Funding solutions explained Finance Products Below we outline the finance products available to you, to fund your new vehicle purchase. Our team are available to assist with any questions, whether upfront or throughout your buying journey. Enquire About Finance

PJ Nicholls Finance

What is Personal Contract Purchase (PCP)?

Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) is a finance product that allows you the opportunity to buy a new or a used car.

It is similar to a Hire Purchase agreement as you will usually pay an initial deposit, followed by monthly instalments over a term typically between 18 to 48 months.

What makes PCP different to Hire Purchase (HP) is that your monthly instalments are paying off the depreciation of the car, and not its entire value, over the course of the term. Then, when you get to the end of your agreement, there is a final, balloon payment that must be made if you want to keep the car. The balloon payment is often referred to also as the Guaranteed Future Value (GFV).

How does PCP actually work?

When you have chosen your vehicle, you will then agree your annual mileage and decide on the agreement term with one of our Business Managers.

We will then determine the Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMFV) of the vehicle at the end of the agreement and work out a deposit and monthly amount that works for you.

At the end of your agreement you will then have three options:

Return – Simply return the car the back to us
Retain – Keep the car by paying the optional final payment
Renew – Trade it in for another car

For a quotation, help, or advice contact us and ask to speak to one of our Business Managers.

What are the advantages of PCP?

Monthly payments on a car financed by PCP are usually lower than if your car is financed by a Hire Purchase agreement.
If you decide not to buy the car, you can simply walk away when you've made all the payments.
Similar to PCH, you can drive away a new or used car every few years (dependent on the chosen term) without worrying about selling it on.
If your car is worth more than the Guaranteed Future Value then you can use that equity towards a deposit on a new car.

What should you consider when opting for a PCP?

If you want to buy the car you will need to pay your final balloon payment (the Guaranteed Future Value).
Similar to PCH, you will need to agree on a mileage allowance at the beginning of your contract and there may be excess mileage charges if you exceed this.
You won’t be able to sell the car without settling the finance.
You won’t own the car until you have made all of your repayments.
You’ll need to keep the car properly insured, maintained and in your possession until the full value is paid off.

Can I settle my PCP agreement early?

You can normally settle your agreement early by asking the finance company to provide you with a settlement figure. However, the finance company will require you to pay off the difference between what your car is worth, and what you still owe and there may be a difference which is known as negative equity. On the other hand, you may find that at the end of your term your car is worth more than the Guaranteed Future Value, which means you will have some positive equity to contribute towards your next car.

Find and finance your next vehicle through PCP

What is Hire Purchase (HP)?

Hire Purchase is a way to finance buying a new or used car. You will normally pay an initial deposit and will pay off the entire value of the car in monthly instalments. When all the payments are made, the Hire Purchase agreement ends, and you own the car outright.

What are the advantages of HP?

You’ll be able to drive away a car that you may not have managed to buy outright.
Unlike a PCP or PCH contract, you won't need to estimate your mileage at the start of your Hire Purchase agreement, so you'll avoid excess mileage charges.
Once you’ve made your final monthly payment, including the option to purchase fee, you'll have full ownership of the car.

What should you consider when opting for HP?

Monthly payments may be higher than some other finance options, such as PCP, as you're paying off the full value of the car.
You won’t be able to sell the car without settling the finance.
You won’t own the car until you have made all of your repayments.
You’ll need to keep the car properly insured, maintained and in your possession until the full value is paid off.

Can I settle my HP agreement early?

The short answer is yes, you can end your finance early. There are different provisions within each finance agreement that allows you to do just that. If you have got through two-thirds of the way through your finance agreement, the options to end the finance agreement early open up.

For a Hire Purchase agreement, there is an option of paying it off early through a settlement fee. A settlement fee covers the cost of any remaining unpaid instalments and interest payments remaining on the agreement. Once the settlement fee is paid, you take full ownership of the car early.

Under a Personal Contract Purchase agreement, you can also pay a settlement fee for bringing the agreement to an end early. After that, you can choose to hand the car back or you have a second option. Through a PCP agreement, you can take full ownership of the car by paying off the remaining Guaranteed Minimum Future Value also known as a balloon payment.

Find and finance your next vehicle through HP

Do you have a question or a query?

Contact our customer service team today who will be delighted to help.

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Company Info

Reg Office: The Motor House Station Road Pinvin Pershore Worcestershire WR10 2DJ

Reg. Company Number: 01777064

VAT Reg. No. 396191909

P.J. Nicholls Limited is an Appointed Representative of Automotive Compliance Ltd, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No 497010). Automotive Compliance Ltd’s permissions as a Principal Firm allows P.J. Nicholls Limited to act as a credit broker, not as a lender, for the introduction to a limited number of lenders. We can introduce you to a selected panel of lenders, which includes Ford Credit. An introduction to a lender does not amount to independent financial advice and we act as their agent for this introduction. Our approach is to introduce you first to Ford Credit for a new car purchase, who are usually able to offer the best available package for you, taking into account both interest rates and other contributions. If they are unable to make you an offer of finance, we then seek to introduce you to whichever of the other lenders on our panel is able to be make the next best offer of finance for you. Our aim is to secure the best deal you are eligible for from our panel of lenders. Lenders may pay a fixed commission to us for introducing you to them, calculated by reference to the vehicle model or amount you borrow. Different lenders may pay different commissions for such introductions, and Ford Credit also provide preferential rates to us for the funding of our vehicle stock and also provide financial support for our training and marketing. But any such amounts they and other lenders pay us will not affect the amounts you pay under your finance agreement, all of which are set by the lender concerned. If you ask us what the amount of commission is, we will tell you in good time before the Finance agreement is executed. All finance applications are subject to status, terms and conditions apply, UK residents only, 18’s or over. Guarantees may be required.