Car Loans After Bankruptcy - How To Negotiate The Best Deal

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

A car loan after a bankruptcy is one of the easiest types of secure loans to get. Negotiate the best deal by taking control of your financial situation. With so many lending options available, you can choose your lender. Start by tidying up your credit report. Then, look for car financing before you start shopping. Not only will you get a good rate, but you can negotiate an even better price for your new car.

Be Proactive In Securing Financing

Don?t fall for dealership financing targeted for those with poor credit. Often times you will get stuck with a high rate loan and a high costing car. Instead, be proactive about securing your financing before you shop for a car.

This way, you have the most options on where you want to purchase a car. And you can get a better price because you have ?cash.? They will never know you have a bankruptcy in your past.

Straighten Up Your Credit Report

Make sure your bankruptcy has been completely settled before getting a car loan. You can get a free copy of your report online to check that all qualifying accounts have been closed. Also verify that your payment history is correct.

While you are looking at your credit report, you may also want to look at your FICO score. With a recent bankruptcy, you can expect your score to be in the low 500?s. After two years though, you can have a score over 650, qualifying for market rates.

Increase Qualification Factors

Even with a bankruptcy, you can lower rates with several factors. A down payment of 20% or more is a good start, so is having little debt and cash reserves in the bank.

You can further reduce your rates by being selective with your terms. Adjustable rates are usually lower than fixed rates loan. A three year loan will also have lower rates than a five year loan.

Search For The Right Lender

Searching for the right lender will also help you save on loan costs. Compare rates and fees based on loan quotes. Car loan broker sites can help you analyze multiple offers side by side.