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MoneyDo falling house prices affect your car loan application?
Australian dwelling values fell $34.1 billion last quarter. Here is whether a softer property market actually changes your car loan or borrowing power.
MoneyAustralians spent 10.3% more on vehicles last quarter while saving cautiously: what it means for your car loan
Vehicle purchases jumped 10.3 per cent in the June quarter 2026 even as households turned cautious. Here is what the ABS national accounts mean for car loan deposits, buffers and borrowing power.
MoneyHow much can you borrow for a car on an average Australian salary?
The average full-time salary is about $108,000 in 2026, but that is not the number a car lender approves. Here is how income becomes borrowing power.
GuidesHow long should your car loan be? Weighing a 3, 5 or 7 year term
The loan term sets both your repayment and your total interest. Here is how 3, 5 and 7 year car loans compare, and how to pick a term that fits.
GuidesHow much deposit do you need for a car loan in 2026?
A deposit is often optional on a car loan, but it lowers your repayments, your interest and your risk of negative equity. Here is how much to put down.
MoneyThree data releases before the RBA's 29 September decision: what borrowers should watch
Jobs, spending and inflation data all land around the RBA's 29 September decision. Here is what each release measures and why it matters to borrowers.
MoneyThe cash rate is 4.35%, but that is not your rate: what Australians pay to borrow in 2026
The cash rate sits at 4.35%, but the rate on your loan is set further down the chain. Here is the 2026 gap, and what moves your car loan rate.
Car FinanceCar stamp duty by state in 2026: what it costs and how it fits into your car loan
Stamp duty is the biggest on-road cost most buyers never price in. The same $40,000 car attracts anywhere from $1,200 to $2,000 in duty depending on the state, and whether you finance it changes the maths again.Explore the archive 75 more stories
Car FinanceCar insurance on a financed car: what lenders require and how gap cover really works
The moment a car is security for a loan, insurance stops being only your decision. Here is what lenders commonly require, how agreed and market value differ when a financed car is written off, and where gap cover fits.
Car FinancePaying out your car loan early: payout figures, break costs and when it is worth it
Every car loan can be paid out before the end of its term. Whether that saves you real money depends on three numbers: what is left owing, what the lender charges to close early, and how much interest you avoid.
MoneyHECS-HELP debt and your car loan: how it affects your borrowing power
A study debt rarely blocks a car loan, but the compulsory repayment lowers your take-home pay and the income a lender assesses. Here is how the 2025-26 rules work.
MoneyBuy now, pay later and your car loan: how Afterpay and Zip affect approval
From 10 June 2025 buy now pay later is regulated as credit. Here is how Afterpay, Zip and similar accounts can shape your car loan application and borrowing power.
MoneyUsing your mortgage to buy a car: redraw, offset and the real cost
Your home loan rate beats any car loan, so why not just use redraw or offset? Because the lowest rate is not always the cheapest way to pay for a car.
MoneyCan you use your super to buy a car? The rules, and the realistic route
Super is preserved for retirement, and the rules for taking it out early almost never cover a car. Here is what the ATO actually allows, and the practical alternative.
MoneyAustralian property values fell in the June quarter 2026: what it means for your borrowing
The ABS says the value of Australian homes fell $34.1 billion in the June quarter, the first drop since 2022. Here is what a softer property market does, and does not, do to your borrowing power.
GuidesNegative equity on a car loan: what it means for trading in or selling
Negative equity means you owe more on your car loan than the car is worth. How it happens, what it means when you trade in or sell, and the options for dealing with it.
GuidesFirst car buyer guide to car finance: how to get your first car loan
How car finance works for a first-time buyer: secured vs unsecured loans, what lenders check when your credit file is thin, deposits, pre-approval and the mistakes to avoid.
MoneyCar loan lending fell in the June quarter 2026: what it means for borrowers
Australians borrowed $4.7 billion for road vehicles in the June quarter 2026, down 5 per cent on the year. Here is what a softer car lending market means when you apply.
MoneyAustralia's Minimum Wage Rose to $1,004.90 a Week: What It Means for Borrowers
The National Minimum Wage rose to $1,004.90 a week from 1 July 2026. Here is how a higher base income feeds into the way lenders assess your borrowing power.
MoneyThe 2026-27 Income Tax Cut and Your Borrowing Power
From 1 July 2026 the second tax bracket fell from 16 to 15 cents, lifting take-home pay by up to $268 a year. Here is what the 2026-27 income tax cut means for your borrowing power.
