There are two things that can help you get approved for the best rates on an auto loan. The first is money for a down payment, and the second is your credit score. Before you try to get an auto loan for a new car, ask yourself when the last time you checked your credit score was. Just a few points in your credit rating can be the difference in having to pay an extra $200 a month, which mean you might have to settle for the car without all the features.

Only a small percentage of people fall in the excellent credit rating category. If you do, then you have nothing to worry about. If your score is 760 points or higher, you’ll get approved for the best possible rates. Most people, however, fall in the good to fair credit rating, which means you may have some negotiating to do in order to avoid getting ripped off.

Your credit score not only determines the amount of money you can borrow to buy your new car, but it is typically used by insurance agencies to determine how much you need to pay on your auto insurance. Those bordering between fair credit and good credit can save a few thousand dollars a year just by increasing their credit score a couple points, which is something that is incredibly easy to do.

But first you need to know where you rating stands in relation to the national average. With the recent changes in the credit rating system, you might be surprised to see how your score was effected.

See Your Personal Credit Score

Find out how your score compares with the national average at http://www.thecreditfix.info