Many dealers use a FICO Auto Score instead of a traditional FICO Score or VantageScore when evaluating your car loan application. Your FICO Auto Score can range from 250 to 900, depending on your previous auto loans.
There is no minimum credit score required to buy a car, but most lenders have minimum requirements for financing. Most borrowers need a FICO score of at least 600 to get a competitive rate on an auto loan.
What Is the Minimum Score Needed to Buy a Car? 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.
As you can see, a 700 credit score puts you in the “good” or “prime” category for financing, making 700 a good credit score to buy a car. While it's always a good idea to get your credit score in its best possible shape before buying a car, if you're already around the 700 range you will be good to go.
While it's possible to get an auto loan with nearly any credit score, most lenders are looking for buyers in the prime credit score range with a credit score of 661 or above for the best terms and rates.
Making on-time payments to creditors, keeping your credit utilization low, having a long credit history, maintaining a good mix of credit types, and occasionally applying for new credit lines are the factors that can get you into the 800 credit score club.
There isn't one specific score that's required to buy a car because lenders have different standards. However, the vast majority of borrowers have scores of 661 or higher.
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.
So, if you want a $30,000 car putting down around $3,000 is best. 👍 If you're making $80-$120k then you should aim to put down a 20% down payment. This will help lower your interest and monthly payments.
Good FICO Auto Scores for Auto Loan Qualification
Lenders typically prefer borrowers with a credit score of 661 or higher. In addition to qualifying you for a loan, your FICO auto score can influence the interest rates that lenders offer you. A higher credit score will usually translate into a lower interest rate.
Every lender sets its own requirements for zero-down-payment deals, if they offer them at all. Generally, the credit score needed to buy a car is at least 661 whether you make a down payment or not. You could still get a car loan if your score is lower than 661, but be prepared to pay higher interest rates.
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.
FICO® and VantageScore® are the two most popular credit scoring models today. The credit scores they assign are equally reliable and accurate, based on the specific credit scoring model that's being used. Scores can and do fluctuate as new data is received.
Even better, just over 1 in 5 people (21.2%) have an exceptional FICO credit score of 800 or above, all but guaranteeing access to the best products and interest rates.
The average FICO credit score in the US is 717, according to the latest FICO data. The average VantageScore is 701 as of January 2024.
Overall, Credit Karma may produce a different result than one or more of the three major credit bureaus directly. The slight differences in calculations between FICO and VantageScore can lead to significant variances in credit scores, making Credit Karma less accurate than most may appreciate.
Tier 5: A fair credit score ranges from 630 to 649 and means you “try to be responsible with my credit but have had some recent credit challenges.” Tier 6: Below 630, you get into the poor credit tiers.
The Total Loan Amount
The total amount of money you borrow determines what you'll pay per month. For example, if you're buying a $60,000 luxury car at 3% APR with no money down and paying it off over five years, you'll be responsible for paying about $1,078 per month.
Only borrowers with gold-plated credit usually qualify for 0% APR financing deals. That means you need a credit score in the Super Prime category that Experian pegs at 781-850. Moreover, some captive finance companies won't consider a borrower below the 800 bar for a no-interest loan.
Perhaps the most obvious drawback of using a credit card is paying interest. Credit cards tend to charge high interest rates, which can drag you deeper and deeper in debt if you're not careful. The good news: Interest isn't inevitable. If you pay your balance in full every month, you won't pay interest at all.
In most cases, the highest credit score is 850, though a couple of FICO score models go up to 900. One person can have several credit scores, since FICO, VantageScore and others each have different scoring systems with different weightings.