Older car financing. PCP basics....

Older car financing. PCP basics....

Author
Discussion

MissTaniaThomaa

Original Poster:

29 posts

50 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Every car I’ve ever bought I’ve bought outright, but looking for something bigger so looked into finance.

I know enough about financing options but not why PCP isn’t available on cars older than 3-4yrs, I don’t fathom the logic.

Here’s my thinking.

Depreciation is a skate ramp, starts off high, then lessens off, so after a decade (we’re talking like luxury cars) then the depreciation curve is getting flatter. If finance companies are concerned about what’s left for them after the term of 3yr or so, it’s much easier to calculate than a new vehicle which is depreciating in free fall.

For instance, I’m looking at a 10yr old Jag XK... new, they were £75k. Now, £15k. They’re depreciating at around 10% a year now for well kept ones. So, in three year, that £15k is likely about £10-12k. Very little risk. Easy to price for residual values.

So why can’t I get a PCP agreement on it?

Am I missing something fundamental here?

ZX10R NIN

27,768 posts

127 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Just get a loan it's normally cheaper than PCP on older cars.

MissTaniaThomaa

Original Poster:

29 posts

50 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Not sure on that.

For instance. a 15k loan over three years even at 3% APR is over £400pm but a PCP deal with a GMFV of say £10k is around a third of that.

What’s your thinking?

egor110

16,949 posts

205 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
MissTaniaThomaa said:
Not sure on that.

For instance. a 15k loan over three years even at 3% APR is over £400pm but a PCP deal with a GMFV of say £10k is around a third of that.

What’s your thinking?
Surely with the loan at the end you actually own the car , with the pcp at the end of the contract you either pay the balance or hand the car back .

MissTaniaThomaa

Original Poster:

29 posts

50 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Yes, if one chose to pay the let’s say £10k or whatever as the final buyout, but for as far as cheap monthly payments go, it wouldn’t be cheaper to buy it outright.

iphonedyou

9,287 posts

159 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
The PCP'd new cars go back into approved used stock at end of term, which is where a second (immediate, or at least very near term) profit is made. Marque residual values are controlled throughout. Asset has actual, known and relatively easily realised value throughout. Asset not particularly dependent on maintenance regularity or quality outside of straightforward servicing easily covered via contract.

None of the above applies to second hand.

JamesD74

231 posts

177 months

Monday 6th April 2020
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Take a personal loan out over a longer period of time to get the monthlies down to a level you want.

5 years instead of 3 as an example.

At the 3 year point either sell your car and pay off your remaining loan 'bubble' or pay it off and keep the car as you would with a normal PCP.


Rick-fgpe0

112 posts

106 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Not sure if it helps but admiral do a pcp finance loan fixed at 5.9% from memory. More than a loan at 3%, but will only be for the part your financing and not the GMFV part. Not sure what criteria they have though (ref age, makes etc).

I did notice they mark down the GMFV considerably compared to an OEM on newer cars - Bmw were offering GMFV of 18k on a 35k used car but 12% Apr. Admiral offered 5.9% Apr, but marked the GMFV down to 12k instead of 18k so the monthlies were higher (though likely more equity at the end). Worth a shot? They have an online thingy where you can stick in a number plate and it’ll give you the numbers. It does do a soft credit search (not hard search) so be aware of that.

DuraAce

4,242 posts

162 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
MissTaniaThomaa said:
So, in three year, that £15k is likely about £10-12k. Very little risk. Easy to price for residual values.

So why can’t I get a PCP agreement on it?
Because the value could tank and your now 13yr old skip might only be work 5k (or less)
To much risk for to little reward for finance co in my op.
The apr% will be rubbish.

Get a personal loan.

Deep Thought

35,951 posts

199 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
MissTaniaThomaa said:
Not sure on that.

For instance. a 15k loan over three years even at 3% APR is over £400pm but a PCP deal with a GMFV of say £10k is around a third of that.

What’s your thinking?
My thinking is that you'll own the car if you take out that loan over 3 years whereas with the PCP deal after three years you'll still owe £10K.

Look at the total amount repayable - the APR is usually painfully high on a used car PCP.

jonah35

3,940 posts

159 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
None of the above

It’s the lack of warranty and unknown condition of the car

If the finance company owned the car and it’s engine went bang would you (or would you want to) stump up the £15k for a new engine?


Welshbeef

49,633 posts

200 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
MissTaniaThomaa said:
Every car I’ve ever bought I’ve bought outright, but looking for something bigger so looked into finance.

I know enough about financing options but not why PCP isn’t available on cars older than 3-4yrs, I don’t fathom the logic.

Here’s my thinking.

Depreciation is a skate ramp, starts off high, then lessens off, so after a decade (we’re talking like luxury cars) then the depreciation curve is getting flatter. If finance companies are concerned about what’s left for them after the term of 3yr or so, it’s much easier to calculate than a new vehicle which is depreciating in free fall.

