Car Financing: Understanding Credit Scores

If you're thinking about getting a new vehicle, you might be wondering what is a good credit score to buy a car. Lenders utilize your credit score to evaluate the likelihood of you repaying a loan. The higher your credit score, the better your interest rate and terms will be.

Usually, you need a FICO credit score of at least 600 to qualify for a regular car loan, but the specific number can vary by lender. In the range of 300 to 850, a 700 or above credit score is regarded as good. If your score is 800 or more, that's considered excellent. No worries, the majority of individuals typically have credit scores ranging from 600 to 750 and gain a good credit rate. 

When you want to buy a car, the auto lenders usually look at two main types of credit scores: FICO scores and VantageScores. Both use a scale from 300 to 850. The common scores you might hear about are VantageScore 3.0 and FICO 8.

FICO has different scores for various things, and for auto lenders,if your score falls between 670 and 739, it's considered good.

VantageScore has one score that works with credit reports from different companies. Their recent scores, VantageScore 3.0 and 4.0, use the same 300 to 850 range. 

The following aspects affect your credit rate:

• Length of Credit History: This is about how long you've been dealing with credits. The more experience you have with managing credit accounts, the better it is for your score.
• Payment History: This is about whether you pay your bills on time. If you pay late, have accounts in collections, didn't pay back debts, or declared bankruptcy in the past, it can impact your score negativity.
• Types of Accounts: It checks if you've handled different types of credit accounts well. This could be credit cards, loans, or other types of credit.
• Credit Usage: It's about how much of your available credit you're using. For example, if you have credit cards, it's about how much you've spent compared to your credit limit. It also looks at the amount you owe on all loans.
• Recent Activity: If you've recently applied for new credit, like getting a new credit card, and it led to the lender reviewing your credit (a hard inquiry), it could impact your score.

For auto loans, having a  FICO score of 670 or higher and a VantageScore of 700 or above is generally seen as good.

Based on Experian's report, a prominent credit reporting agency, about 69% of financed cars are obtained by individuals with credit scores of 661 or higher. Experian's State of the Finance Market Report for the third quarter of 2023 provides the following breakdown, including average used car APR and the percentage of loans taken out:

Clement Pre-Owned offers good financing options with a competitive rate, get in touch with our finance consultants to gain your personal offer. 

 How your financial rating drives car loan rates

If you're uncertain about your current credit rate, Clement Pre-Owned online checker can retrieve your credit profile within two minutes. Our score checker is free to use, won't register as a hard inquiry on your credit report and has no impact on your credit history. 

Get your free credit score range

For those with credit scores below the prime range of 661-780, securing an auto loan may pose challenges, but it's possible. Here are three options for financing a car with fair or poor credit:

1. Accept a higher interest rate: Individuals with poor credit may secure a car loan but at significantly higher interest rates. It's essential to weigh the impact on the total loan cost before committing.
2. Apply with a co-signer: Consider teaming up with a co-signer boasting good to excellent credit. This not only increases your chances of approval but may also lead to a more favorable interest rate, although not the same as they would receive alone.
3. Provide a larger down payment: Providing a substantial down payment can mitigate the impact of a poor credit score by reducing your monthly payments. Additionally, it may enhance the possibility of securing a lower interest rate. Certain lenders may view a significant down payment as a mitigating factor, potentially perceiving you as less risky, even with a lower credit score. 
4. Show additional financial documents: Presenting additional paperwork, such as financial statements, salary receipts, and tax records, serves to reinforce your financial stability. 

Financing a used car

While challenging, it can be done. Lenders often evaluate individuals without credit similarly to those with poor credit. Generally, you may need a co-signer or consider buying from a dealership that provides in-house financing. The same considerations apply when leasing a car. For more information on the distinction between leasing and financing, you can refer to our article on securing the cheapest car lease in Missouri.

Utilize Clement Pre-Owned's payment estimator to find the ideal car that aligns with your budget. Enjoy the flexibility to adjust various payment terms, including interest rates, down payment, and loan duration.

Car loan calculator

Obtaining pre-approval offers valuable insights into the borrowing amount and corresponding interest rate, enabling you to establish a practical budget for your car purchase.

At Clement Pre-Owned, the pre-approval process is quick and effortless. Provide some details in the online form and get the score.

Pre-qualify to see your real rate

At Clement Pre-Owned, you can calculate car financing, and get pre-approval for a car loan. Discover diverse financing options and seamless trade-in opportunities. Visit us today in St Charles or Florissant.