 TITLE: How Does Financing a Car Work? CONTENT: What Is Car Financing?\n----------------------\nWhen you finance a car, a financial institution lends you the money you need to pay for the vehicle in the form of installment credit. You'll typically need to make a down payment equivalent to a percentage of the loan amount, then repay the rest of the vehicle's purchase price over a set time period (the loan term) by making regular monthly payments.\nAs with any loan, auto lenders make money by charging you interest on the loan and additional fees for processing and issuing the loan. The car itself acts as collateral on the loan, which means the lender has the right to take (repossess) your car if you can't keep up with your payments. END