First auto loan help

[Anonymous]

Back in October I was looking for a used car in the $10-13k range. At the time my score was about 650 (EQ) and nobody would touch me with a ten foot pole simply because I didn't have a prior auto loan on my record (this despite ~$3000 worth of down payment). I had one dealer tell me that since my highest credit line was $900 I couldn't get a car loan. I had another tell me that they found a company willing to finance me, but they wanted a nearly $5,000 fee in order to do so, which would have put the cost of an '04 Civic, lightly loaded, into the $18,000 range.

Kinda rambling there, sorry. I've improved my score dramatically (up to 697, and I just paid off all my debt in the past month so it should go higher still), but I'm still unsure if I'll ever be approved for a loan. A co-signer is absolutely, positively, 100% out of the question. 

What's the best way to get around this situation?

[Jazzzy]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Back in October I was looking for a used car in the $10-13k range. At the time my score was about 650 (EQ) and nobody would touch me with a ten foot pole simply because I didn't have a prior auto loan on my record (this despite ~$3000 worth of down payment). I had one dealer tell me that since my highest credit line was $900 I couldn't get a car loan. I had another tell me that they found a company willing to finance me, but they wanted a nearly $5,000 fee in order to do so, which would have put the cost of an '04 Civic, lightly loaded, into the $18,000 range.

Kinda rambling there, sorry. I've improved my score dramatically (up to 697, and I just paid off all my debt in the past month so it should go higher still), but I'm still unsure if I'll ever be approved for a loan. A co-signer is absolutely, positively, 100% out of the question. 

What's the best way to get around this situation?

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Do you belong to a credit union? If you belong to one...great. If not, look around and take in a copy of your report and your FICO score after it shows that your other debt is paid. Sit across the desk from someone, and ask the credit union what they can do for you.

Credit unions are great for someone just starting out that wants to build a good record.

[nes]

are you incollege? alot of companies have first time buyers programs on NEW vehicles that do require you to be eithere graduating in 6 months or have graduated 2 years prior. i know the score cut off for those is 680.

[Anonymous]

Nope, not a member of a credit union. I bank through Chase, but I'm looking towards joining a credit union specifically for this kind of thing. I'm not in college either, and I probably don't qualify for any first time buyer programs. I'm in kind of a strange situation really. I have decent credit, enough income to afford pretty much anything I want, but without a prior loan I'm having a pain of a time getting a car.

[MarineVietVet]

I agree with Lynette about CU's. I get all my auto loans through my local CU. I enjoy being able to walk in and talk to a human being.

From a BK years ago to:
7/09 TU-742 EQ- 779
8/09 TU-765 EQ- 783
9/09 EX pulled by lender 802

You can do the same thing with hard work.