If you have bad credit, you might be understandably nervous if you need dealer financing to buy a new car. While there are bad credit car loans that can help you out, you can help yourself by doing everything you can to boost your credit score before applying for financing. Try a few good tips in the months leading up to your purchase.
Look At Your Credit Report
If you haven't already, order your free credit report and take a look at it to see if there's any out-of-date or incorrect information that needs to be cleared up before lenders run your credit. Should there be any inaccurate information on your report, getting it cleared up could boost your credit score a few points. Make sure you request a free report from both Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada.
Take Care of As Much of Your Debt As Possible
Do everything you can to pay down your smaller debts before you apply for financing. In addition to smaller amounts owed, focusing on those that have higher interest rates is also a good idea. A sizeable percentage of your credit score is determined by how much of your credit limit you're currently using, so getting that number as low as you can is sure to go a long way in polishing that credit score.
Increase Your Credit Limit
Going back to your credit limit, there's a chance you might qualify for a higher credit limit with your current credit card companies. You'll have a better chance of being approved for a limit increase if you've paid your credit card bill on time, have been a customer for a while and don't use too much of your credit. If you're approved for a limit increase, pretend as if your limit hasn't changed to keep your credit limit use low on your credit report and your credit score high.
If you can only boost your score by a few points, that's better than nothing. Lenders like to see you making an effort, and that effort could help you receive approval for your loan.