• If you're a recent college grad, don't apply until you're at your new job at least 6 months.
• Don't apply if you have moved in the last 6 months. Lenders verify address and income.
• A previous car loan or home mortgage on your record helps.
• Pay off your credit card balances as low as possible.
• Have a reasonably stable occupation like engineer, architect, finance, etc. No self employment.
• Other examples of credit extended to you should appear on your credit report.
• Don't apply for a car loan for at least 3 years after a bankruptcy.
• Don't keep a high debt load or credit card balances.
• No charge off's on your credit report.
Credit card companies say it takes 60 days for a change (such as paying off your credit cards) to show up on your credit report/score, but who wants to wait 2 months before buying a car? One of our visitors file a request for investigation of her report stating that the balances on these cards were incorrect, and the investigator looks up your correct balances and changes it. She checked 2 weeks later and it was changed. Also, by paying off 2 credit cards from 70% max credit level down to 0%, increased her credit score 100 points. That's the difference between paying 6% APR for a car loan, and 21%.
