Although you may be sad that Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer, you may be happy to learn that there are plenty of car deals to be had over the holiday weekend. Labor Day weekend car sales are quite common, so if you are in the market for a vehicle, you may want to take advantage of some of the great deals being offered this year.

Borrowers, especially those with past credit issues on tight budgets, should never confuse price with cost. Price is what you pay for a vehicle while cost includes the overall expenses including gas, insurance, maintenance and depreciation.

Memorial Day weekend is one of the best times a consumer can get a great deal on a new car. Check out some of the top Memorial Day deals and military discounts being offered in 2016.

When given the choice of financing a new car, we suggest that buyers with credit issues choose an affordable compact or subcompact – vehicles that are also fuel efficient and inexpensive to insure. Opting for the shortest loan term possible, once they've reestablished their credit these consumers will be in a much better position for their next loan.

Consumers with checkered credit are far more likely to get stuck financing a vehicle with hidden damage than other buyers. By following all the above steps they can prevent this from happening.

All three of these family cars not only represent a good value but also have a starting MSRP of under $19,000 - a fact of particular importance to borrowers with bad credit.

For high school graduates moving on to become college students, the end of the summer means it's time to move on to the next phase of their lives.

We review the latest list of Best Family Cars from Kelley Blue Book and narrow it down to a couple of new cars that might fit into a subprime auto loan.

The trend toward longer loans and higher payments is not a good one – especially for borrowers with problem credit – as this increases interest charges as well as the length of time a borrower is upside down in the loan. Borrowers with credit issues, in particular, should keep the loan term and amount financed as low as possible so they can trade out earlier and into another vehicle with a more manageable interest rate.

Many people walk into a dealership with only a vague idea of how auto loans and financing work. It never hurts to be extra prepared when financing an expense as big as a car, and reading up on the main consumer protection laws concerning auto financing is a smart thing to do.