How Can I Get Car Financing with a Bad Credit Score?

Sometimes, the finance specialists at Spitzer Ford Cuyahoga Falls get asked this question by concerned car shoppers who just started building their credit or are in the process of rebuilding theirs. The answer to “How can I get car financing with a bad credit score?” is that you would go through a similar process as you would with an ideal credit score except you may have to take extra steps to make the best of your situation. Learn more about these additional steps below before beginning the car financing process.
How to Secure Bad Credit Car Loans Near Akron
While you might be inclined to apply for financing immediately, our finance specialists recommend that you consider the following tips before exploring your bad credit car loan options near Talmage:
- Figure out how much you can afford to pay. This amount should include more than just how much you can afford to borrow. Consider other expenses like annual registration fees, car insurance, maintenance costs, and gas costs.
- Make a bigger down payment if possible. If your credit isn’t the best, then a larger down payment will help lenders see you more favorably as a borrower. Plus, a larger down payment means you’ll have a smaller loan balance to pay off, leading to less interest paid overall.
- Clean up your credit report before applying for a loan. Review your report, and if you come across any errors, you should absolutely dispute them because they could be dragging your credit score down. If you have any outstanding debts, start paying them down– even making a small dent can help your credit score and give you more leverage. If you can hold off financing a vehicle, we strongly recommend paying off some of your debt first.
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- Be honest about what kind of car you should buy. Your focus should be financing a car with an affordable payment and affordable maintenance costs that you can take care of in the coming years. Consider one of our pre-owned vehicles! In other words, the focus is on how to get a car with bad credit, not necessarily how to get your dream vehicle with bad credit.
- Shop around with lenders. Don’t assume that the first lender to approve you will be the only one. Apply with a handful of lenders, and you can compare the rates of those who approve you. Then, you can pick the best offer.
How to Get a Car Loan with Bad Credit: Improve Your Credit Score
We’ve answered your question “How can I get car financing with a bad credit score?” While this isn’t the most ideal scenario, it is an opportunity for you to build your credit history. If you take out an auto loan and you are making your payments on time every month, this will improve your credit profile and credit score, giving you more lending power down the line for lower-interest loans and credit cards. Think of it as a stepping stone to better car financing options in the future!
Explore Bad Credit Car Loans Near Talmage With Spitzer Ford Cuyahoga Falls
Whether you’d like to work with us to explore your options or you’d like more information, get in touch with us today! We’d love to hear from you and help you secure the keys to a vehicle that you’ll enjoy driving around Cuyahoga Falls in!