How to finance a used car in 2024 demands reading macro indicators. As the Fed’s monetary stance influences both consumer loans and S&P volatility, locking terms today is akin to hedging with defensive stocks — safeguarding against inflation’s impact on monthly repayments. Employers still are required to withhold taxes from each paycheck for Social Security and Medicare, which are referred to as FICA or payroll taxes. Workers still must report all tips to their employers if they total $20 or more in a single month. Experian’s State of the Automotive Finance Market sheds some light on the cost of financing a used car in 2025. According to the report, the average amount financed for a used vehicle in 2025 is $26,144. The average monthly payment stands at $521. Only about a third (33.76%) of used car loans have monthly payments less than $400. The choice of how to finance a used car reflects a hedging mindset. Using fixed-rate loans secures certainty, similar to defensive sector allocation when equity forecasts predict volatility spikes.