{"id":982,"date":"2026-02-05T06:00:23","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T06:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/?p=982"},"modified":"2026-02-05T06:01:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T06:01:07","slug":"best-car-finance-options-for-bad-credit-in-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/best-car-finance-options-for-bad-credit-in-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Car Finance Options for Bad Credit in Ireland 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When it comes to funding a new or used car, you have various financing options to consider. Normally, there are three types of financing methods: personal loans, hire purchase and personal contract purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/personal-loans.php\" title=\"\"><strong>Personal loans are available from direct lenders<\/strong><\/a>. They enable you to borrow a sum of money you need on top of the down payment to purchase a car that you pay down in fixed instalments over a period of time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hire purchase (HP) is similar to personal loans, but they are available from car dealers. They work the same way as personal loans, but you will need a good credit score.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Personal contract purchase (PCP) is exclusively available from car dealers. You only pay to cover the cost of depreciation, and at the end of the contract, you have an option to either purchase it outright by making a balloon payment or return it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If your credit score is not as strong as it should be, your chances of qualifying for dealership financing are slim. Direct lenders could provide personal loans to subprime borrowers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/car-finance.php\" title=\"\"><strong>Car finance for bad credit in Ireland<\/strong><\/a> from dealers is also available, but:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You will have to arrange a larger deposit, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You will end up with high interest rates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>They might not be an ideal option for borrowers with adverse credit histories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why are HP and PCP not suitable for bad credit borrowers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>HP and PCP are often unsuitable financing options for subprime borrowers, even though some car dealers accept applications from them. Their structure is more complicated than personal loans, and they are subject to high interest rates. Strict and long-term commitments elevate the risks of repossession and a debt spiral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">High costs of borrowing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you choose HP or PCP, you will need to arrange a larger deposit. Ideally, you need at least 10% of your car\u2019s value to pay upfront, but since your credit score is already compromised, you will be expected to arrange at least double. Even so, you will end up with high interest rates. For good credit borrowers, the APR ranges between 7% and 12%, which can go up to 20% in case of a bad credit rating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risks pertaining to HP<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you choose HP, you might think that it is the same as a personal loan, as you are to pay down a fixed sum of money every month. The fact is that HP payments are typically more expensive than personal loans, as they charge high interest rates, and the size of the monthly payments will be quite large. This might not be a safe financing option for someone whose financial condition is unstable. People with inconsistent income will also find that HP is not a favourable deal for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to higher monthly payments, HP is also subject to the risk of repossession. You cannot have the title of the car unless you pay off the whole balance. The ownership will remain with your car dealer until the end of the contract, and if you abdicate a repayment responsibility, your car will be repossessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risks associated with PCP<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>PCPs are way more expensive than HP, especially if you do not run a fleet of cars or you do not need to change your car frequently. Here are the risks related to PCP deals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The balloon payment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>PCP involves smaller monthly payments towards depreciation. At the end of the contract, you will have to make a full balloon payment to own it. If you decide to purchase the car, it will cost you a lot of money, much more than the sticker price of the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mileage restrictions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A lender will set the recommended limit for mileage. If you cross that mileage limit, you will be imposed additional charges. Do not forget that you will have to pay for wear and tear too. This will add up the cost of the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PCP is beneficial only for those who need to change their cars too frequently. Throughout the contract, you will keep paying towards the depreciation, and at the end of the contract, you will replace it with a new car and renew the PCP contract. If you do not need a new car, you can simply return it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How are personal loans beneficial for subprime borrowers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/car-loans.php\" title=\"\"><strong>Car loans from direct lenders<\/strong><\/a> are much cheaper than HP and PCP for borrowers with challenging credit ratings. Auto loans are also secured. The car you are buying itself serves as collateral, but you are free to use it the way you want. There are no restrictions related to mileage and wear and tear. However, your lender will have the upper hand in case you want to sell your car before the loan term ends. First, you will need to settle the whole debt, and then you can sell your car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you fail to make payments on time, there is a risk of repossession, but lenders usually prefer other options to get their money back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The bottom line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to financing a car, you will have to carefully understand your needs and evaluate your credit score and financial condition. Personal loans are generally better than dealership financing if your credit score is abysmal, but if you need to periodically change your car, PCP seems to be a better alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. How much money can you borrow through a car loan?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no set limit. It depends on the value of your car, the lender\u2019s policy, your credit score and affordability. A car loan can be as little as \u20ac1,000 and as high as \u20ac100,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. What is the minimum credit score to qualify for car finance?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every lender has their own policy to determine the risk involved. Some lenders accept bad credit applications while others do not. You should aim for not being in a \u201cvery poor\u201d credit score range to be eligible for car finance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. What should be the size of the down payment for a car loan?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you use a personal loan, hire purchase or personal contract purchase, you are required to deposit at least 10% of your car\u2019s value. If the deposit is larger, you may get the better interest rates. In case of a poor credit rating, the minimum deposit size is expected to be 20%. But it all depends on the lending terms of a lender or car dealer. Little research is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Can you take out a car loan for a secondhand car?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, you can take out a car loan to fund a used car. dealership financing, such as HP and PCP, is also available for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. What documents do you need to apply for car finance?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to borrow money to purchase a car, the following documents are required:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Address proof<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identity proof<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Income proof, such as a pay slip<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A bank statement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Income tax return (for those who are self-employed)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to funding a new or used car, you have various financing options to consider. Normally, there are three types of financing methods: personal loans, hire purchase and personal contract purchase. If your credit score is not as strong as it should be, your chances of qualifying for dealership financing are slim. Direct &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/best-car-finance-options-for-bad-credit-in-ireland\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Best Car Finance Options for Bad Credit in Ireland 2026&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":983,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[276,278,279,277],"class_list":["post-982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-loans","tag-best-car-finance-options","tag-car-finance-for-bad-credit","tag-car-finance-for-bad-credit-ireland","tag-car-finance-options-for-bad-credit","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=982"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":984,"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/982\/revisions\/984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gobigbucks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}