Do you have bad credit, no cash to loan, and want a car? If so, this article is for you! It’s time to get your wheels rolling. We will be discussing how to get a car with bad credit and no money down.
We’ll start by looking at some of the top auto lenders in the nation that offer loans for people with bad credit. After that, we’ll go over how to apply for an auto loan online and what it takes to qualify.
Lastly, we look at different options available when considering cars with low monthly payments, including leasing vs. buying new or used vehicles! Ready? Let’s roll!
How can I get financed for a car with bad credit?
Check your credit score
Before you can begin the process of getting a car with bad credit and no money down, you need to check what your credit score is. You can do this by signing up for a free account on Credit Karma.
It’s 100% free, and they provide detailed information about where your credit currently stands and how it has been quite accelerating or declining over time.
If you have unfortunate news, there are plenty of credit repair services out there that can help. And if your credit is pretty good, then that’s great!
You might still be able to get a car even if it’s not perfect because some lenders will accept lower credit scores with higher incomes and more down payments.
Save for a down payment
When you finally go car online shopping sites, you will need to have a down payment saved. You can typically assure to pay around 10% of the purchase price as a down payment on any new or used car. The more you are able to put down upfront, the better off you’ll be because it means lower monthly payments and less interest.
The best route to go is to have enough money saved up for the down payment before applying for the car loans with bad credit no money down.
This way, you won’t be tempted to take on additional monthly debt that you can’t afford. This will only delay paying off the loan and increase your chances of defaulting within a year or two (if not sooner).
Determine how much you can afford per month.
Whether you want to buy a new or used/used car, your new car payment will impact how much of a car you can afford. The more money you can pay per month on a loan, the better off you’ll be.
Usually, you should aim to spend no more than 20% of your monthly income on your total monthly debts. This includes car payments, student loans, credit cards, etc. This will provide you with a general idea of how much you can afford to spend on a new or used car before proceeding with the loan process.
How to Get a Car with Bad Credit and No Money Down?
There are many places to get an auto loan. But not all lenders have the same criteria and requirements. So this is where things can acquire a bit tricky because you could find yourself going through several different offers that turn out to be a dead end.
Captive financing companies
Captive auto finance companies (sometimes referred to as “captives”) are subsidiaries of large, well-established corporations such as Ford, General Motors, Toyota, and Chrysler. These companies primarily focus on providing incentives to dealerships to sell their vehicles at discounted rates, which ends up saving you money!
Because their parent company is a huge corporation, they have better rates than independent finance companies. This means you’ll likely get more favorable terms with these lenders (lower interest rate, lower down payment, longer loan term, etc.).
Dealer-arranged financing
If you buy your vehicle from a dealership, they might try to get you financed through their lender. This can be beneficial because the dealer will know what type of rates the lender offers, and it’ll be easy for them to pitch that information to you to sell you on getting a car loan at their preferred lending institution.
The downside to getting your car loan through the dealer is that there are no guarantees that you’ll get allow for a loan or what type of interest rate they might offer.
The dealer will still try to find you the best deal possible, but this could take days or even weeks if they have to work with multiple lenders. But if you are patient and have good credit, you’ll be able to get a better rate through the dealer.
Credit unions and community banks
These types of lenders are usually smaller than the big banks or captive auto finance companies mentioned above, but they can still help you secure an auto loan for thousands to tens of thousands of dollars!
The bank’s primary focus is to help the community they are located in, so their rates are somewhat lower than other lenders. You can also allow for a loan quickly and reasonably because the process doesn’t require as much paperwork as dealing with big banks.
Although credit unions offer lower interest rates, you may not qualify for as large of a loan. Typically, you are a credit union member or work for a company based in the same city as where you live.
Online lenders
You can apply for a loan online as long as you have the essential details about yourself that are required to be approved. This involves your full legal name, date of birth, address, and phone number.
Depending on how much you are borrowing, you will still have to go through an approval process and could be asked for additional information like proof of income and other paperwork.
One of the best things about online lenders is that they can quickly approve you for a loan because it doesn’t require much paperwork compared to traditional banks or credit unions. They’ll need to verify you are who you say you are, though. So make sure to have some form of identification ready when you apply.
These are just some of the places you can get a car loan with bad credit. You may find other lenders not listed here, so do your research and keep shopping around if you still have trouble finding someone willing to approve you for a loan.
Buy here, pay here
These types of lenders are specialized in offering loans to people with bad credit no down payment cars. They have designated lots where they store used cars that have been repossessed from owners who could not pay for their monthly repayments.
If you cannot secure a loan from a traditional bank, you can ask the owner if he is willing to sell the car to you for a discount price.
You would then pay the owner directly and keep up with your monthly loan repayments simultaneously.
This might be difficult, though, because you’ll have to juggle between two different accounts, but it will be an excellent option if you’re struggling to secure a loan from other lenders.
Your credit score is an essential factor when applying for a car loan. Lenders can detail man proves that what are you take loan compared to others with similar profiles. If your credit is higher, the better the terms you’ll be offered on your loan because this means that there is less risk of default or non-repayment.
How Long Will It Takes For My Auto Loan To Be Approved?
Unfortunately, there isn’t an accessible replay to this question. Each lender is different, and they will have their requirements in terms of the approval process for your loan. Some browsers may take days or weeks to approve you for a loan, while others might get back to you within just a few seconds.
The best thing you can do is to apply with multiple lenders because there’s a chance one of them will approve you right away. It all depends on the situation, so do not get discouraged if one or more lenders turn you down.
Some people can be approved for a loan at the first bank they visit even if their credit isn’t great. Others will have to apply at several banks until they are finally approved for a car loan.
You should also remember that the approval process takes much longer if your credit is bad or you want to borrow more money than you would qualify for with just average credit. Some browsers will work with people who have poor credit scores, but you will be asked to pay a higher interest rate as compensation for them taking on more risk.
Additional Information And Tips For Auto Loans With Bad Credit
Once you have been approved for a car loan, there are several things you should do to make sure everything goes completely before the funds are sent to your dealer:
When applying at a bank or credit union, make sure to ask for the express approval process. This will ensure that you are approved for your loan as quickly as possible.
Make sure to have your down payment ready when you go to sign the paperwork. Unless otherwise stated, most lenders require 20% of the purchase price for you to be approved for a loan.
Do not go to the dealer until you are approved for your car loan. Going directly to a dealer without knowing whether or not you can get financed will only lead them to raise the price of the vehicle.
How a Car Loan Impacts Your Credit
Applying for a car loan is going to have a negative impact on your credit. When you use for any kind of loan, the bank or lender will look at your credit score as part of their established process.
If you are approved for the loan, it will be recorded on your report as an “open account.” This means that it will be showing up on your credit report every month you make payment. If you do not get any charges on time or miss a payment, it will appear as an “open account with a negative history.
This doesn’t mean that the lender is going to start recording all of their loans on your credit profile, but it can be a negative factor when it comes to finding other lenders willing to give you a loan. If your score is already low, applying for a car loan will not help raise it again.
The only time the application for a car loan does not negatively impact your credit is if the lender turns you down. In this case, the lender will not report your application for a loan, and it will not negatively impact your credit at all.
Final Verdict
You may have bad credit, but you can know how to Get a Car with Bad Credit and No Money Down? If you keep searching and applying for a loan, there’s a good chance that you will be able to get approved for one on your own or with the help of someone who can co-sign for you.
Whether it takes days or months, just make sure to stay persistent until you finally get an answer from at least one lender. Then you can go to the dealer and pick out a vehicle that will be yours in no time!