fbpx

Top 5 tips when applying for truck finance

Published on November 26th, 2020
  Written by 
Bill Tsouvalas
Bill Tsouvalas is the managing director and a key company spokesperson at Savvy. As a personal finance expert, he often shares his insights on a range of topics, being featured on leading news outlets including News Corp publications such as the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun, Fairfax Media publications such as the Australian Financial Review, the Seven Network and more. Bill has over 15 years of experience working in the finance industry and founded Savvy in 2010 with a vision to provide affordable and accessible finance options to all Australians. He has built Savvy from a small asset finance brokerage into a financial comparison website which now attracts close to 2 million Aussies per year and was included in the BRW’s Fast 100 in 2015 as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. He’s passionate about helping Australians make financially savvy decisions and reviews content across the brand to ensure its accuracy. You can follow Bill on LinkedIn.
Our authors



Fact checked

At Savvy, we are committed to providing accurate information. Our content undergoes a rigorous process of fact-checking before it is published. Learn more about our editorial policy.

At Savvy, our mission is to empower you to make informed financial choices. While we maintain stringent editorial standards, this article may include mentions of products offered by our partners. Here’s how we generate income.

Some companies in Western Australia are even offering a $10,000 incentive for east coast truck drivers to relocate and fill some of the jobs, highlighting the important role trucks play in a range of industries.

But these financial incentives are significantly reduced for truck drivers who do not have their own vehicle, particularly if they have to pay rental to a company or have money deducted for their salaries.

That’s where truck finance comes into play. While trucks can cost between $30,000 and $100,000 to buy outright, finance means that payment can be made in affordable installments.

But just as it is important to consider the features and costs of the actual truck, it is essential to shop around for the right truck finance. The following five tips will help make that process easier so that it is just a matter of finding the right truck and applying for a loan.

Budget for payments

The most important thing to consider with this type of finance is how affordable it will be to maintain.

A truck is a major career investment, after all, and the cost means that monthly repayments for truck finance could be quite high.

So before applying for any particular loan, it is a good idea to think about the affordability of repayments and how it will affect your overall finances.

By thinking about this early on, you will be able to look for loans that fit with your circumstances and get a better deal as a result.

Consider different lenders

There is a wide range of companies that offer truck finance, each claiming to be top of the game.

But looking at a number of different truck finance options before settling on one lender will make it easier to see just how good a deal you can get.

This could mean using comparison websites, consulting with truck finance experts, or conducting your own research into a few companies before focusing on a select few, but whatever approach is taken, it will help make sure you find the best possible deal.

Compare truck finance features

As well as considering the interest rates available for truck finance, there are other features that could affect the convenience of this type of loan.

How flexible will the finance be if you lose work? What kinds of policies are there for additional repayments? How long can the loan term be? Are extensions available?

Considering these types of questions when looking at different truck finance options will make it easier to narrow down the choices and get the best possible loan.

Set aside some savings

While it may be easy and convenient to get truck finance for the full cost of the vehicle, having some money set aside for the purchase can be incredibly useful.

This money could make it easier to get the truck finance you want, or help pay for essential extras like insurance and add-on features that you want for your truck.

At the very least, it could cut down the amount of money you have to pay for the loan, so it is well worth having some savings on hand.

Factor in taxes

Truck purchases are often a business expense, so there are different tax concessions that can be offered to make the investment more beneficial for sole traders and business owners.

While it can be difficult to figure out the tax costs and deductions that can be made from a truck purchase, most truck finance services will have this information readily available upon enquiry.

The more that is learned about the tax factors for truck purchases, the more informed a decision about finance can be, so it is worth researching or asking about this side of truck finance at some stage of the process.

Truck finance covers a wide range of vehicles such as commercial utilities or vans and industries, which means that the different options available can vary significantly.

Taking these tips into consideration, however, will ensure that the process is as efficient and as affordable as possible right from the start.

Did you find this page helpful?

Yes
No
Thanks for your feedback!

This guide provides general information and does not consider your individual needs, finances or objectives. We do not make any recommendation or suggestion about which product is best for you based on your specific situation and we do not compare all companies in the market, or all products offered by all companies. It’s always important to consider whether professional financial, legal or taxation advice is appropriate for you before choosing or purchasing a financial product.

The content on our website is produced by experts in the field of finance and reviewed as part of our editorial guidelines. We endeavour to keep all information across our site updated with accurate information.

Approval for commercial loans is always subject to our lender’s terms, conditions and qualification criteria. Lenders will undertake a credit check in line with responsible lending obligations to help determine whether you’re in a position to take on the loan you’re applying for.

The interest rate, comparison rate, fees and monthly repayments will depend on factors specific to your profile, such as your financial situation, as well as others, such as the loan’s size and your chosen repayment term. Costs such as broker fees, redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, aren’t included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts may result in a different comparison rate.

In this article

Share this article

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on email
Share on pinterest

Looking for a commercial loan quote?

Compare with Savvy and save on your next commercial loan.

* Terms and conditions and lending criteria apply.

Smart money saving tips

Subscribe to our newsletter.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy

Related articles

Looking for a commercial loan?

All equipment, aircraft, technology, agriculture, plant & machinery and truck finance. See how you can compare and save with us.