MoneyCentrelink Payments Rise From 20 September 2026: What It Means for Borrowers
Age Pension, JobSeeker, Parenting Payment and Rent Assistance all rise from 20 September 2026. Here is what the indexation changes, and how Centrelink income is treated when you apply for a car or personal loan.
MoneyBuilding Approvals Fell 3.6% in July 2026: What It Means for Borrowing Power
Australian dwelling approvals fell 3.6 per cent in July 2026. Here is what tighter housing supply and a steady 4.35 per cent cash rate mean for your borrowing power.
MoneyAustralia's GDP Grew Just 0.4% in the June Quarter: What It Means for Borrowers
The Australian economy grew just 0.4 per cent in the June quarter as households kept saving and spending softly. The headline is dry, but it shapes the conditions every lender is now assessing.
MoneyAustralian Inflation Eased to 3.5% in July: What It Means for Borrowers
Australian inflation eased to 3.5 per cent in the year to July 2026, but the RBA's preferred trimmed mean held at 3.6 per cent. Here is what a steady cash rate means for borrowing power and loan repayments.
GuidesJoint car loan applications: applying with a partner or co-borrower
A joint car loan can lift your borrowing power and share the cost, but it ties two people to the same debt. Here is how joint applications work and what to weigh up.
GuidesDealer finance vs a broker vs your bank: how to compare car loan options
Dealer finance, a broker, or going direct to a bank can all get you into the same car at very different costs. Here is how the three channels compare and how to judge them.
MoneyHousehold spending is up 7% in a year: what it signals for rates and your borrowing power
Household spending rose 1.1% in July and 7% over the year, the strongest annual pace since 2023. Resilient spending keeps inflation sticky, and that has a quiet message for anyone planning to borrow.
MoneyNew home lending fell 5.4% in the June quarter: what tighter borrowing means for you
New housing loan commitments fell 5.4% in the June 2026 quarter as investors pulled back hardest. Here is what the ABS figures say about the borrowing conditions every applicant faces now.
MoneyHousehold expenses and your loan application: what lenders check, and what the benchmark misses
Lenders do not take your word on living expenses; they benchmark you and read your statements. With household spending up 7 per cent in a year, here is how the expense assessment works and how to walk into it prepared.
Interest RatesWage growth slowed to 3.2%: what it means for your borrowing power
Australian wage growth slowed to 3.2% in the year to June 2026, trailing inflation. Here is what softer pay growth means for your borrowing power when you apply for a car or personal loan.
MoneyCentrelink payments and car finance: which income lenders may count, and how to apply well
Receiving a government payment does not rule out car finance, but not all payments are treated equally. Here is how lenders commonly weigh each payment type, and what makes an application on Centrelink income credible.
MoneyThe average Australian salary in 2026, and the number lenders actually use
Full-time average earnings passed $2,000 a week, equivalent to about $108,000 a year. But the median worker earns far less, and the gap between those numbers explains a lot about how salary conversations, and loan assessments, go wrong.
MoneySuper in 2026: the guarantee hits its ceiling, and what your balance means when you borrow
The superannuation guarantee has reached 12 per cent, its final legislated step, and from July 2026 it lands with every payday. Here is what changed, and the honest answer on what super means when you apply for finance.
MoneyCar expenses and tax in 2026-27: the 91 cent rate, logbooks, and what your loan has to do with it
The ATO lifted the cents per kilometre rate to 91 cents for 2026-27, and which claiming method you pick changes whether your car loan interest is deductible at all. Here is how the two methods actually work.
MoneyAustralian property prices in 2026: what a $1.1 million average means for your borrowing
The ABS puts the average Australian dwelling at just over $1.1 million, and total housing wealth at $12.8 trillion. Whether that helps or hurts you depends entirely on which side of the ledger you sit.
MoneyMortgage rates in 2026: what the RBA's hiking year means for every borrower
Three cash rate increases in 2026 have repriced Australian mortgages, and the effects reach well beyond the home loan. Here is where rates actually sit, and why your mortgage is the first thing other lenders look at.
GuidesGuarantor car loans: how they work and what the guarantor takes on
A guarantor can help a borrower get approved for a car loan, but the guarantor takes on serious risk. How these loans work and how to protect everyone involved.
GuidesCar loan pre-approval in Australia: what it is and what it is not
A car loan pre-approval tells you what a lender will likely offer, but it is conditional, not a guarantee. Here is exactly what it locks in and what it does not.
