Close Credit Confirm Application
Shopping on Your Terms: Get Pre-Qualified
When we opened our doors in 2007, we set out to create a unique dealership experience that defied convention and exceeded expectations. We know the traditional car-buying experience is stressful and overwhelming, especially when navigating the finance process. Because of this, we’re dedicated to mitigating those feelings by offering a hassle-free, customer-centric finance experience defined by transparency and open communication.
That experience begins with our pre-qualification process, which lets you shop for your next vehicle entirely on your terms. How is that, and what exactly does it mean to get pre-qualified? We’re here with those answers and more as we kickstart our partnership with you...
What Does It Mean to “Get Pre-Qualified?”
We work with customers with all types of credit, knowing that financial struggles can affect anyone and vowing never to let those struggles come between our customers and their experience behind the wheel. Our goal is to help you find the perfect used car, truck, or SUV for your driving and financial needs, which often begins with the pre-qualification process.
Getting pre-qualified gives you a better idea of what you can expect from your experience in terms of finances, with lenders taking a quick look at your credit history to provide you with a general estimate of the potential loan terms and interest rates they may offer.
Does Getting Pre-Qualified Impact a Credit Score?
We tell our customers to think of getting pre-qualified as an essential tool in the car-buying process because it doesn’t have a negative impact on their credit score. Instead, it’s a soft inquiry that doesn’t require sharing your social security number. Instead, the pre-qualified process looks at a general overview of your financial situation to provide an estimate of what you can expect regarding the terms of the loan and the interest rate. These numbers are not concrete but generalities, giving you a better idea of your budget as you shop.
Why Is It Beneficial to Get Pre-Qualified?
By getting pre-qualified for financing, you’re arming yourself with more data to make an informed and confident purchase. For example, getting pre-qualified can help you determine your budget or how much you can afford to spend on a car based on the estimated interest rate and loan terms. Since you can gather this information online, you can walk into our dealership knowing how much you can spend and a basic idea of what interest rate you can expect to pay. This knowledge also gives you more bargaining power, making it easier to negotiate the purchase price.
Knowing how much you’re pre-qualified for also sets more realistic expectations and gives you a stronger foundation as you navigate the purchase process. For example, you’re pre-qualified for $15,000 and found a used SUV for $12,000 on our lot; as you finalize your purchase, you have more room to consider additional warranty coverage, with our team openly explaining those details and ensuring your purchase aligns with your established budget.
Does Getting Pre-Qualified Guarantee Approval?
Getting pre-qualified for financing does not guarantee approval for a loan; the same is true for getting pre-approved with a lender. This pre-qualification process gives you an idea or estimate of what you can expect to finance, offering a clearer picture of your budget. However, it does not guarantee the lender’s approval or the same finance terms.
Even so, knowing how much you’re pre-qualified for lets you shop more confidently and gives our team a better idea of the right type of financing for your needs. As we help you navigate your purchase, we’ll utilize our relationships with over 50 lenders to help you secure the best rate and finance terms comparable to, if not better, than what you received during the pre-qualification process.