This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Disclosure, visit this page. The information for the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Did you know that you can buy a car with a credit card? You might be trying to buy a car with a credit card so that you can earn a lot of rewards points or miles (used and new cars are expensive after all) or to potentially enjoy interest-free financing for a brief period. It’s possible to use credit to buy a car at select dealerships without processing fees.
Can I Buy A Car With A Credit Card?
Here are some of the best cards to buy a car with.
American Express Green Card
The American Express® Green Card can be an appealing option as it’s a charge card without a preset spending limit. Instead of paying cash upfront, you use the Amex Green to earn Membership Rewards® points and then pay your balance in full to avoid interest charges.
These purchases earn 3x points:
- Travel, including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals
- Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
- Dining on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
All remaining purchases earn 1 point per $1, including buying a car.
Your points are most valuable when redeemed for award flights through American Express Travel or one of the many 1:1 transfer partners.
Additional benefits of note include:
- Up to $189 in CLEAR® Plus application credits per year
- $100 LoungeBuddy credit per year
- No foreign transaction fees
The annual fee is $150 (See Rates & Fees), and you can read our full American Express Green Card review for more.
The welcome bonus is 60,000 Membership Rewards ($600 value) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. You can also earn 20% back (up to $200 back) on travel and transit during the first 6 months.
Related: Best American Express Credit Cards For Travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
There are a few reasons to consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for car-related purchases and repairs.
One reason is that you receive an annual anniversary bonus with up to 10% of your yearly spending total in Ultimate Rewards®. For example, $50,000 in annual spending results in 5,000 bonus points which can be worth up to $63 in award travel.
Another reason is that each point is worth 25% more when booking award trips through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal. You can also transfer them at a 1:1 ratio to the Chase airline transfer partners which include United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and JetBlue.
You will earn up to 5x Ultimate Rewards on purchases:
- 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excludes hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit)
- 2x on all other travel purchases
- 3x on dining, online grocery purchases (excludes Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs)
- 3x on select streaming services
- 1x on all remaining purchases
New Sapphire members can receive 60,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. This bonus amount is worth up to $750 in travel rewards and $600 in cash back.
Related: The Best Chase Credit Cards
Citi Double Cash Card
The information for the Citi® Double Cash Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
You may prefer the flexibility of a cash back card such as the Citi® Double Cash Card which earns a total of 2% back on purchases (1% on the purchase amount and 1% on balance payments).
You can redeem your purchase rewards as a statement credit or checking account deposit.
As the Citi Double Cash earns Citi ThankYou points, you can also redeem them for award flights with other eligible Citi credit cards if that’s your preferred redemption option.
There is no annual fee, but the foreign transaction fee is 3%.
Related: Citi Double Cash Review
Can You Use a Credit Card to Purchase a Car?
New and used dealerships may accept credit card payments but restrictions can apply.
For example, used car sellers may tack on the 3% processing charge which means you’re paying more than if you pay with cash or a cashier’s check. They may also cap the purchase amount to a certain amount like $10,000 or $15,000 to avoid potential chargebacks and fraudulent purchases.
Using a co-branded car credit card is usually the best option to use credit card rewards when buying or leasing a new vehicle. In this instance, you use cash or a loan to complete the purchase, but you can redeem rewards points to serve as part of your down payment.
Related: What Is The Best Credit Card To Use For Buying A Car?
How to Buy a Car with a Credit Card
Some dealerships accept credit card payments for the full purchase or as a down payment. However, most insist on cash or an official bank check to minimize fees and avoid fraud. In most cases, you are better off saving up your credit card points to redeem when you’re ready for your next vehicle purchase.
Once you find a car that you like that’s within your purchase budget, ask the dealer if they accept credit card payments. If so, ask if they charge fees that you won’t pay if you pay with cash or financing. The fees may exceed any rewards you earn.
When the numbers make sense, vehicle purchases are an easy way to qualify for the best credit card offers.
Summary
Yes, you can buy a car with a credit card, but the best option depends on the dealership. Vehicle loyalty programs tend to be the best option for new purchases or leases as you bank up points before the purchase date to renew. The best rewards credit cards can fit the bill for used purchases if the seller accepts credit card payments. Just keep an eye on transaction fees.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Green Card, please click here.
