With a low credit score of around 300, you may find it harder to get approved for a car loan. Is a 300 credit score bad? A 300 credit score doesn't necessarily disqualify you from a car loan, but it does mean you have bad credit. This is the lowest of the credit scores and puts you in the deep subprime category.
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 300 to 579, considered Very Poor. A 300 FICO® Score is significantly below the average credit score. Many lenders choose not to do business with borrowers whose scores fall in the Very Poor range, on grounds they have unfavorable credit.
In general, lenders look for borrowers in the prime range or better, so you will need a score of 661 or higher to qualify for most conventional car loans.
Auto lenders use a special reporting system called FICO® Auto Score when determining the creditworthiness of a potential customer. The three credit reporting bureaus that contribute information to your FICO Auto Score are TransUnion®, Experian™ and Equifax®.
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.
Yes, there are people out there who have a 300 credit score, though this is fairly rare. A score this low would be the result of many significant negative items in a borrower's credit history. People with scores this low are considered subprime or deep subprime borrowers.
Repairing Your Credit Score Can Take 30 Days or 10 Years.
A 300 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.
FICO considers a credit score to be poor if it falls below 580. According to FICO, a person with a FICO score in that range is viewed as a credit risk.
A 519 credit score isn't ideal for a car loan, but lenders might approve your application in some cases. The two most common ways that you can get a car loan with your subprime credit score are by: Making a large down payment. Finding a cosigner.
FHA loan – FHA loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration and allow lenders to accept a credit score as low as 580 with a 3.5 percent down payment, or as low as 500 with a 10 percent down payment.
Average Recovery Time
For instance, going from a poor credit score of around 500 to a fair credit score (in the 580-669 range) takes around 12 to 18 months of responsible credit use. Once you've made it to the good credit zone (670-739), don't expect your credit to continue rising as steadily.
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.
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.
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.
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.
For best results, you should aim for at least a FICO score of 660 before applying for a new car loan.