Good credit
You will get the best rates we can find, and on the right car the down payment can start around 500 dollars. Bring your paperwork and this goes quick.
Financing at Apollo Auto
Find out what you qualify for before you fall in love with a car
Most people do it backwards. They pick the car, get attached, then find out what the bank says. Do it the other way around and the whole thing gets easier.
- Real banks and credit unions, not in-house paper
- Good credit, bad credit, first car, past repo or bankruptcy
- You hear your actual numbers before you sign anything
- Call first and save yourself a wasted trip
How it actually works
Your application goes out to several lenders, not just one
A single bank gives you one answer. We send your application to a group of them and see who comes back with the best terms for your situation. Sometimes the difference between two offers is a couple thousand dollars over the life of the loan.
Tim has been doing this long enough to know which lenders say yes to which situations. If nobody is going to approve you at the number you have in your head, he will say so on the phone instead of letting you drive out to the lot to hear it.
"I would rather tell you no on the phone in five minutes than waste your Saturday."
- You talk to Tim, not a finance desk
- Payment, rate, and total cost explained before you sign
- No add-on fees dropped in at the last minute
- Trade-ins count toward your down payment
Where you stand
Credit situations we work with every week
Credit that has taken some hits
Late payments, collections, a repo, a bankruptcy that has been discharged. None of that is automatically a no. Lenders also look at your job history and what you actually take home.
No credit yet
First car, or you have just never borrowed. Steady income and a real down payment carry a lot of weight here. A co-signer helps but is not always required.
Nobody can promise you an approval sight unseen, and you should be careful with anyone who does. What we can do is tell you quickly and honestly whether we think a lender will work with you.
The process
Four steps and you are driving
- Call or text Tim. Tell him roughly where your credit is, what you make, and what you can put down. No paperwork yet.
- He gives you a range. Usually the same day. Now you know what price you are shopping in.
- Pick your car. Look through what is on the lot in Simi Valley or El Monte, drive the ones you like.
- Sign and go. You see the payment, the rate, and what it costs in total before you put a pen to anything.
Bringing your documents on the first visit can turn a two-day process into an afternoon.
Bring these with you
- Drivers license or state ID
- Has to be valid and not expired.
- Proof of income
- Recent pay stubs. If you are self employed, bank statements work.
- Proof of insurance
- You need it before you can drive the car off the lot in California.
- Proof of address
- A utility bill or something with your name and address on it.
- Trading a car in?
- Bring the title and both sets of keys. See trade-ins.
Straight answers
What people ask before they apply
Can I finance a car with bad credit?
Usually yes. Our lenders look at more than the score, including how long you have been at your job and what you take home. A past repossession or bankruptcy does not automatically stop you. Call Tim first and he will tell you honestly whether we can help before you spend your afternoon driving out. There is more detail in our bad credit financing guide.
Is this buy here pay here?
No. We are not a buy here pay here lot and we do not carry the loan ourselves. Your application goes to real banks and credit unions. That means you build credit history with a normal lender, and you are not making payments to the same place that sold you the car.
How much do I need for a down payment?
It depends on your credit and which car you pick. On strong credit it can start around 500 dollars. If your credit has taken some hits, lenders usually want more down. Tim will give you a real number for your situation instead of a teaser rate you will never see.
Will applying hurt my credit score?
Auto loan shopping done inside a short window counts as one inquiry with the scoring models, so checking with a few lenders at once does not stack up damage. Tim can also talk through your situation on the phone before anything gets pulled.
Can I get approved before I come in?
Yes, and it is the smarter way to do it. Call or text with your basics and Tim can tell you what range you are working in the same day. Then you shop knowing your number instead of falling for a car you cannot get into.
Do you take trade-ins toward the down payment?
Yes, at both lots. Whatever your car appraises for can go straight toward what you put down, which lowers the amount you finance. Here is how the appraisal works.
Are there hidden fees at signing?
No. The price you agree to is the price you pay. No surprise documentation charges and no last minute line items. You can look at redacted paperwork examples before you ever come in.
Should I get a warranty too?
Worth asking about. A used car is a used car, and a transmission six months in is a lot easier to swallow when it is covered. Tim will tell you if a plan does not make sense for your car. Warranty options.
Call before you drive out
Five minutes on the phone tells you more than an hour of browsing. Tim answers his own phone.