If you have a credit score that is below 680 you will likely have a hard time getting a car loan from a traditional dealer such as your bank but this does not mean you cannot get financing. This article shares where to look for car financing and what to expect when your credit is poor.

Used or New Car Loans for Bad Credit

The economy is down and banks (and all types of traditional lenders) are not loaning as freely as they once where this means you must have a pretty good credit score in order to qualify for financing from you bank. This leaves you with two options, you can either go directly to a car dealership that advertises that they can get you financing or you can go online and find a company that caters to getting consumers car loans for bad credit.

If you go directly to a dealer down the street you want to keep in mind that they have a motive of making a profit. This can mean that they will work hard to get you a loan but it also means that they might play around with your interest rate to your disadvantage.

A little know secret used by car dealers is that it is legal for them to add on to the interest rate that they find for you. For instance, if they find you a lender willing to give you 9 percent interest they can legally tack on an additional 3 percent and pocket that money. Interest adds up fast and this can translate into $100 extra for you a month.

Your other option is to go online and get car financing. The advantage here is that they will compete for your business and this means you will be offered the lowest interest rate possible and often without a down payment requirement. Another advantage is you can apply without having to sit face to face with someone, which can be embarrassing if your credit is not clean.

Either way when your credit is poor you will end up paying a higher interest rate compared to those with good credit but shopping online will likely give you the best rate and you can always consider refinancing for a lower interest rate in a year.