What do I need to do to be a "well-qualified buyer"?

>put down half
That will help significantly. Get the loan through your bank and it should be a < 4% interest rate. Don't take anything higher than 8%. The dealer jockey will quote you payments and not show the interest rate. They usually use 20% which is outrageous to finance anything on.

Use Craigslist you god damn idiot, having half the asking price of a dealer shitbox that was likely bought off Craigslist anyway is going to be half that asking price so you can pay in cash. Use your brain or I'll show you pain

>>17894091

800+ credit score

>>17894091

There's a little more to it than just credit score. You can have a near spotless score, but if you don't use your credit actively, then it doesn't count for much.

Having active credit use, measurable history of credit, and a good credit score itself. That makes up 'qualified.'

Down payment is not relevant at that part. You'll probably have to get a cosigner even if you're putting down half. Particularly if your bank is finicky about that sort of thing.

>>17894091
710 and half down, you'll be good as gold, bruh. Pay attention to the interest rate they quote you, though. Sometimes they'll try to stick a higher interest rate on a young buyer because they know that you're less likely to notice or care about interest rates. Know the average rate for someone with your score, and don't accept anything above it (unless you're purcahsesing something stupidly expensive or can't prove your income or something, in which case you're stuck)

>>17894117
>>17894152
The manufacturer is doing 0% for 5 years, but with that asterisk and small text that says "for well-qualified buyers."
My bank wants 4%, some of the local credit unions want 2,5%.

Just get a loan through a credit union. I got on for 15k with 3% with 0 credit history. Dickheads at a dealership aren't going to deny you a sale because you didn't go through them.
>>17894160
Those are almost impossible to get unless you have a perfect credit score and history and are a white male that's 40+ putting down most of the money on the car

>>17894160
Research the Manufacturer's lending practices. I haven't heard of manufacturers doing this, but you can count on some banks to offer a good interest rate but pull some bullshit where they fuck up your autopay regularly and make you accrue more interest.