compare that to the purchase price. The result of your comparison should give you a rough estimate of the amount of money you would have to put down for your car. As previously stated, lenders pay more attention to the loan value of your used car than on the vehicle itself.

Used Car Loan Value: Knowing what your loan value is saves you time and trouble

Knowing what the loan value of your used car is gives you an estimate of what you need to come up with when you apply for car loans. Let's say your dealer sells you a used car for $5,000. The loan value for that car should be around $4,000. That leaves you with $1000 if you compare the purchase price with the loan value. This should be the amount you would have to play with when negotiating for down payments. By knowing this, you save yourself from the trouble of applying for auto loans for a car that is well above your means or not within your price range. Aside from that, the loan value of your used car can also keep you from getting short-changed on a car that is less than what you can really afford.