How To Shop For A Car Loan If You Have Bad Credit

By Frank A. Williams Jr.

Bad Credit Car Loans are so easy, a Caveman can do it!

Before shopping for auto loans, start out by running your credit history. Be certain that all reported items on your credit report are true and accurate. It could be that certain information has been reported by mistake, and that your credit history is a lot stronger than you may have been led to think. If these mistakes are not removed, you could find that not only will your loan be more costly, but it will affect the type of lender you are placed with, which can affect alot of aspects of the loan.

When applying for bad credit car loans, try and get a report with your credit score if possible. For some time in the past, credit scores were only available to prospective lenders, who in turn used them to make credit decisions for those looking for loans. Now credit scores are available for consumers who want to see their score before shopping for a loan. Your score can be retrieved online from each of the three main credit bureaus: Equifax, Trans Union and Experian. If you have any kind of credit problems, it may be important to find out before you shop. Getting an accurate credit score and overall picture of your credit history will in the long run help you negotiate a better deal when shopping for a car loan online.

Another thing to remember when looking for a car loan is that you dont always have to get a loan through a dealerships finance department. Dealers make money off of every loan they get approved, as a result, if they do get you a bad credit car loan, it will most likely wind up costing you more money than if you shopped around for a loan by yourself. What you would try and do is secure a loan before you go to the dealerships to buy. This will save you a ton of money in the long run, if its possible.

Start shopping for the best auto loan rates and terms. They usually vary from one lender to the other. Credit unions are usually a good place to look as well. They used to primarily lend money for car loans for for people with good credit only. But now we are starting to see them giving auto loans for people with bad credit as well.

But don't get me wrong, alot of car dealerships have very competitive finance departments that deal with numerous auto loan lenders and and can usually get you a pretty good deal if you are a good negotiator. What you are paying for when going to the dealership for the auto loan is convenience. Shopping around for a good interest rate with different banks can be very time consuming. Sometimes just finding a bank that deals with bad credit can be hard enough. Usually dealerships can have a better chance at getting you approved for an auto loan because of the close relationships they maintain with the lenders. So do your research and figure out which method of obtaining a car loan is best for your situation! Good Luck! - 29970

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