Dealer Specials

Your Credit Score

Your FICO credit score is the most important factor to consider when you’re looking for financing. The three major credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax, have established a centralized website, telephone number and mailing address to use for ordering your free credit report once a year. When you request the report you should be able to see it almost immediately. Check it out and review it carefully so you can talk with the dealer about what financing you qualify for based on your credit history.

ANNUAL CREDIT REPORT REQUEST SERVICE
PO Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
www.annualcreditreport.com, 877.322.8228

The Three Credit Bureaus

If you have a question about an item on your credit report, or would like to contest something reported on your credit report, you can contact the three credit bureaus. Here is their contact information:

EXPERIAN, Consumer Assistance, PO Box 2104, Allex, TX 75013-2104
www.experian.com, 888.397.3742

TRANSUNION, Consumer Relations, PO Box 390, Springfield, PA 19064-0390
www.transunion.com

EQUIFAX, Consumer Relations, PO Box 105783, Atlanta, GA 30348
www.equifax.com, 800.685.1111

What Makes Up Your Score

There are five main areas that make up your credit score. They include:

Payment History: 35% of your FICO score

Amount Owed: 30% of your FICO score

Length of Credit History: 15% of your FICO score

New Credit: 10% of your FICO score

Types of Credit in Use: 10% of your FICO score

Improving Your Credit Score

Your credit score is constantly changing – so if yours needs a little help, don’t worry – there are ways to improve it. There are many things you can do to help improve your credit score. First, always make sure you pay your bills on time, every single time. Other things you can do:

Pay off your collection accounts
Try not to “max-out” your accounts
Avoid excess credit applications
Limit the number of open accounts
Avoid excessive balance transfers
Reduce your debt load