Do car dealerships use FICO scores?

Asked by: Dr. Quinn Heathcote PhD  |  Last update: March 27, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (47 votes)

What credit score do auto lenders look at? The three major credit bureaus are Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. The two big credit scoring models used by auto lenders are FICO® Auto Score and Vantage.

What FICO score do dealerships use?

Your FICO score is a representation of your credit worthiness. FICO offers specific products and solutions for car dealers and auto loans. Their product is called Auto Score 8. As you can see here from FICO's promotional materials, Auto Score 8 is meant to help dealers, “Improve accuracy and speed of decision making.

Can I use my FICO score to buy a car?

Some auto lenders also use a version of the FICO score called FICO Auto Score. This type of scoring is focused specifically on your ability to pay back debts, and these scores range from 250 to 900. It is possible for lenders to use a different type of credit scoring metric.

What is a good FICO auto score?

A FICO® Auto Score of 670 to 739 is typically considered good and can generally qualify you for standard financing terms. Scores of 740 to 799 are usually considered very good, helping allow access to even better rates.

Is a FICO score your actual credit score?

FICO® Scores are a type of credit score, but not all credit scores are FICO® Scores. Checking your FICO® Score may be more beneficial, as 90% of top lenders use FICO® Credit Scores. There are different versions of FICO® Credit Scores finetuned for different credit products (like home and car loans).

What Credit Score Do Car Dealerships Use? (Which Credit Bureau Is Most Used for Auto Loans?)

44 related questions found

Why is my FICO score 100 points lower than Credit Karma?

Your FICO Score is a credit score. But if your FICO score is different from another of your credit scores, it may be that the score you're viewing was calculated using one of the other scoring models that exist.

What is considered a good FICO score?

For credit scores that range from 300 to 850, a credit score in the mid to high 600s or above is generally considered good. A score in the high 700s or 800s is considered excellent. About a third of consumers have FICO Scores that fall between 600 and 750—and an additional 48% have a higher score.

What credit score do they pull for a car loan?

FICO® credit scores are the auto industry standard for determining a potential buyer's creditworthiness. Using a variety of factors, the company will give you a three digit score ranging from 300 (lowest possible) to 850 (highest possible).

What can a 700 FICO score get you?

What a 700 credit score can get you. Your credit score is used by lenders to see if you qualify for financial products and to set the interest rate you'll pay. With a 700 credit score, you've crossed over into the "good" credit range, where you can get cheaper rates on financial products like loans and credit cards.

How do I increase my FICO score?

Here are a couple of things you can do right away that can set you on the right path toward improving your FICO® Score:
  1. Pay your bills on time.
  2. Work on reducing large amounts of debt.
  3. Avoid opening multiple credit accounts at once.
  4. Check your credit report and dispute any errors.

What do dealerships look at when financing?

Aside from your usual information, car dealerships will also obtain information such as any previous loan defaults or repossession, late payments, signs of bankruptcy, and history of credit repair. This information will help your dealership decide how to approach your car financing application.

What is the minimum credit score to buy a car?

According to Car and Driver, “Most used auto loans go to borrowers with minimum credit scores of at least 675. For new auto loans, most borrowers have scores of around 730. The minimum credit score needed for a new car may be around 600, but those with excellent credit often get lower rates and lower monthly payments.”

What FICO version is used for auto loans?

The basic FICO and auto loan FICO scores use different credit scoring models. The base FICO score ranges from 300 to 850, but FICO auto scores range from 250 to 900. The FICO auto score that lenders look at is measured using the 9 XT version of auto score measurement.

Do car companies use your FICO score?

If you need an auto loan to buy a car, lenders are going to run a credit check on you. Some lenders will use the industry-specific FICO auto score. You will likely need a credit score of 661 or higher to qualify for an auto loan with a good interest rate.

What banks do car dealerships use?

US Bank – A trusted lender for all of your dealer finance needs. US Bank is a part of the Route One and Dealertrack network of lenders. Ottomoto – Modern lending app for car dealers. Ottomoto provides a faster, easier and more secure way for your customers to finance their vehicle.

Which FICO score is most accurate?

FICO® and VantageScore® are the two most popular credit scoring models today. FICO and VantageScore credit scores are equally reliable and accurate, based on the specific scoring model that's being used. Tools are available that allow you to check and monitor your credit score for free, with no impact to your credit.

Is a 900 credit score possible?

What is the highest credit score possible? To start off: No, it's not possible to have a 900 credit score in the United States. In some countries that use other models, like Canada, people could have a score of 900. The current scoring models in the U.S. have a maximum of 850.

How rare is an 850 FICO score?

And when it comes to credit, 850 is the highest the FICO® Score scale goes. For more and more U.S. consumers, practice is making perfect. According to recent Experian data, 1.54% of consumers have a "perfect" FICO® Score of 850.

How hard is it to get an 800 FICO score?

Reaching such a credit score takes time and commitment, but it's not as impossible as you might think. Experian reports that 22 percent of all consumers have achieved excellent credit, and even more (28 percent) are on their way, falling within the very good credit range.

What credit score do car dealers want?

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.

What is a Tier 8 credit score?

Tier 8: An extremely poor score of 579 or below means you “have an extremely poor credit history or I have no credit history at all.”

What is the difference between a FICO score and a FICO auto score?

Base FICO® scores take into account your overall credit information as laid out in your credit reports, including your credit card debt, payment history, student loans, etc. The FICO® Auto Score model also takes these elements into consideration, but assigns more weight to auto-loan-specific risk behavior.

What is a good FICO score to buy a car?

Still, you typically need a good credit score of 661 or higher to qualify for an auto loan. About 69% of retail vehicle financing is for borrowers with credit scores of 661 or higher, according to Experian. Meanwhile, low-credit borrowers with scores of 600 or lower accounted for only 14% of auto loans.

How rare is an 820 credit score?

Your score falls in the range of scores, from 800 to 850, that is considered Exceptional. Your FICO® Score and is well above the average credit score. Consumers with scores in this range may expect easy approvals when applying for new credit. 21% of all consumers have FICO® Scores in the Exceptional range.

What is the average person's FICO score?

See how we rate credit score services to help you make smart decisions with your money. The average credit score in the US is 717, according to a report from FICO.