For instance, I’m looking at a 10yr old Jag XK... new, they were £75k. Now, £15k. They’re depreciating at around 10% a year now for well kept ones. So, in three year, that £15k is likely about £10-12k. Very little risk. Easy to price for residual values.

So why can’t I get a PCP agreement on it?

Am I missing something fundamental here?
Why don’t they do it?

You cannot get OEM extended warranty on it

tickedon

121 posts

79 months

Tuesday 7th April 2020
quotequote all
Rick-fgpe0 said:
Not sure if it helps but admiral do a pcp finance loan fixed at 5.9% from memory. More than a loan at 3%, but will only be for the part your financing and not the GMFV part. Not sure what criteria they have though (ref age, makes etc).

I did notice they mark down the GMFV considerably compared to an OEM on newer cars - Bmw were offering GMFV of 18k on a 35k used car but 12% Apr. Admiral offered 5.9% Apr, but marked the GMFV down to 12k instead of 18k so the monthlies were higher (though likely more equity at the end). Worth a shot? They have an online thingy where you can stick in a number plate and it’ll give you the numbers. It does do a soft credit search (not hard search) so be aware of that.
Not true. You pay interest on the whole amount borrowed, including the final balloon payment.

Used PCP is typically a very expensive option. The monthly payments might look lower, but if you look at what you’re paying (capital and interest) it will normally cost a lot more than alternative funding options (e.g. a loan).

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

200 months

Tuesday 7th April 2020
quotequote all
tickedon said:
Not true. You pay interest on the whole amount borrowed, including the final balloon payment.

Used PCP is typically a very expensive option. The monthly payments might look lower, but if you look at what you’re paying (capital and interest) it will normally cost a lot more than alternative funding options (e.g. a loan).
In addition there is no manufacturer involvement or dealer contribution that you can have on new cars.

Rick-fgpe0

112 posts

106 months

Tuesday 7th April 2020
quotequote all
tickedon said:
Not true. You pay interest on the whole amount borrowed, including the final balloon payment.

Used PCP is typically a very expensive option. The monthly payments might look lower, but if you look at what you’re paying (capital and interest) it will normally cost a lot more than alternative funding options (e.g. a loan).
Agree with the above, I wasn’t clear. What I meant was that the monthlies for a loan are likely to be at a lower apr but repaying the whole amount over the term. The monthlies for pcp will probably be a higher apr (and as stated above will be apr on the whole amount) but you’re only paying the monthly cost required to clear the repayment element plus interest on the lot (but not having to repay the GMFV in these payments), rather than clearing the whole lot split monthly with a loan payment.

As said pcp is expensive as you’re typically paying more interest so if you intend to own the car at the end it’s more expensive to have a higher apr. But from a monthly perspective if you don’t want it at the end, it can work out as a lower monthly payment.

Hope that makes sense.

DavidY

4,459 posts

286 months

Tuesday 7th April 2020
quotequote all
So your 10 yr old Jag needs a 3K gearbox replacement, 18 months into the PCP, so you hand it back, whats in it for the lender?

VR99

1,274 posts

65 months

Tuesday 7th April 2020
quotequote all
Too much downside risk for the party /company that needs to provide the PCP.
A good example: modern diesels are well known for clogging up DPF's and EGR'S when used for shorter stop start trips locally...and as we know there were shedloads of diesels sold on PCP's to folks who wanted the lower tax and in some cases enjoy the torque and low down shove that comes with diesel Vs petrols. In the first few years of a new diesel they probably have some tolerance for taking short journeys however after say 3 years the risk of a a DPF or EGR issue likely increases and for some of the nicer German cars it's bl**dy expensive to get it fixed and as a mate of mine found out the hard way smaller independents aren't always able to fix those issues so has to be main dealer and by default top end quotes for the repair work..cue a £3k + bill for my mates Audi to be repaired. It doesn't make any sense for a finance company or even a main dealer to shoulder that risk by offering PCP's on older cars.

PTF

4,422 posts

226 months

Tuesday 7th April 2020
quotequote all
MissTaniaThomaa said:
Not sure on that.

For instance. a 15k loan over three years even at 3% APR is over £400pm but a PCP deal with a GMFV of say £10k is around a third of that.

What’s your thinking?
Because you're paying MUCH less in interest. If you're that bothered about the monthlies then make the term longer. £15k over 5 yrs is more like £270. After 3 yrs you've got something like £6.5k-£7k left to pay on the loan

VR99

1,274 posts

65 months

Tuesday 7th April 2020
quotequote all
If you are referring to the assumptions I made about older German cars...Im not in a position to opine as I drive a 16 yr old shed of the Ford Focus variety wink
The £3k figure I mentioned to repair an Audi is not bs, a friend of mine spent that ballpark figure in total as his A6 TDI had repeated issues going back and forth to Audi for repairs...his car was around 5/6 years old and used for a lot of short town stop start journeys but he had no issues whatsoever in the 0-4 years age range.