If at first you don't succeed, don't try, try again until you've determined why you were rejected and have taken steps to address it. Credit scores are the primary determinant of who gets approved for loans, and if you didn't check your credit score before you applied the first time, it behooves you to do so before applying again. Many loan applications automatically trigger a credit check, each of which can knock a few more points off your credit score, making what might have been a bad situation even worse.
If your credit score is accurate and you've taken all possible steps to improve it, you're ready to do what we recommend for all car buyers: Shop around for a good interest rate before returning to a dealership. Credit unions are a great option; while they're perceived as exclusive, their interest rates are typically lower than many banks and they're more likely to examine a subprime applicant's circumstances and make exceptions if problematic credit history results from one-time medical expenses, unemployment or divorce.
Don't overlook the bank where you have a savings or checking account. Your financial history won't be a mystery to any potential lender, but an existing relationship can work in your favor, as it's easier for a bank to sell services to its customers than it is to find new customers.
Finally, don't rule out financing a car at the dealership. Only a dealer can offer new-car finance rates from the automaker; those rates are sometimes the lowest available. Also, if you've taken our advice but had little success with other loan sources, a dealership might be more willing to make financing accommodations if you're buying one of its cars, especially a used one. If the dealership that denied you the first time was smaller, a larger one might have more tolerance for risk or have good relationships with more lenders.
If your credit score is accurate and you've taken all possible steps to improve it, you're ready to do what we recommend for all car buyers: Shop around for a good interest rate before returning to a dealership. Credit unions are a great option; while they're perceived as exclusive, their interest rates are typically lower than many banks and they're more likely to examine a subprime applicant's circumstances and make exceptions if problematic credit history results from one-time medical expenses, unemployment or divorce.
Don't overlook the bank where you have a savings or checking account. Your financial history won't be a mystery to any potential lender, but an existing relationship can work in your favor, as it's easier for a bank to sell services to its customers than it is to find new customers.
Finally, don't rule out financing a car at the dealership. Only a dealer can offer new-car finance rates from the automaker; those rates are sometimes the lowest available. Also, if you've taken our advice but had little success with other loan sources, a dealership might be more willing to make financing accommodations if you're buying one of its cars, especially a used one. If the dealership that denied you the first time was smaller, a larger one might have more tolerance for risk or have good relationships with more lenders.
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