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.
Unless you have the cash, that means you need an auto loan. It's essential to be knowledgeable about how your auto loan process will be different than someone with a higher score. You might not have the same options, but you can still get an auto loan with a 600 credit score.
With a credit score of 600-609, 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 600 to 609 credit score range is 10.48% (47% higher than the average rate for a new car).
Key Takeaways. Your credit score is a major factor in whether you'll be approved for a car loan. Some lenders use specialized credit scores, such as a FICO Auto Score. In general, you'll need at least prime credit, meaning a credit score of 661 or up, to get a loan at a good interest rate.
It's not impossible to get a car loan with a credit score of 606, but you may have to agree to more expensive terms. Your credit score is a reflection of your ability to pay off debt on time and in full. A credit score of 606 is considered nonprime and can concern lenders.
FHA loans are intended for people with lower credit; they allow a minimum credit score between 500 and 580. If your FICO score is below 580, you'll need a 10% down payment. If it's above 580, you only need to put 3.5% down.
Don't worry too much, though—you can totally find a decent car loan with a score of 607. A 607 credit score is considered nonprime, so you can expect your car loan's APR to be somewhere between 6.32% and 9.77%. Lenders reserve the best rates for applicants with credit scores of 661 and above.
Auto dealerships use the FICO credit bureau, which stands for Fair Isaac Corporation. They also use the FICO Auto Credit Score, which has a range of 250 to 900. This may mean that an auto dealer has a different credit score for you than the one you see on your personal credit report.
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.
FICO Auto Score has several versions. Most auto lenders use FICO Auto Score 8, as the most widespread, or FICO Auto Score 9. It's the most recent and used by all three bureaus. FICO Auto Score ranges from 250 to 900, meaning your FICO score will differ from your FICO Auto Score.
You should be able to get a car loan with a 603 credit score without a problem. Truthfully, people can get a car loan with almost any credit score—the difference will be what kind of interest rate you can secure. A score of 603 may get you an interest rate of between 11.92 percent and 4.68 percent on a new car loan.
Your score falls within the range of scores, from 580 to 669, considered Fair. A 600 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.
They normally qualify for competitive interest rates on their loans as well. However, even consumers with credit scores of 600 or less can get approved for an auto loan. Most banks and credit unions don't offer car loans to individuals with low (or subprime) credit scores.
A: It's entirely possible to apply successfully for an auto loan with only a 620 credit score. Consider this information which comes straight from Experian: In fact, Experian also stated that vehicle loans for customers having credit scores under 620 accounted for 20% of all auto loans during 2019!
A 609 credit score for a car loan isn't optimal, but it won't disqualify you from a car loan. This credit score puts you in the nonprime range of credit, which will simply make your interest rates higher than someone with a better credit score. The general cutoff between nonprime and prime loans is a 660 credit score.
While a credit score of 630 isn't the best, it's far from the worst. A 630 credit score should be good enough for a car loan, so long as you: Prepare for high interest rates—Lower credit means higher interest rates, so check to see how much of an additional monthly cost you can afford.
Financing a Used Car
Generally, it's easier to finance a new car than a used car. A key reason: It's less difficult for a lender to determine the value of a new car versus a used car.
A FICO® Score of 610 places you within a population of consumers whose credit may be seen as Fair. Your 610 FICO® Score is lower than the average U.S. credit score. Statistically speaking, 28% of consumers with credit scores in the Fair range are likely to become seriously delinquent in the future.
Vehicles like the Toyota Corolla and the Toyota C-HR are excellent options for first-time car shoppers thanks to their affordable price tags and reliability. Toyota helps car buyers with limited credit purchase these vehicles with the Financing for Limited Credit Program.
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 FICO® Score of 607 places you within a population of consumers whose credit may be seen as Fair. Your 607 FICO® Score is lower than the average U.S. credit score. Statistically speaking, 28% of consumers with credit scores in the Fair range are likely to become seriously delinquent in the future.
70% of U.S. consumers' FICO® Scores are higher than 660. What's more, your score of 660 is very close to the Good credit score range of 670-739. With some work, you may be able to reach (and even exceed) that score range, which could mean access to a greater range of credit and loans, at better interest rates.
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.