Appearing in USA Today on Aug. 14, 2025, Susan Tompor talks to John Van Alst, senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center about how borrowers can save money and get the best financing for a vehicle purchase.
About 75% of car buyers who finance cars and trucks do so at the dealership, said John W. Van Alst, senior attorney and project director of Working Cars for Working Families at the National Consumer Law Center in Boston.
Most consumers, though, would be better off trying to secure an auto loan at a credit union, bank or elsewhere before going to the dealership, Van Alst said.
A dealer could offer captive financing, such as a 0% rate offered by the financing arm of an automaker, if you qualify.
But many times, he said, a dealer will offer the consumer financing based on deals the dealership can get for itself at an outside financing entity where the paper for the sales contract will be sold.
“And they aren’t shopping for the best deal for you,” Van Alst said.
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