Instalment plans are now available at checkout. That does not automatically make them the right choice.
Split-payment providers have made the monthly figure the headline number in car buying. It is a useful tool, and it is also the easiest way to overspend, because a manageable instalment can hide an unmanageable total.
A simple test
Work out the total you will pay across the full term, then ask whether you would still buy the same car at that price in cash. If the answer is no, look one model down.
Bank transfer remains the cheapest route for the dealership and often the fastest to clear, which is why it stays on our checkout alongside the instalment providers.