What credit score do I need to buy a $20000 car?
There isn't one specific score that's required to buy a car because lenders have different standards. However, the vast majority of borrowers have scores of 661 or higher.
In general, you'll need a FICO credit score of at least 600 to qualify for a traditional auto loan, but the minimum credit score required with vary from lender to lender. As interest rates increase due to inflation, securing a subprime auto loan may be more difficult — but not impossible.
Generally, you'll need a good to excellent credit score — 670 or higher — to qualify for a $20,000 loan. The higher your credit score, the better your chances of qualifying for a loan and securing a lower interest rate.
editorial guidelines here . While there is no set credit score to get an auto loan, a majority of approved borrowers have scores above 660. Having a low credit score won't necessarily keep you from getting an auto loan, but you will likely pay a higher interest rate.
You can borrow from $1,000 to $100,000 or more with a 700 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.
For instance, using our loan calculator, if you buy a $20,000 vehicle at 5% APR for 60 months the monthly payment would be $377.42 and you would pay $2,645.48 in interest.
However, the monthly cost of a $20,000 car loan will generally depend on your repayment period and the annual percentage rate (APR). Assuming that you take out a 48-month loan at an average APR of 4.09%, you would pay $452 monthly.
The required credit score for a $20,000 personal loan will vary from lender to lender, but a score of at least 650 will typically land you a decent interest rate and reasonably good repayment terms. Check with different lenders to find out their credit score requirements.
You need at least $10,500 in annual income to get a personal loan, in most cases. Minimum income requirements vary by lender, ranging from $10,500 to $100,000+, and a lender will request documents such as W-2 forms, bank statements, or pay stubs to verify that you have enough income or assets to afford the loan.
| Loan Amount | Loan Term (Years) | Estimated Fixed Monthly Payment* |
|---|---|---|
| $15,000 | 5 | $313.13 |
| $20,000 | 3 | $617.45 |
| $20,000 | 5 | $415.07 |
| $25,000 | 3 | $771.81 |
What credit score do you need to get 0% interest on a car?
Credit score: You might need a credit score of at least 740 to be considered for a 0% APR loan. The minimum credit score depends on the dealership and the car you're interested in purchasing.
The score range for the Auto Score is 250-900 (instead of the traditional 300-850). FICO promotes that Auto Score will help dealerships and lending institutions in five distinct ways: Increase regulatory compliance.
Most used auto loans go to borrowers with minimum credit scores of at least 675. For new auto loans, most borrowers have scores of around 730. The minimum credit score needed for a new car may be around 600, but those with excellent credit often get lower rates and lower monthly payments.
| Top Auto Loan Lender | Lowest APR | Term Length |
|---|---|---|
| PenFed Credit Union | 5.24% | 36 to 84 months |
| Auto Approve | 5.24%** | 12 to 84 months |
| Consumers Credit Union | 6.54% | Up to 84 months |
| Auto Credit Express | Varies | Varies |
| Credit score range | Average APR | Average loan amount |
|---|---|---|
| 720+ | 14.34% | $19,657.52 |
| 680-719 | 21.19% | $16,032.83 |
| 660-679 | 32.30% | $12,392.46 |
| 640-659 | 44.50% | $10,010.65 |
A perfect FICO credit score is 850, but experts tell CNBC Select you don't need to hit that target to qualify for the best credit cards, loans or interest rates.
If your credit score isn't good, however, you're typically required to make a down payment of at least $1,000 or 10% of the vehicle's selling price. This varies by lender, and some may accept the lesser amount. On a $20,000 car, that would be up to $2,000 down.
Quite a lot. For that amount of money you can get yourself into a vehicle that is only a few years old and comes with the most recent advances of performance and safety technology. You'll also find a wide range of vehicles that offer the space and features you want.
Loan amount
If you borrow $20,000 over five years with a 5 percent interest rate, you'll pay $2,645.48 in interest on an amortized schedule.
There are several ways to pay off a car loan early, and the best way to do it depends on your situation. Some of the most common ways include making larger payments each month, making a large bulk payment when you can and refinancing your loan to a shorter term or lower interest rate.
How to pay off a $20,000 car loan?
Make biweekly car loan payments
This means you're making one additional payment every year. For example, let's go back to our $20,000 loan. Making biweekly payments of $198.01 will pay off the 60-month loan in 54 months and save you $388.80 in interest.
Disadvantages of a Larger Down Payment
The two biggest cons of making a down payment that's around 50 percent are: More money down doesn't lower your interest rate – Bad credit car buyers get higher than average interest rates, and it's extremely rare that a larger down payment can lower it.
As far as qualifying, you'll often need good or better credit (a FICO score above 670), and a stable income source that shows you can afford the payments. Annual percentage rates (APRs) for personal loans typically range from around 6% to 36%, depending on your credit profile and other factors.
You can borrow as much as $40,000 - $100,000+ with a 650 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.
$20,000 loans may be available to people with no credit or bad credit, these options likely will come with higher interest rates, fees, or even the need to provide collateral to get approved. If you don't have a strong credit history, lenders might consider you a risk and structure your loan terms with that in mind.
