Ok, I've read a couple of these and love the feedback. Hopefully I can get some advice as well. I'm 25, married and haven't owned a car, ever. I've been very luck to be able to walk/commute/bus everywhere I need. But I just accepted a new job (starts in 2 weeks) and I need a car to get there, plus it's time for me to buy a car.
I've been looking around and found the price range I can afford (~$15K) with my new salary. My problem is an auto loan. I'm trying to get pre-approved so I have some leverage when I go to the dealership. But I've been denied for 3 loans this week (Capital One, Huntington & FirstAgain). I did get approved through RoadLoans, but the interest rate is 14.89%, which I'd rather not use. I don't understand why I'm not getting approved - my average credit score is 685. I have never been late or missed a payment on any of my credit cards or student loans. I have about 7 years of credit history. My only negative is I have 60% utilization (paid for college), but it's been going down for the past year since I got married.
After reading some forum feedback, I know I should wait and pay off some credit, but it's not an option. I need a car now to get to work my first day. If I know I can afford this payment, how can I get financed? I really don't want to buy a beater car for a couple of months and try again in December. It's a waste of money. Would it be a good idea for me co-sign with my wife (we both work full time)?