Bad Credit? Know How This Affects Your Auto Loan
Do you currently have bad credit, but need to secure a loan for your next vehicle? You likely want to know how this will affect your upcoming purchase. It is still possible to get an auto loan with bad credit, but there will be some differences that you need to be aware of before you move forward with the process.
The Monthly Payment Will Be More Expensive
When you get financing to make a large purchase, it is common for your interest rate to be based on your personal credit score. This is because credit scores help lenders know what the likelihood is that you'll default on payments. Two people buying the same car with two different credit scores could get very different terms for a financial lender.
With bad credit, expect to have a higher monthly payment due to the increased interest rate. If you already owe money to pay for other debts, that high interest rate can make the monthly car payment harder to pay that new loan for your vehicle.
It is worth looking into ways that you can get the monthly payment down in cost when working with your lender. Some have penalties for paying off the loan early, so make sure to know what the penalty is. The penalty may still be less than what you'd pay in interest over the remainder of the life of the loan.
The Interest Rate May Be Lowered
There are ways to make yourself look like less of a risk to a potential lender, which can decrease your interest rate and how much you pay over the lifetime of the loan. One thing you can try doing is to ask for your credit limit to be increased on your credit cards. While they may seem like a bad idea if you have bad credit, a credit limit increase will show that you are using less credit than what you have. For example, if you have a $1,000 credit limit on your card with it maxed out at $1,000, then you are using 100% of your credit utilization. If you ask to increase your limit to $2,000, you will have 50% credit utilization.
A shorter term for the loan will also result in a lower interest rate. The monthly payment will be higher, but your car will be paid off faster with less interest paid in general. If you can afford it, a shorter term loan can be a great option.
Find a company that offers auto loans in your location in order to learn more.