September is one of the busiest months of the year for car dealers, car finance providers and car buyers . With the introduction of new ‘58’ number plates, September 2008 may see slightly lower than the average 20 per cent of annual car sales, but there is still likely to be a flood of new transactions.

Car finance experts throughout the country are warning consumers not to waste money financing their vehicle . The head of personal finance at uSwitch, Simeon Linstead, was reported earlier this week as commenting: Motorists are set to throw away £168 million by opting for car dealer finance . If they choose a low- rate personal loan instead, they could save up to £1000 each in interest .

Linstead reportedly continued: Shopping around for a competitive loan before shopping around for the car is essential. Buying a brand new car is a big expense which can be seriously inflated if the financial arrangements are not researched thoroughly. Trusting consumers may think that purchasing a vehicle from a reputable dealer also means they will be offered the most competitive finance deal, but this is certainly not the case.

Reading up on the different vehicle finance options available could help consumers to get the best deal.