If you are in the market for a new vehicle, you will want to find a low interest rate car loan. One of the first things to do before starting your search for a new car is to obtain a copy of your credit report. You will want to make sure you have a good credit standing before applying for a new car loan.

One of the first things car dealers do after you fill out an application it to run a credit check. It is not a pleasant experience to find out that your credit is not as good as you thought or that you have errors on your report when you are already at the car dealer. This can be both embarrassing and harmful to your credit. You want to try to avoid having to go from dealer to dealer to obtain a low interest rate car loan. Another tip to remember is that every time a dealer runs a check on your credit, it can affect your credit rating. If you already have a problem with your credit, you do not want to further lower your credit score, even if it is only by a few points. On the other hand, you can request your personal credit report as often as you like without it having any effect on your credit rating.

High Credit Score Low Risk

Having a high credit score rating is your best bet in obtaining a low interest rate car loan. Many consumers are lured into shopping for a new car by advertisements that promise very low interest rates, sometimes zero-percent financing. Unfortunately, not everyone qualifies for this low of a rate. Only customers with excellent or above average credit will be offered deals like these. This is why it is so important to clean up your credit report as much as possible before applying for a car loan.

Improve Your Credit Score

If you currently do not qualify for a low interest car rate loan there are steps you can take to improve your credit score rating. If the problem is simply an error on your credit report, you can contact the credit rating agency to have the problem resolved. Even though it is their error, they will most often ask for documentation if necessary to back up your claim. For example, if you have already paid off an account and your report shows the balance is $2,500, they will want a copy of the account being paid in full.

By paying your bills on time, you can also improve your score and get a lower interest rate on a car loan. Even if you have had late payments in the past, if your current records show that you are making timely payments, lenders will view your record more favorably.

Your debt to income ratio is also an important factor when trying to obtain a low interest rate car loan. You should try to keep your credit card limits well below the maximum amount allowed. Also, if you have paid off accounts in the past, you should not close the accounts out. Open accounts with a zero balance will help your debt to income ratio score.