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Is a car loan the same as a promissory note?

I was chatting with my father about loans the other day, and he told me that car loans are a type of promissory note. I didn’t think that sounded right, but I wanted to make sure. Are car loans and promissory notes the same thing?

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Eric Schad · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Great question! While
car loans
are a type of promissory note, not all promissory notes are car loans. So the short answer is: No, car loans and promissory notes are not the same.
Car loans are a type of agreement where one party borrows money from another to purchase a car. The borrower will pay the lender back over a given timeframe and with an **agreed-upon amount of interest. If they don’t, the lender may repossess their car.
Alternatively, promissory notes include any written financial agreement that defines an amount of money to be loaned and a timeframe for it to be returned. That being said, promissory notes include nearly any type of loan—including car loans.
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