Car FinanceThe EV novated lease tax break is being wound back from 2027: what car buyers should know
The government has announced a phased wind back of the electric car FBT exemption from 1 April 2027. Here is what changes for EV buyers weighing a novated lease against a car loan.
Interest RatesCash rate stuck at 4.35%: why your car loan rate won't follow it down
The RBA held the cash rate at 4.35% in August 2026, but car loan rates barely moved. Here is why the two are only loosely linked and what actually sets your rate.
Personal LoansBuying a car privately: how a personal loan and a PPSR check fit together
Private sales are where the value is and where the risk is. There is no dealer warranty, no cooling off, and nobody has checked whether the car still belongs to a finance company. Here is the sequence that keeps you safe.
Personal LoansFinancing a car over 10 years old: the age wall and how buyers get around it
You find the right car, the price is fair, your income is fine, and the application still comes back declined. Not because of you. Because the car is older than the lender's policy allows by the time the loan would finish.
Caravan LoansTowing weights explained: ATM, GTM, GVM, GCM and financing the tow vehicle
Buying the caravan first and working out the tow vehicle later is the most expensive sequence in the whole category. Here are the four numbers that decide what you can legally tow, and how to finance both ends of the problem.
Caravan LoansUsed caravan finance: the age rule most buyers only find out about late
The most common way a used caravan deal falls over is not price or income. It is that the van is older than the lender's policy allows by the time the loan finishes, and nobody checked before the deposit was paid.
Boat LoansUsed boat finance: how a hull's age changes what lenders will do
Boats do not age like cars. A well kept twenty year old hull can be a better buy than a neglected eight year old one, and lenders know it. Here is how age actually gets assessed on a used boat application.
Boat LoansJet ski finance in Australia: how lenders treat a personal watercraft
A jet ski sits in an awkward spot for lenders. It is a registered, identifiable asset like a car, but it is also a discretionary toy. That tension explains almost everything about how a personal watercraft gets financed.
Car FinanceCar finance after bankruptcy or a Part 9 debt agreement
Bankruptcy lasts three years and one day. Your credit file remembers longer, and the NPII remembers permanently. Here is what each timeline actually affects.
Car FinanceGetting a car loan with a default: the rules, the timeline and your options
A default is not something a lender can list on a whim. There are strict thresholds and two mandatory notices. Here is the process, and where it leaves your finance options.
Car FinanceBad credit car loans in Australia: what lenders see and what actually helps
A low score does not automatically mean no. Here is what is actually on your credit file, how long it stays, and what ASIC found when it reviewed 350,000 car loans.
Business & ABNLow doc ABN car loans: how they work when your financials are not ready
Self-employed and your tax returns are not lodged? Low doc ABN finance exists for exactly that. Here is what lenders accept instead of financials, and the trade-off.
Business & ABNChattel mortgage vs novated lease vs finance lease: which structure fits
The three structures differ on one question: who owns the asset. That answer drives the GST timing, the deductions and who carries the risk at the end.
Business & ABNChattel mortgage explained: how it works, and the GST timing that matters
A chattel mortgage is the default way Australian businesses finance vehicles and equipment. Here is how ownership, GST timing and deductions actually work.
Business & ABNInstant asset write-off for vehicles and equipment: what actually qualifies
The $20,000 instant asset write-off is the most misunderstood deduction in small business. Here is what qualifies, what the car limit does, and where the rules stand for 2026-27.
GuidesYour credit score and your car loan rate: how the number is set
Your credit score quietly decides which rate tier a lender offers you. Here is how scores are calculated in Australia, what moves them, and how to check yours for free.
GuidesNovated leases explained: how salary packaging a car actually works
A novated lease packages your car, its running costs and the finance into pre-tax salary deductions. Here is how the arrangement works and how to tell if it suits you.
Car FinanceOne in five new cars is now electric: what it means for your car loan
Battery electric vehicles made up 21.7 per cent of new-car sales in a record July 2026. Rising EV demand is reshaping how these cars are financed, and what borrowers pay.
Interest RatesThe RBA's next move could be up: what car buyers should do before 29 September
The Reserve Bank held the cash rate at 4.35 per cent in August, but the board only weighed holding or hiking. Here is what that upward lean means for anyone about to finance a car.
PartnersWhat it costs to become a Loanseekers finance partner (nothing)
Thinking about offering finance but worried about cost, contracts or compliance? Here is exactly what it takes to become a Loanseekers finance partner: free, no lock-in, and no credit licence needed.
PartnersTradies and equipment suppliers: help customers fund the purchase
Tools, machinery and work vehicles are big outlays that make business customers hesitate. Offering asset finance lets them buy now and helps you close bigger sales, with no credit licence required.
