Navigating Auto Loans Course

Buying a car is one of the largest financial decisions most people make outside of buying a home. Yet most buyers walk into a dealership without understanding how auto financing actually works. That puts you at a disadvantage before the negotiation even starts. People Driven Credit Union has partnered with GreenPath Financial Wellness to give every PDCU member free access to the Navigating Auto Loans online course. It takes ten minutes and it could save you thousands.

What Is the Navigating Auto Loans Course?

The Navigating Auto Loans course is a free, self-paced online course from GreenPath Financial Wellness. It is designed to help car buyers understand their financing options before they step onto a dealership lot. The course is available exclusively to PDCU members at no cost and takes about ten minutes to complete.

What You Will Learn

1. The Difference Between Financing Through a Credit Union vs a Dealership

Most buyers accept dealer financing without comparing it to what their credit union can offer. The course explains how financing through PDCU differs from dealer financing in terms of interest rates, loan terms, and total cost. Understanding this difference before you shop gives you real negotiating power.

2. How to Calculate What You Can Actually Afford

The course walks you through how to set a realistic vehicle budget based on your income, existing debt, and monthly expenses. Knowing your number before you shop keeps you from being upsold into a payment that strains your finances for years.

3. How to Compare Loan Offers Side by Side

Not all loan offers are equal. The course teaches you how to compare interest rates, loan terms, and monthly payments across different lenders so you can identify the best fit for your situation rather than just accepting the first offer you receive.

4. How to Walk Into a Dealership With Confidence

The course measures your confidence before and after completing it so you can see exactly how much your understanding has improved. Members who complete the course report feeling significantly more prepared and less anxious about the car-buying process.

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is a good fit for any PDCU member who is buying their first car, has felt uncertain or overwhelmed by auto financing in the past, wants to make sure they are getting the best possible rate and terms, or is considering refinancing an existing auto loan.

How to Access the Course

The course is free for all PDCU members. Click the link below to start. No sign-up required beyond your PDCU membership.

Start the Free Navigating Auto Loans Course

Watch the Navigating Auto Loans Course

Prefer to watch rather than read? Here is a recording of the full Navigating Auto Loans webinar hosted by GreenPath Financial Wellness in April 2023. It covers the same material in more depth and includes a live Q&A session.