Used car buyers, in particular those with credit issues, have been shown to be easy targets for unscrupulous sellers hoping to unload used cars that are either rebuilt or have suffered some other type of damage.

Knowing that people with credit problems are especially susceptible to buying cars that may have hidden damage, it's important that they know how to tell if the car they are considering financing falls into this category.

Although there typically aren't many of them available, executive-driven program cars offer a third viable option for credit-challenged borrowers wishing to finance a used car. Buyers should be sure to verify this with a vehicle history report as well as have any vehicle they're considering buying inspected by an ASE Certified Master Mechanic as well as a frame specialist.

The latest report from the NCUA shows that credit unions continue to increase their share of vehicle lending. The issue that buyers with damaged credit face is that credit unions, as a rule, don't buy as deeply as subprime lenders. But having said that, it never hurts to give your local credit union a first shot for a car loan.

When it comes to repairing car credit, in most cases an auto loan offered by a high-risk lender is the only choice for most consumers.

Although the MojoMotors study is a broad look at vehicle value, it's interesting to see how the various manufacturers stack up against each other and how closely the results match up with the perceived value of each brand.

It's imperative that car buyers with problem credit searching for online auto loans take advantage of every used car shopping tool at their disposal.

A study conducted last year by Experian Automotive makes it clear that consumers who finance used cars with bad credit car loans are more susceptible to used car fraud than the average buyer.

Credit-challenged consumers who want to cash in their current vehicle might want to consider doing so at a dealership as opposed to a website like Craigslist. Even though they might not get top dollar for it, the extra money might not be worth the hassle or the chance of becoming involved in a car buying scam.

Although no one can predict what a particular credit-challenged individual's car loan interest rate will be before their application is reviewed by both a dealership special finance manager and lender, the information from LendingTree can serve as a rough guide as to what they might be able to expect.