Planning auto loan around CC app spree

[Anonymous]

I currently have a lease (not in my name nor my reports) that ends in May 2018. I plan to return the lease and buy a used car from a local dealer, something like 2-3 year old luxury car, asking price for one of those is curently around $25k. My goal would be to get this auto loan at or very close to the rates advertised by credit unions such as 1.99% up to 65 months or 2.59% 37-60 months.

At the same time I'm set to pass 5/24 in January and was considering applying for 4-5 credit cards around that time.

I have 7 open credit cards that appear on my reports, 2 closed credit cards that might fall off pretty soon, as well as a closed auto loan from 2004 that I suspect will fall off next month. My oldest open account is from 2007 but the next oldest from 2015. Currently my FICO 8 scores are 812, 801, and 784 and FICO 5 Auto are 798,784, and 777. My AAoA ranges from 3 to 5 years. Nothing negative on any credit report and utilization is low -- I only carry a tiny balance at 0% I could pay off yesterday. I did have a tax lien (paid, withdrawn, and gone from my reports) as well as a lawsuit (dismissed) but I don't think they would affect my chances of getting approved.

What sort of impact would applying for these cards a few months before an auto loan have on my ability to approved on the best terms possible?

Worst case I could open one of these cards next month and Chase Feb 2018, auto loan May 2018 and play the rest by ear. I guess I already know the answer, but would that be significantly better?

[Anonymous]

With your scores I am sure you will be fine.  I would try to have 6 months of no apps before the auto loan to be on the safe side.  One word of caution those low advertised rates are often limited to cars that are new or newly used so make sure you know what the criteria is before you pick out the car.  Normally you want to get preapproved and they will tell you what those limits are.  3 years might be too old for some to get the best rates but with your scores you might only pay a half a point more than you would on a new car. 

Without a recent installment loan (assuming you don't have a mortgage because you didn't mention it) you could consider a share secured loan with a credit union and pay back 95% on the first or second payment so you have a year of active installment loan reporting.  Don't think you will likely need it but going that route really costs you nothing and is a good way to maintain an installment loan history.