Car Finance 8 months after BR

CarFinance247.co.uk are legit and search a panel of lenders - I've included full link because googling will get you god knows what!

3 years after BR date, good salary and 5k deposit... I was only accepted by Billing Finance at sky high rates. They were prepared to lend me up to 15k (plus the interest etc on top) so clearly not concerned about me doing a runner because the car is security.... with my salary they obviously thought I was low risk but a cash cow because I'd not get accepted anywhere else

Flat rate 17% I think it was.... 32.9% APR it works out at... plus document fee, signing fee, fee for breathing etc etc.

I'm paying my loan off early with savings in a few months, effectively it was just a bridging loan which should also improve my report. If you desperately need one, be very careful - especially if it's fixed.

You could overpay by £3k 2 days after the loan was granted.... isn't going to change the interest calculations til the whole lot is settled.

I tried to get standard reducing balance agreement "no... lender doesn't do that".... but they were very keen on selling the benefits of overpayment to me (despite the fact it has zero effect on the costs, until the ENTIRE loan is cleared... so I'm paying the bare contracted minimum to quickly get the full amount rounded up and paid off).

Good customer service from both companies to give them credit, and they (well, Billing rather than CF247) obviously operate to serve a gap in the market. Just be very very clear what you are paying and how much it will cost, if it's really worth it etc.

For me it's enabled me to get a new job I'd have not got otherwise (45,000 miles a year in an old banger is not going to go well....), with great career prospects - but I know I'll have paid a good £2k for the privilege of it.

I'd imagine Billing would take you, but maybe a lower limit if you're recently discharged. I'd go via CF247 as Billing website seems a faff to fill in (and no I don't work for CF247). All I had to do was upload a payslip and I was fully approved within a day.

I guess you could get a provisional approval via CF247 then approach the lender direct and see if they'll do a deal. CF247 told me it was a "good lender" - when I asked who, as I've worked in banking, I didn't expect an answer.... but they were very upfront in telling me, so presumably were not worried about the risk of being undercut!