There are several benefits to leasing a car rather than buying one outright. You can drive a nicer, newer car for a few years and not worry about repairs and breakdowns. You usually can afford to lease a better car than you could afford to buy. But to be approved for a car lease, you usually need a credit score of at least 650. The higher your credit rating, the higher your lease amount and better the car you can afford to lease.
Pull your credit reports from the free website, www.annualcreditreport.com. Every American is entitled to get a credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies once a year. Look at these credit reports and note any delinquencies or derogatories and how much you owe.
Dispute each derogatory either online or through a letter writing campaign with the help of a credit repair company or credit repair manual found online. This process can take a few months, depending on how many negative accounts you have. You might need to pay down some balances in order to raise your credit score.
Save enough for a down payment. The amount of the down payment depends on the car, but you probably will need at least $1,000.
Have the car dealership run a credit check, and let them know that you have a steady job and down payment money. If your credit score is high, you should have no problem getting an approval.
Negotiate the lease terms, pay the down payment, sign the lease papers, and drive away with your new car!
