The most exciting moments during car shopping is walking around the dealership and making yourself comfortable in the front seat of your dream car. The cars are detailed and shiny and your emotions begin to stir up. But this shouldn’t be the first thing you do when searching for a new car. If you don’t have the cash in hand or great credit to land you a good loan deal, it’s important that you start by shopping for the car loan before the car itself.

The truth is, car dealerships are desperate to sell more vehicles, but they’re not going to take a leap of faith on you if you have bad credit just to make a sale. Yes, credit is again a huge part of being approved for a car loan. It’s just inevitable to escape. Luckily, there are still some things you can do to prepare for a car loan. Prepare now so you won’t be discouraged or surprised later if you don’t get approved or if the process is taking a little longer.

Experts say if you have very good credit, you can expect a smooth approval process and attractive rates. But as your credit history lessens, the process has become stricter. Lenders are actually demanding that borrowers with bad credit come up with a 10 to 15 percent down payment. Just six months ago, lenders were providing financing without any cash up front. This is just one hurdle.

That’s why it’s important to prepare yourself during the car shopping process. Getting your credit in shape is crucial. That’s where The Credit Repairmen can help. Incorporate our credit repair services into your preparation time so you’ll be ready to shop for loans and be on your way to driving that dream car off the lot.