If you want a long-lasting relationship, have a high credit score

[K Frame]

I think a lot depends on your dealership and also your card issuer.

I know when I bought my current Outback a few years ago I put several thousand on my NFCU card, paid the balance with my preapproved loan, then went home and transferred the money from my savings to my credit card.

[zahc]

If you think you can get a better deal by taking their financing, why not just take it and then pay off the loan in the first month? Surely the sales guys will come down a bit if you agree to really bad  financing?

[Ben]

If you think you can get a better deal by taking their financing, why not just take it and then pay off the loan in the first month? Surely the sales guys will come down a bit if you agree to really bad  financing?

Though I've never financed, I've never been offered really bad financing by a car dealership (and I do realize they have some crappy financing). They always push it, but it's the "0%" financing, and it has always meant I then don't get rebates/incentives. I've considered it, doing calculations on what I could make investing $20-30K over three years. The numbers are usually a little higher than the upfront rebate, but I so hate having someone else "own" something of mine that I prefer to just get the rebate and have the title in my name from the get-go.

[K Frame]

I buy used, and NFCU's rates have always beaten the dealership rates.