Filed under → The Score Gap
Your credit score isn't a judgment. It's a price tag on borrowing, and it moves. Here's what yours costs, and what one step up is worth.
A score is a summary of the last few years. It doesn't know why. A job loss, a medical bill, a card you got at 19 with nobody explaining it.
Some lenders only read the number. A good credit union loan officer asks "What happened?" and helps you build the next number.
And the number moves. Every tier up is real money on the next loan you take.
Payment history is the biggest piece of your score. Set every bill to autopay the minimum, then pay more by hand.
A card near its limit drags your score down even if you pay on time. Keep balances low, well under a third of the limit.
Get preapproved at a credit union before the dealership. Ask what's holding your score back and what would move it.
The rates are the average used-car loan APR for each credit tier from Experian's State of the Automotive Finance Market, Q2 2026 (VantageScore 4.0 tiers). Super prime 781+ 6.29%, prime 661 to 780 8.81%, near prime 601 to 660 13.93%, subprime 501 to 600 19.10%, deep subprime 300 to 500 21.62%.
The interest is a standard fixed-rate loan paid monthly over 60 months: total of all payments minus what you borrowed. No fees, no down payment, no trade-in.
These are averages. Your own rate depends on the lender, the car and more than your score. Nothing you type leaves your browser.