The expert gave advice on buying a car at a high loan rate

In conditions of a high loan rate, when buying a car, you should pay attention to the possibilities of a subsidy program, discounts and promotions from dealers, as well as a preferential lending program. Nikita Margolin, Head of sales at eCredit, shared tips for car buyers with Izvestia.

So, to maintain demand for cars, some brands offer preferential lending programs. A number of other brands have special subsidy programs, for which the benefit can reach several hundred thousand rubles, Margolin said.

"Dealers are interested in selling cars quickly, especially those that have been in stock for a long time. Now that dealers have an abundance of cars manufactured in 2024, you can find really great deals. Monitoring the market, subscribing to news about promotions and discounts will help save on the cost of the car, and, accordingly, reduce the loan payment," he said.

Since banks are tightening the requirements for borrowers, you should make sure that your credit history is in order before submitting a loan application. You can check it through Public Services. The chances of approval and access to preferential programs will be increased by a properly calculated debt burden and the absence of delays. You can also use the state support program, which offers favorable conditions for the purchase of cars assembled in the Russian Federation or with a high level of localization.

"The program does not provide for a reduction in the interest rate on the loan, but provides a discount on the purchase of a car. At the same time, the rate on a government—backed car loan cannot exceed the key rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation by more than 5 percentage points," Margolin said.

Finally, in conditions of high rates, a reasonable compromise may be to buy a used car — this way you can reduce the loan amount, and the choice of models will become wider. Buying a used car from a trusted dealer can reduce the risks for the buyer, since in case of any technical or legal problems with the purchased car, the dealer is responsible.

In addition, the terms of a car loan, which can only be obtained by purchasing from a dealer, will be more profitable for the buyer than the terms of a consumer loan. With a car loan, the bank carries fewer risks: unlike a consumer loan, in case of non-repayment of borrowed funds, the car remains pledged to the bank, the specialist added.

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On April 22, the Ministry of Industry and Trade informed Izvestia that in the first quarter of 2025, over 36 thousand cars were sold under demand incentive programs (preferential car loans and preferential leasing). The ministry clarified that more than 25.3 thousand cars were sold under the preferential car loan program, and more than 10.7 thousand cars were sold under the preferential leasing program.

At the end of last year, it became known that 36 billion rubles have been reserved in the budget for the preferential car loan program in 2025.