How to Shop for a Car Without Hurting Credit
How to shop for a car without hurting credit in the US—soft pulls, shop in 14–45 days, agree on OTD first so you don't over-apply.
You can shop for a car in the U.S. without hurting your credit much by using soft pulls when possible, shopping lenders within 14–45 days (so multiple hard pulls count as one), and agreeing on OTD before you apply. Here's how to shop for a car without hurting credit.
TL;DR (1) Pre-qualify (soft pull) when possible. (2) Shop lenders within 14–45 days so multiple auto loan hard pulls count as one. (3) Agree on OTD first so you're not applying at many dealers. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator and payment calculator. Use autopremo.com.Use Soft Pulls When Possible
Pre-qualification ("see your rate") is often a soft pull—doesn't affect score. Use it to narrow lenders before you do hard pulls. Use autopremo.com so you have OTD and can focus on rate. Get your numbers at autopremo.com.
Shop in 14–45 Days
When you're ready, get rate quotes from 3–5 lenders within 14–45 days. Multiple auto loan hard pulls in that window often count as one for scoring. Use autopremo.com payment calculator to compare. See payment at autopremo.com.
Agree on OTD First
Negotiate out-the-door price before you apply for financing—so you're not applying at many dealers "just to see." Use autopremo.com OTD calculator. Check at autopremo.com.
Bottom Line
Shop without hurting credit: soft pulls when possible, shop in 14–45 days, OTD first. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator and payment calculator so you don't over-apply.