Are you sick of slogging through the Seattle squeeze in a beater that's barely getting by? Are you afraid that your credit situation is holding you back from getting the vehicle you truly need? Buying a car with bad credit in Seattle doesn't have to be difficult – and we can show you how.
The First Step to Bad Credit Car Buying in Seattle
Before you head to a Seattle dealership to check out the vehicles, you need to know where you stand credit-wise. Do you have bad credit? No credit? Not sure what your credit score is? Credit plays a big part in qualifying for an auto loan, and without knowing your score and what's on your credit reports, you won't know where to begin to find the car loan that's right for you.
You can check your credit reports for free at www.annualcreditreport.com, as you’re entitled to a free copy from each of the three national credit bureaus – TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax – every 12 months.
When you check your credit reports, you can typically get your FICO credit scores for a small fee at the same time, but there are plenty of ways to get your credit score for free online.
Another option to keep up with your credit is to sign up for a credit monitoring service, which can help you access your score around the clock. Once you know where you stand, you have a better idea of the type of lender you need.
Types of Bad Credit Lenders in Seattle
If you're struggling with a bad credit score and if you’ve been turned down at your bank or credit union, your best bet is to find an auto loan through a special finance dealer in Seattle that works with subprime lenders. These lenders look beyond your credit score to help you get approved for financing using other factors such as income, employment, and residence stability.
However, these lenders also have more in-depth requirements than a traditional lender that have to be met in order to qualify. The trade-off for having to meet more stipulations is that a bad credit car loan can help improve your credit score with each on-time payment.
If a thin credit file is your issue, you may not qualify for a subprime loan. Instead, your chances may be better with buy here pay here dealerships. These dealers are the lenders, and can finance a vehicle for you from their lots themselves. The only thing these places typically require to qualify is enough income and a down payment.
Helping You Meet Your Driving Needs
Whether you need a subprime loan or a buy here pay here dealership in the Seattle area, Auto Credit Express wants to help. We work with a network of dealers all around the state of Washington, and the rest of the nation, that have lenders that are able to help people who struggle with bad credit or no credit.
We can help you get connected to a local dealership, too, and spare you the headache of driving up and down Airport Way S to find the right dealer. Simply fill out our auto loan request form, and we'll get the process started for you!
