There are options for auto customers with bad credit

It appears that auto lenders have loosened their requirements when it comes to credit decisions. More customers with bad credit received auto loans in 2010 compared the year before, according to the website Prime Rate. The loan share for consumers with bad credit increased by 12.7 percent during the third quarter of 2010 over the same time period in 2009. The average amount of loans has also increased, reports the site. Vehicle purchasers were given an average of $25,273 in loans in 2010, up from $22,743 the year before. The website Auto Credit Express explains that bad credit car loans and rent-to-own cars are providing consumers who have poor financial histories with options when they are in need of a vehicle. Rent-to-own cars often require a down payment and a fixed number of loan payments each week. The rental company will then repossess the car if the rental contract terms are not met. Available cars are usually lower-priced and previously-owned. However, those cars often have high mileage and may not be reliable, explains the site. Bad credit car loans, also known as second-chance car loans, are usually only available through a new car dealer. Although the car is sold by a dealer, the finance contract is run by a lending company, meaning that timely repayment will be reported to credit bureaus and will help reestablish credit.