If you’re looking at cars at a used car dealership, odds are that you’re going to need a car loan. Unless you have a stockpile of cash in your bank account, you will need to borrow money to own one of these cars. Here are the five steps you need to follow in order to get a car loan.

Step 1: Check your credit

The first thing you should do it check your credit report. The better your credit is, the cheaper it is to borrow money and secure auto financing. With a higher credit score and a better credit history, you will usually get a lower interest rate. You might also qualify for lower car insurance premiums too. A lower score won’t necessarily prevent you from obtaining a car loan, but it might raise your interest rate.

Step 2: Determine your budget

It’s essential to have a budget before you start looking for a car loan. You want to make sure your loan payments will fit with your monthly budget as well as your long-term financial goals. If you don’t have a budget yet, look at your monthly income after taxes as well as how much money you want to put into savings each month.

Step 3: Know how much you can afford

Once you create your budget, you need to figure out how much you can afford to add to your expenses every month. For most, the most frequently searched vehicle price range is $5,000 or less. A good rule of thumb to follow is that you shouldn’t spend more than 10% of your income on a car.

Step 4: Get preapproved

Now that you know how much of a monthly payment you can afford, you’ll want to get preapproved for a car loan. You can research potential loans and compare the rates, lengths of time, and interest rates to find the best deals. Some dealerships offer financing options right on site, so you can research local dealerships too.

Step 5: Go shopping

Now, you’re ready to start looking for a new car. Look for cars that are reliable and fit into your budget. You should also consider things like size, color, gas mileage, and extra features you might like.

Follow these five steps and you’re on your way to getting a car loan. Remember that the more research you do, the better.

Car buying always seems to be stressful, time-consuming, and downright annoying — but it doesn’t have to be. With buy here pay here (BHPH) dealerships, you can handle all the financial aspects of the auto buying process directly on-site.

Whether you’re buying new or used cars, shopping at buy here pay here dealerships is a great option for any vehicle buyer.

Here are some of the best benefits of shopping at buy here pay here car dealerships:

• Your bad or nonexistent credit doesn’t matter — If you have bad credit, no credit, or are even currently in bankruptcy, these BHPH dealerships are great options. Additionally, even if your credit is outstanding, these dealerships can still offer you quality vehicles and affordable deals.
• In-house financing — Being able to purchase a vehicle and set up a loan payment process at the same time is a great advantage for most auto buyers. Rather than getting a loan from a bank or another third party, you can essentially handle all the financial aspects of purchasing a vehicle right on the lot.
• You’ll still be able to learn a lot about the vehicle — Since you’ll be covering virtually every aspect of the car buying process at these credible dealerships, you’ll also be able to identify everything that’s going on with a particular vehicle. CarFax reports are great and BHPH dealerships offer free reports, but these reports often don’t tell everything that you need to know. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 10 million vehicle crashes go unreported each year. These credible and experienced used car dealers will likely disclose as much information that is known on each vehicle they have in their possession.
• Buy here sell here options — You can also take advantage of trade-in-deals at these dealerships. Trading in a used car is a great way to upgrade for a higher quality or newer vehicle. BHPH lots will gladly accept pre-owned cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, and more — saving you a lot of money and even more stress.

If you want to learn more about buying and paying for used cars in a stress-free and timely manner, or find high-quality used cars for sale, stop by Auto Sales and Service today.