If you are hopelessly upside down on a vehicle and need relief from that distressing debt, selling the car and taking out a second loan to cover the negative equity is an option. In short, if you owe $15,000 and your car is worth $10,000, you are $5,000 upside down or have $5,000 in negative equity.

Can you trade in a car with negative equity for a cheaper car?

If you have negative equity in a financed car that you want to trade in for a cheaper vehicle, you need to do one of two things. Your first option is to pay the difference out of pocket. Or, you can ask the dealer if this amount can be rolled over into the new loan.

What happens if you have an upside down car loan?

Going “upside down” or “underwater” on your auto loan happens when the market value of your vehicle is less than the amount you owe. For example, say you still owe $30,000 on a car that you’d like to sell or trade in, but the most you’ve been offered is $20,000. That’s $10,000 in negative equity you’ll have to deal with.

What happens when you make a down payment on a car?

Making a down payment and reducing the amount you need to borrow can also decrease your monthly loan payment amount. Let’s say you buy a vehicle with no down payment. With a five-year $30,000 loan at a 4.5% interest rate, your monthly payment would be $559 (or a little more if you include sales tax in the loan).

Can a car dealership make your loan disappear?

Most of these dealerships even promise to pay off the balance on your auto loan. However, unless your local dealership is a charity, it will not make your loan disappear; it will pay off what you owe your lender and find a way to factor the expense it incurred into the price of the vehicle you purchase.

Can a car dealership pay off your trade in?

Many car dealerships promise to pay off your trade-in, but they only mean it if your old vehicle is worth more than you owe on your auto loan. If you are upside down on your car loan and the promise to clear off your debt sounds too good to be true, it probably is.