Cars.com Asks Leasehackr: Can You Still Lease a Car with Bad Credit?

Source: cars.com

Recently, Cars.com interviewed Leasehackr for our insight on car leasing. Specifically, they wanted to learn if it makes sense for someone with bad credit to lease a car—and what can be done to minimize the cost.

Can You Lease a Car with Bad Credit?

“Yes, you can lease a car without top-tier credit,” says @michael, co-founder of Leasehackr. “The main thing that changes with a lower credit tier is the money factor offered by the lender—essentially, the interest rate on a lease.”

“However, with a higher money factor, which can be dramatically higher for those with lower credit scores, the value proposition of leasing diminishes,” he adds. “Leasing is a good option for people with top-tier credit because it can actually lower the total cost of ownership, if done well.”

To learn more about how your lease payment varies by credit score, see our Leasing 101 article: Can I Lease a Car Without Having ‘Top Tier’ Credit?

What Can You Do to Minimize the Higher Costs?

“It still pays to do your research and negotiate the lowest possible selling price for the market, regardless of your credit tier,” says @michael. “The cost of a lease is determined by several factors, your credit score only being one of them.”

“That said, with poor credit, a better option might be to purchase a cheaper new or used vehicle. Work on rebuilding your credit over time—rather than overpaying on a lease.”

Read the full Cars.com article here.