Writer: Brittney Mayer
Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro
Reviewer: Ashley Fricker
Though credit cards have been around for decades, they have, as things do, changed and evolved during that time. So, it’s only natural that some of the most common questions people ask when it comes to credit cards revolve around what, exactly, can be purchased with one. For example, one popular question people ask is, “Can you buy a car with a credit card?”
At the end of the day, the answer to that question is (un)simply: maybe. The ability to purchase a new or used car with a credit card will actually depend on a number of factors. These can include the rules of the particular dealer or seller, as well as the price of the vehicle. Let’s dive into the do’s and don’t’s of purchasing a vehicle with a credit card, including conducting thorough research and learning how to avoid paying high interest rates.
1. Do Research Ahead of Time
Before ever venturing into the dealership with your plastic, do some research. You should research the vehicle you are interested in to determine the price you will likely pay, checking to ensure the price will be below the credit limit of the card you want to use. You will also need to contact the dealership you plan to use to determine how much of the purchase, if any, you will be able to charge.
Whenever you make a purchase with your credit card, the merchant must pay the issuer and/or bank a processing fee to receive the funds. Because those processing fees can be as much as 1% to 4% of the purchase price of the car, they can quickly eat into profit margins that may only be less than 5% to begin with. Therefore, many dealers will not allow you to use a credit card to buy a vehicle or will limit the portion of the purchase price that can be charged.
| Amount of Purchase Price Charged | Credit Card Issuer Processing Fee | Dealer Cost to Accept Credit Card Payment |
|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | 1% | $100 |
| $10,000 | 2% | $200 |
| $10,000 | 3% | $300 |
| $10,000 | 4% | $400 |
Even if you are using an auto loan to purchase your vehicle and only wish to use a credit card for the down payment, you may run into limitations on the portion of the down payment that can be charged. Avoid wasting time at the dealership by doing your research ahead of time.
2. Don’t Get Stuck Paying High Interest Rates
When it comes to any large purchase, automobiles included, your best bet is always going to be to save up the cash before buying. If you have the money on hand (or, rather, in the bank) before making the purchase, it won’t matter which method you use — you won’t ever get stuck paying absurd interest rates because you’ll be able to pay the bill before you get charged interest.
That said, if you are confident you can quickly gather the funds to pay off your new car and are determined to use a credit card, there is another way to avoid high interest payments, at least for a while. Many credit card issuers have at least one card that comes with an introductory 0% APR on purchases made within a certain time after opening a new credit account. Using one of these offers, you could potentially go 12 or even 15 months before needing to pay a penny of interest.
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice. You’ll automatically earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. After the first year from account opening, you’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- Earn 6% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then earn unlimited 1% thereafter. After the 3% first-year bonus offer ends, you will earn 3% and 2% cash back on these purchases up to the quarterly maximum.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Turn daily purchases into everyday wins. Simply use your Customized Cash Rewards credit card for the things you already buy - from gifts to groceries - BofA Rewards™ members earn more cash back.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.49% - 27.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 5%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- This offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
- Earn 20,000 bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% - 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
- Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel® via cititravel.com; earn 3 ThankYou Points for each $1 spent at Supermarkets, on Select Transit purchases, and at Gas & EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 2 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent at Restaurants; earn 1 ThankYou® Point for each $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- No Annual Fee
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
Of course, the important thing to note is that the 0% APR offers are introductory; once you hit the end of the offer term, you will be charged interest. And, often, the new interest rate will be well into the double digits, which can get expensive fast; plan to pay off your balance before the terms expire.
3. Do Capitalize on Available Credit Card Rewards
Let’s say you’ve diligently saved your money and have the cash on hand to buy a new (or new-to-you) vehicle. You’ve checked that the dealer you wish to use accepts credit cards and you know exactly which car you want to buy. Now, all that’s left is deciding which card to use — no easy task, given all the options.
The key to making the most of any large credit card purchase is to take advantage of the giant signup bonuses being offered by many issuers these days. For some of the best signup bonus deals, look at cards offering travel rewards. Whether you get points or miles, these hefty rewards packages can be worth hundreds, especially when redeemed for airline or hotel purchases.
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
- Low $95 annual fee.
- Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. No limit to the points you can earn and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Turn daily purchases into everyday wins. Simply use your Premium Rewards credit card for the things you already buy - from gifts to getaways - BofA Rewards™ members earn more points.
- Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill® accounts, or gift cards or purchases at BofA Travel.
- Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually and TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits of up to $100, every four years.
- Travel Insurance protections to assist with trip delays, cancellations and interruptions, baggage delays and lost luggage.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- This offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
+See More Travel Rewards Cards
Most signup bonuses require hitting a certain spending limit in a given time period, so choose a card with a spending requirement less than the amount you intend to charge when purchasing your vehicle.
Always Use Credit Cards Responsibly
While credit cards may have evolved a lot in the decades they’ve been around, one thing about them has never changed: they need to be used responsibly. You shouldn’t charge more than you can afford to pay back in a timely manner and you should never make purchases you can’t cover just to meet a spending requirement. Interest charges can quickly negate any bonus earnings and make your purchase significantly more expensive than it would have been otherwise.
So, if you’re eyeing a new ride and want to pay with plastic, be sure to contact the dealership first, and understand the terms and conditions of your card of choice before speeding off the lot with your new wheels.
Editorial Note: Our site content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed on CardRates.com are the author's alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by credit card issuers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Clicking on any offer on CardRates.com will direct you to the issuer's website, where you can review the current terms and conditions of the offer.
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