Dealer Interest Rates

Some car dealers offer fair interest rates and an all-around nice buying experience to their customers. Other car dealers, however, use every possible trick to get money out of their customers. For example, if a buyer is not familiar with their credit report and score, and the dealer realizes this, the dealer may wind up talking circles around the buyer about how their credit history is blemished and they will be lucky to get approved. The dealer then turns around and obtains financing for the buyer – which the buyer probably could have obtained by themselves elsewhere beforehand – and urges the buyer to take the high interest rate because it is a great deal considering the blemished credit report. In many instances, the buyer's credit really isn't all that blemished, and sometimes the dealer adds a percentage point or two to the final interest rate as sheer profit for the dealership. Of course, not all dealerships do business like this, but some do. This is why a buyer should always be familiar with their credit report before attempting to purchase a car, and is another reason why buyers should secure financing before even stepping foot on the car lot.