KXLY January 14, 2021 7:00 AM Liz Weston Posted: Updated: Getty Images None of us knows everything we need to know about money, so we may turn to experts for help. But some money professionals who offer advice are not qualified to do so — nor are they required to put our interests ahead of theirs. Be cautious when accepting advice from the following sources. The dealership about how long your auto loan should be The dealership wants to sell you a car. To make the payments more affordable, you may be offered a loan that lasts six, seven or even eight years. Longer loans can get you smaller monthly payments, but they cost more overall, since you’ll pay more interest. You’ll also likely spend several years “upside down,” or owing more than your vehicle is worth. As the car ages, you could easily face big repair bills while still making payments. If you needed to sell the car, you would have to come up with money to pay off the loan. Alternatively, you could roll the negative equity into your next car purchase, but that would make your next loan even more expensive.