PartnersBoat, caravan and motorcycle dealers: turn browsers into buyers
Boats, caravans and bikes are dream purchases that buyers agonise over. Offering finance on the spot helps leisure dealers turn long browsers into buyers while the excitement is high.
PartnersAccountants: refer clients to a finance partner and add real value
Your clients ask you about vehicle and equipment finance all the time. Here is how referring them to a trusted finance partner adds value, keeps them close, and can earn referral income.
PartnersHow car dealers close more sales by offering finance on the spot
The moment a car buyer leaves to sort their own finance, the deal starts cooling. Here is how offering finance on the spot helps dealers close more sales, with no credit licence required.
PartnersWhy 1000+ Australian businesses offer finance with Loanseekers
More than 1000 Australian businesses already offer finance to their customers through the Ausloans network. Here is how the partner program works, what it costs, and why it helps you close more sales.
Interest RatesThe RBA cash rate is 4.35%: what it means for your car loan
Three rate rises in 2026 have taken the cash rate to 4.35%. Here is what that actually changes for car loans, personal loans and anyone about to apply.
GuidesHow to boost your car loan approval odds before you apply
Lenders score the same handful of factors every time. What to check, clean up and prepare in the weeks before a car loan application so the answer is yes.
GuidesBalloon payments on car loans: lower repayments, real trade-offs
Balloon payments make car loan repayments look smaller by leaving a lump sum for the end. How they work, who they suit, and where they bite.
GuidesComparison rate vs interest rate: the number that actually matters
Loan ads show two rates and the gap between them is where the cost hides. What comparison rates include, what they miss, and how to use them when comparing.
Interest RatesFixed or variable? Choosing a loan rate while the RBA pauses
The cash rate is parked at 4.35% and the panic has gone out of the fix-or-float question. Here is how the choice really works for car and personal loans.
Interest RatesRBA holds at 4.35%: what the August pause means for car loans
The RBA kept the cash rate at 4.35% in August, its second straight hold. Here is what the pause changes for car loans and personal loans, and what it does not.
GuidesRefinancing guide: when switching your loan pays off
The complete refinancing picture in one place: how it works, who qualifies, when to move and what it does to your credit file.
GuidesMotorcycle finance: getting on two wheels the smart way
Bike loans in plain English: how they differ from car finance, what lenders check, and financing the gear that keeps you upright.
GuidesMachinery finance: funding the heavy end of your business
Yellow metal, farm gear, forklifts: machinery finance has its own lender appetites and asset rules. What to know before you commit.
GuidesBusiness equipment finance: chattel mortgages and beyond
How businesses finance equipment: chattel mortgages, low-doc options for ABN holders, and structures that follow your cash flow.
GuidesCaravan loans: funding the big lap and everything before it
Caravans are financed like vehicles with a twist: bigger amounts, longer horizons and a rig to budget beyond the van. The guide.
GuidesBoat loans in Australia: financing your time on the water
Marine finance has its own rules: specialist lenders, vessel criteria and running costs that deserve a line in your budget. The guide.
GuidesPersonal loans explained: rates, fees and how to compare
What a personal loan really costs, how lenders price you, and the comparison-rate trick that makes offers easy to rank.
GuidesCar loans in Australia: the plain-English buyer's guide
Everything you need before financing a car: how loans are structured, what lenders check, and the traps that cost real money.
RefinanceWhen can you refinance a car loan? The timing guide
No rule stops you refinancing early. Whether you should is about your rate, your fees and your position. The timing guide, in plain English.
RefinanceRefinancing a car loan with bad credit: what is actually possible
A low credit score narrows the field but rarely closes it. What lenders actually weigh, when refinancing is still realistic, and how to approach it.
RefinanceDoes refinancing a car loan hurt your credit score?
Yes, refinancing touches your credit file, but usually only briefly. What actually happens to your score, and the shopping mistake that does real damage.
RefinanceCar loan refinance eligibility: what lenders actually look for
Approval is not just your credit score. Here is what lenders weigh when you refinance a car loan, and a quick checklist to gauge where you stand.
RefinanceIs refinancing your car loan worth it? How to actually tell
Refinancing can save real money or waste your time. Here are the situations where switching beats staying, and the maths that decides it.
RefinanceHow car loan refinancing works in Australia: every step explained
Refinancing means replacing your current car loan with a new one. Here is exactly what happens at every step, from payout figure to settlement.The practical part
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