Don't sweat it—it's totally possible to get a car loan with a credit score of 597. This score is considered subprime, though, so you can expect your APR to fall somewhere between 9.92% and 15.91%.
A 597 FICO® Score is considered “Fair”. Mortgage, auto, and personal loans are somewhat difficult to get with a 597 Credit Score. Lenders normally don't do business with borrowers that have fair credit because it's too risky.
There is no set credit score you need to get an auto loan. If you have a credit score above 660, you will likely qualify for an auto loan at a rate below 10% APR. If you have bad credit or no credit, you could still qualify for a car loan, but you should expect to pay more.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 580 to 669, considered Fair. A 597 FICO® Score is below the average credit score. Some lenders see consumers with scores in the Fair range as having unfavorable credit, and may decline their credit applications.
According to credit reporting agency Experian, more than 21% of auto loans in the fourth quarter of 2018 were extended to borrowers with subprime (501-600) or deep subprime (500 or below) credit scores. So, the answer is yes, you can buy a car with that credit score.
With a credit score of 580-589, you should qualify for a subprime APR rate, which will be higher than someone with a 700 or 800 credit score. The average rate for a used car loan in the 580 to 589 credit score range is 17.29% (47% higher than the average rate for a new car).
The FICO credit score.
The FICO credit scoring model is the most commonly used credit scoring model by auto lenders and car dealerships, and is also the oldest and first-ever credit scoring model. It's estimated that 90% of auto lenders use the current FICO Score 8 model when making lending decisions.
An individual with a 597 credit score will typically receive a credit card interest rate of between 20.5 and 16.5 percent. In comparison, someone with excellent credit can receive an average credit card interest rate of 13.5 percent.
A 597 credit score can be a sign of past credit difficulties or a lack of credit history. Whether you're looking for a personal loan, a mortgage or a credit card, credit scores in this range can make it challenging to get approved for unsecured credit, which doesn't require collateral or a security deposit.
Pay on time.
One of the best things you can do to improve your credit score is to pay your debts on time and in full whenever possible. Payment history makes up a significant chunk of your credit score, so it's important to avoid late payments.
The recommended credit score needed to buy a car is 660 and above. This will typically guarantee interest rates under 6%.
Although a 650 credit score is desirable for any loan, first time car loans may require a score of 680 or higher to waive any co-signer requirements.
It's possible to get a car loan with a credit score of 500, but it'll cost you. People with credit scores of 500 or lower received an average rate of 13.97% for new-car loans and 20.67% for used-car loans in the second quarter of 2020, according to the Experian State of the Automotive Finance Market report.
What credit score is needed to buy a car? You will likely need a credit score of 500 or above to qualify for an auto loan. A credit score range of 780 or better typically gets you the best rates. There are two main factors lenders look at when approving an applicant for an auto loan.
You will likely need a credit score of at least 580 for a $3,000 personal loan. Most lenders that offer personal loans of $3,000 or more require bad credit or better for approval, along with enough income to afford the monthly payments.
The amount you can qualify for with a credit score of 550 usually depends on the lender. One lender that considers borrowers with a credit score of 550 is Avant. They can lend up to $35,000, and their rates range from 9.95%-35.99%.
You should be able to get approved for a credit card with a 590 credit score—you'll just probably be given an interest rate around 20 percent. If you can't seem to get approved for a traditional unsecured credit card, you can opt for a secured credit card instead.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 300 to 579, considered Very Poor. A 579 FICO® Score is significantly below the average credit score.
The base FICO® Scores range from 300 to 850, and FICO defines the "good" range as 670 to 739. FICO®'s industry-specific credit scores have a different range—250 to 900. However, the middle categories have the same groupings and a "good" industry-specific FICO® Score is still 670 to 739.
Make Sure You Have Good Credit
Having a good credit score is essential if you want to get approved for an auto loan with decent terms. In general, a good FICO® Score☉ ranges from 670 to 739, and a higher score is even better. Auto lenders typically use the FICO 8 or FICO Auto Score models to determine your score.
When you visit a dealer and decide to purchase a car, fill out the loan paperwork and give the dealer permission to run a credit check, that generates a hard inquiry on your credit report. Hard inquiries will reduce your credit score anywhere from 5-10 points for about a year.
The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma should accurately reflect your credit information as reported by those bureaus. This means a couple of things: The scores we provide are actual credit scores pulled from two of the major consumer credit bureaus, not just estimates of your credit rating.
“A typical down payment is usually between 10% and 20% of the total price. On a $12,000 car loan, that would be between $1,200 and $2,400. When it comes to the down payment, the more you put down, the better off you will be in the long run because this reduces the amount you will pay for the car in the end.