How to Get Pre-Approved Auto Financing

If you are looking to get auto financing, it is important to recognize that there are a variety of ways to finance your car. For example, you may wish to finance your car through a dealership auto financing program or you may wish to finance your car through a private lender, such as a bank. Regardless of which lender you work with, getting pre-approved for auto financing can make finding and driving away in the car of your dreams a reality.

Here's what you need to know about getting pre-approved for auto financing:

Pre-Approval

Pre-approved auto financing requires that you have approached a lender, such as a bank or auto dealership, and ask for a loan so that you can pay for a car. The lender will take a look at your credit history and credit score in order to determine what your risk level is. The risk level means that the bank wants to evaluate how realistic it is that you will be able to repay the loan in full on time.

For example, if a diner waitress making $33,000 a year was to approach a lender and ask for a loan of $100,000 to buy a customized Mercedes, the lender may determine that the waitress has a high risk of not being able to repay the loan. However, if the waitress were to request a loan for $11,000 to pay for part of a pre-owned vehicle, the lender may determine that there is an increased chance that the borrower will be able to repay the loan.

Choosing a Car

Once a borrower has been pre-approved for a loan, he or she needs to select the automobile that meets his or her budget and needs. Just because a lender allows the borrower to borrow a large sum of money to buy a car doesn't mean that the borrower has to use the entire sum of money for the car purchase. Remember: all of the money that is borrowed will eventually need to be repaid with interest.

The Left-Over Money is Not Play Money

When buying a car with pre-approved auto financing, if there is left-over money in your pre-approved loan that you are not spending on the car, you will probably not be able to spend that money on other items, such as groceries or rent. It simply means that you will not take out a loan for more than the amount that you are paying for the car. Therefore, use the pre-approved auto financing as a maximum amount of money that you will be able to spend, but certainly make sure that your car purchase suits your unique budget.

If you have any questions about auto financing and obtaining a pre-approved loan, contact a sales agent today. We're happy to determine how much auto financing you may qualify for as well as what types of vehicles may suit your budget!