How to Get a Car Loan with Bad Credit

Check Your Credit Score – Know where you stand before applying for a loan. You can check your score for free online.

[{"selector":"#anim-b2f354b5-8171-46ce-bbbd-097747b9fcc6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ded7b7ce-c6d8-4628-b998-bf9ee01392ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.63886%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-37de6294-9350-4e5c-964d-e347afd10824","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f68b925-115f-46a9-aab8-068c87103664","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 55.12425%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Save for a Bigger Down Payment – A larger down payment lowers your loan amount and makes approval easier.

[{"selector":"#anim-35fdca14-4bf8-4bd2-aca1-f28d8104d03f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e09ef0eb-8219-4cba-9641-8969dbb68678","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 55.12425%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f2e18de-334c-494f-9501-f2c29d4be9c1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea83abb9-78ca-4a61-b96d-ef26d8d5e67e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.63886%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Find a Co-Signer – A trusted friend or family member with good credit can help you get better loan terms.

[{"selector":"#anim-7e087209-bb17-42eb-a712-6bbc1315a3ea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-89a1565e-0f1c-4756-ba5f-2c776415df38","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 55.12425%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-672dec97-d911-48b6-a52d-50c86426f1a7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c14ca8ab-3fc1-406e-8a39-e8cdee2606c3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.63886%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Look for Special Bad Credit Lenders – Some lenders specialize in bad credit loans, so compare options before choosing.

[{"selector":"#anim-eeec5297-ced7-405a-82ca-b5e7189ce810","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dfbb0a9f-ef21-44b3-936c-1e0066239de7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 55.12425%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5772183c-1e46-4c3c-a02a-2233cb178d05","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-698ee392-7c10-406e-a045-3145a390de48","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.63886%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Improve Your Credit Before Applying – Paying off small debts and making on-time payments can boost your score.

[{"selector":"#anim-71725e81-f6f8-452e-995c-82b01aa4ea7e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ddacabbf-8e45-4cfc-8ec6-6adcd071f3e5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 55.12425%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c89f7e5-6da6-4aab-a241-54db23598ad1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90230124-bc09-45e4-b8bf-7a1608c81459","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.63886%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Choose a Budget-Friendly Car – Pick a car that fits your budget to avoid financial stress.

[{"selector":"#anim-ae396447-0568-4dc2-a92e-4c5b93cef0c2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c5bfab0-32ce-4b0a-a013-b02c24200a3c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 55.12425%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db2ddf71-6b67-4faa-af00-a6758b4834e9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9baeee42-72c7-472d-bb1e-f69fc9c7472c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.04863%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Be Ready for Higher Interest Rates – Bad credit loans often have higher rates, so plan for slightly higher payments.

[{"selector":"#anim-bf5a1aab-d9ae-449c-900b-ef34c1c9534a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80a14dac-4565-4d61-a818-23755cb22a36","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 55.12425%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cbff12b7-e971-4ceb-b2e1-994dbdfa06a5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-204fde80-6059-47fb-832f-a548e90ec1c7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.63886%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]