Shopping for a car loan

[Anonymous]

I am looking at a 2011 Toyote Sienna and I have sub prime credit (585-599) and a 616 FAKO.  I started looking for financing with the dealer but I'm wondering if I should wait to start looking at outside financing until Toyota has come back with their best offer.  The first bank came back with high single digit to low double digit A.P.R. but I'd really like to get as low a rate as possible.  Does DCU help with credit like mine?  I know NFCU has good rates but the only member of my family in the military is my grand father and he was drafted into WW2 and he left the service right after the war.  Any other suggestions or answers are appreciated!

[0REDSOX7]

I believe DCU has a minimum 600 FICO to join.

With that said, why not go with Toyota Financial, press the dealer for the single digit rate, and then refinance in six months to a year when your score has improved.

[Anonymous]

How can I push them for a single digit with no other back up plan?  How does one go about that?

[0REDSOX7]

You can do one of two things, which both require a backbone.

1) tell them you won't accept to the deal unless it is single digits. So, when you get to the finance office, if they present you with any thing too high, you walk out. They will call you back and "make it work"

2) tell them you have outside financing at X percent. You need to have a realistic idea of what rate you get based on your scores, but, they want you to use their financing so they will match it.