Jun 27, 2022

bad credit used cars

Whether it’s your first time buying a vehicle or you haven’t bought a vehicle in a while, you may be wondering how to get approved for a car loan. It’s relatively easy to get approved, and a little information can go a long way in helping to ensure that you qualify for a used car loan.

 

At Toyota Direct’s bad credit car lot, just about anyone can be approved for a car loan with a variety of qualifying factors. We at Toyota Direct also have a great deal of knowledge about the process of qualifying for an auto loan. Therefore, we want to inform you about how you can easily get approved for a car loan by providing a list of tips below. 

 

  1. Look At Your Credit And Consider How A Loan Will Impact It

The first thing to understand before you finance a car is credit scores and how an auto loan impacts a credit score. The fact is that most used car loans are determined using credit scores, and there are varying credit tiers that determine loan eligibility.

 

Along with this, most loans are not only determined using credit scores, but auto loans also impact a credit score. If payments are made on time, then the score will increase. However, if payments are missed or not made, your credit score will decrease.  

 

  1. Understand Which Credit Tier You Are In

With used car loans, there are different credit tiers that determine loan eligibility. Take a look at the list below to see each of these credit tiers along with the scores that determine them and the average APRs for new/used cars according to Experian Information Solutions:

 

Credit Score Avg. APR, New Car Avg. APR, Used Car
Superprime: 781-850 2.40% 3.71%
Prime: 661-780 3.56% 5.58%
Non Prime: 601-660 6.70% 10.48%
Subprime: 501-600 10.87% 17.29%
Deep Subprime: 300-500 14.76% 20.99%

 

 

  1. What To Do If You Have Bad Credit

If you find yourself anywhere below subprime with your credit, you may find it challenging to qualify for a car loan at most dealerships. Fortunately, car loans for bad credit are a great solution for anyone with little to no credit. At bad credit car lots, like Toyota Direct, you can easily qualify for a car loan, even with bad credit. In fact, these bad credit car lots use factors other than credit to determine loan eligibility, which can be seen below:

 

  • Income-to-debt ratio
  • Employment
  • Co-Signer
  • Down Payment/Trade-In
  1. Consider A Down Payment Or Trade-In

As mentioned above, down payments and trade-ins are factors in determining loan eligibility for a bad credit used car loan. A down payment helps by reducing the cost of a vehicle and reducing the minimum payments. A trade-in acts similar to a down payment; however, it can save you even more than a down payment depending on the vehicle you’re trading and with dealership trade-in incentives.

 

  1. A Co-Signer May Benefit You

Whether you are looking at used cars near Columbus, Ohio, or anywhere else, a co-signer is another helpful factor in qualifying for a car loan. A co-signer’s responsibility is to take over any missed or defaulted payments, providing the lender with increased financial security. This financial security benefits you by helping to reduce auto loan interest rates and minimum payments.

 

In conclusion, we at Toyota Direct hope that this list helps you to understand the process of qualifying for an auto loan. Whether or not you have bad credit, there are always ways to get approved for a car loan. If you do have little to no credit, a bad credit loan can even help you to improve your credit situation if payments are made on time.