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Justin Korner - The Finance Korner

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Justin Korner - The Finance Korner

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Dealing with the banks so you don't have to.

04/11/2026

Agree?

01/11/2026

Bargin!

29/10/2026

Buckle up!

26/10/2026

Seeing a lot of people finance these recently!

23/10/2026

Steal?

21/10/2026

Crazy times!

18/10/2026

Not a bad car

12/10/2026

Choosing a cheaper car upfront can sometimes cost significantly more over time once the full picture is factored in.

The BYD Shark 6 sits at around $57,000 driveaway, compared to approximately $71,000 for a Ford Ranger. Financed over five years, that gap translates to roughly $261 per week for the Shark versus $325 for the Ranger, though actual repayments can vary depending on your credit profile, deposit and the lender used.

Running costs start to close that gap though. Fuel costs for the Shark average around $1,500 per year compared to $2,800 for the Ranger, a meaningful saving. However, insurance averages come in noticeably higher for the Shark at around $2,300 annually versus $1,800 for the Ranger, which partially offsets those fuel savings.

Where the numbers shift most dramatically is resale value. After three years, the Ranger typically retains around 75% of its purchase price, while the Shark sits closer to 55%. On a $57,000 vehicle, that gap in depreciation could represent a difference of roughly $11,400 in what you walk away with when it comes time to sell.

The cheaper sticker price on the Shark looks attractive initially, but the total cost of ownership over three to five years could potentially tell a very different story depending on your usage and financial priorities.

Content is general information only and not personalised credit advice. Loan eligibility, rates, repayments, fees and lender policies vary and can change. Speak with a licensed broker for advice tailored to your situation.

08/10/2026

Chinese car brands have quietly overtaken Japan as Australia's biggest vehicle supplier, ending a streak that lasted nearly three decades.

In February, China officially displaced Japan as Australia's top vehicle import source, a position Japan had held for 28 consecutive years. The shift isn't subtle either, brands like Zeekr and Omoda Jaecoo recorded sales growth of over 1,100 per cent in a single year, while BYD came within 243 sales of knocking Toyota off the top spot as Australia's best-selling brand in June.

The scale of what's happening is striking. Chinese manufacturers are currently dealing with a domestic oversupply of around 20 million vehicles per year, and with weaker local demand at home, they're exporting aggressively. Australian data from June showed that 80 per cent of all electric vehicles sold locally rolled out of Chinese factories, and some analysts suggest Chinese-made cars could account for up to 80 per cent of all Australian vehicle imports within the next decade.

Traditional Japanese brands are feeling the pressure in a significant way. Nissan sales dropped 32 per cent, Mitsubishi fell 25 per cent, and even Toyota recorded a 21 per cent decline over the same period that Chinese brands were surging.

For mortgage and finance professionals, this shift matters because vehicle assets are increasingly part of lending conversations. As Chinese EV prices undercut traditional brands, the residual value landscape for these assets is still taking shape, which could potentially affect how lenders assess vehicle security.

Content is general information only and not personalised credit advice. Loan eligibility, rates, repayments, fees and lender policies vary and can change. Speak with a licensed broker for advice tailored to your situation.

06/10/2026

Switching to fortnightly car loan repayments sounds like a smart money move, but the actual interest saving is often close to zero.

The reason this works so well on home loans is that many lenders divide the monthly payment by two and charge that amount fortnightly, resulting in 26 payments per year, which is the equivalent of 13 monthly payments. That extra payment chips away at the principal faster and can save thousands over a 25 or 30 year loan term. Car loans are a different story entirely.

Most car loan lenders calculate true fortnightly repayments by dividing the total annual cost by 26, meaning you pay the same total amount over the year regardless of frequency. On a $30,000 car loan over 5 years, switching to fortnightly payments could potentially save you somewhere between $20 and $30 in total interest. That is not a typo, it is genuinely that small.

Where the frequency change can make a real difference is cashflow management. If your pay comes in fortnightly, aligning your repayment to that cycle means the money moves out before it gets absorbed into everyday spending, which for many borrowers makes the loan feel easier to maintain.

So if you are switching repayment frequency on a car loan hoping to slash your interest bill, it may be worth adjusting those expectations. The real benefit is behavioural, not financial.

Content is general information only and not personalised credit advice. Loan eligibility, rates, repayments, fees and lender policies vary and can change. Speak with a licensed broker for advice tailored to your situation.

Address

Shop 2/396 High Street
Sydney, NSW
2750

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://thefinancekorner.com.au/

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