How our financing process works.
Start with a pre-qualification. It takes a few minutes and gives us a starting point before you ever set foot on the lot. We run a soft credit pull (more on that below), send your information to our network of lenders, and come back to you with real numbers.
Once we have the lenders' offers, we sit down and walk through your options — different term lengths, monthly payments, total cost of the loan. You choose what fits your situation. Then we finish the paperwork and you drive home.
That's it. We don't make it harder than it needs to be.
Soft pull — what that means.
When you pre-qualify, we run a soft credit inquiry. A soft pull does not affect your credit score. It gives us enough to see what lenders are likely to offer you — without the hard inquiry that shows up on your report.
If you decide to move forward and close a deal, the lender will run a hard inquiry at signing. That's standard for any auto loan. We'll tell you about it before it happens — no surprises.
What affects your rate.
A few things come into play when lenders put together an offer:
Credit history — the biggest factor. A longer track record of on-time payments generally gets you better rates.
Term length— shorter terms (36–48 months) typically carry lower interest rates than longer ones (72–84 months). A longer term lowers your monthly payment but costs more in interest over the life of the loan. We'll show you the comparison so you can decide what makes sense.
Down payment — more down usually means a lower rate and a lower monthly payment.
Rates vary. We're not going to quote you a number until we see what the lenders come back with — but we don't hide it either. We've seen qualified buyers come in at under 5%. We've also seen rates higher. We'll tell you what we can find before you sign anything.
Down payment guidance.
A larger down payment reduces what you're financing, which lowers your monthly payment and the total interest you pay. A good general target is 10–20% if you can manage it — but what's required depends on the lender and the vehicle.
Using your trade-in as a down payment.
If you have a vehicle to trade, we can apply the value directly toward your purchase. It works the same as cash down — reduces what you're financing and can lower your monthly payment.
We give you a straight offer on your trade based on condition, mileage, and current market. No lowball games, no “we'll tell you what it's worth after you've agreed to the deal.” If our offer works for you, we apply it at signing. If it doesn't, you're not obligated.