With a credit score below 600, you’re probably looking at double-digit interest rates. You’ll need to look for a car that’s below $10,000 and choose a long loan term if you want to get a low monthly payment—but be aware that you’ll pay a lot more in interest if you do so.
Even when combining these two aspects, you’re probably not going to find a financially sound car loan
that you’ll want to sign. The only way to determine this is if you shop around with lenders: Some banks and lenders won’t touch car loans below a certain dollar amount, so you need to be aware of your constraints before shopping for cars.
If you can save or budget to afford a $200 to $225 a month payment, you may be able to find something that works. You’ll still have a high interest rate, but you may be more likely to get approval.
Remember: In addition to your car loan payment, you’ll also need to pay for car insurance
. Your lender will likely require full coverage on the vehicle. Before you buy a vehicle, shop around on Jerry
. You can get an idea of how much more you’ll need to budget each month and whether it’s something you can afford.”