If you’ve never purchased a car before, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by the process. while the economy is still struggling, car loans are becoming a bit more easy to find — and to qualify for. While that is a hopeful situation, you’ll still want to do a bit of research before signing a loan commitment.

You need to understand that any loan will require you to have verifiable income. This may mean producing pay stubs or tax records as well as allowing them to contact your employer to verify your job. Lenders are also going to check your credit history , so it is a good idea to obtain a copy of your credit report (you’re entitled to a free copy once a year from each of the three credit agencies) and make sure there are no errors or problems.

Once your finances are in order, you’ll want to make sure you research interest rates. Know that different lenders are going to offer you slightly different rates, depending on your income, credit, and other financial factors as well as the term of the loan. You need to realize that lower credit scores or shorter employment history will likely result in higher interest rates, so be prepared.

Another thing to consider when choosing between auto loans is the difference between direct financing and indirect financing. You’ll also want to look at both secured and unsecured financing in order to identify which is best for you.