Buying a automotive is a large expense. And sadly, it is often a diminishing funding that loses worth over time, beginning with the second you drive it off the lot.
The silver lining right here is {that a} automotive buy can earn you some severe rewards if you happen to put some or — in uncommon instances — all the price on a bank card to earn priceless factors and miles. A big buy, corresponding to a automotive down fee, can be a good way to fulfill the minimum spending requirements for a bank card welcome supply.
Should you’re contemplating buying a automotive with a bank card, listed here are some playing cards to contemplate and key issues to concentrate on.
Greatest playing cards for getting a automotive
Selecting the best card can earn you extra rewards in your automotive buy, making the method extra rewarding. Listed here are a few of the greatest playing cards to make use of when shopping for a automotive or making a down fee.
American Specific Platinum: Greatest for big purchases
Annual payment: $695 (see rates and fees)
Welcome supply: New cardmembers can discover out their supply and see in the event that they’re eligible to earn as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on the brand new card within the first six months of card membership. Welcome affords range, and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion.
Incomes fee on automotive purchases: 1 level per greenback spent
Why it is a good selection: The Platinum Card® from American Express is a superb alternative as a result of it has no preset spending limit, making it superb for a big buy like a brand new automotive. No preset spending restrict does not imply limitless funds, however if you happen to’re trying to make a big down fee and even buy a complete automotive, this card is a greater choice than one with a hard and fast credit score restrict. The quantity you possibly can spend adapts based mostly on components corresponding to your buy, fee and credit score historical past.
The Amex Platinum requires the steadiness to be paid in full every month, however with Pay Over Time, cardmembers can carry a steadiness (although it accrues curiosity). If buying a automotive, it is really useful you repay the cardboard as quickly as potential and keep away from shedding worth you gained from incomes a pleasant sum of factors.
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To study extra, learn our full review of the Amex Platinum.
Apply right here: American Express Platinum
American Specific Enterprise Platinum: Greatest for giant spenders
Annual payment: $695 (see rates and fees)
Welcome supply: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases inside the first three months of card membership.
Incomes fee on automotive purchases: 1.5 factors per greenback spent on eligible U.S. purchases over $5,000 (on as much as $2 million in purchases per calendar yr)
Why it is a good selection: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is much like the non-public Amex Platinum and has no preset spending restrict. This card is one other superb alternative because it earns 1.5 factors per greenback spent on purchases of $5,000 or extra. A $10,000 down fee on a brand new automotive would earn you 15,000 Amex factors, value $300 based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations. The quantity you possibly can spend adapts based mostly on components corresponding to your buy, fee and credit score historical past.
To take advantage of this card, be sure that the automotive buy or down fee is at the very least $5,000; in any other case, you are higher off utilizing a no-annual-fee card that gives rewards on nonbonus classes, corresponding to The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card (see rates and fees), which earns 2% money again (on the primary $50,000 spent every calendar yr, then 1%).
To study extra, learn our full review of the Amex Business Platinum.
Apply right here: American Express Business Platinum
American Specific Blue Enterprise Plus: Greatest for max factors
Annual payment: $0 (see rates and fees)
Welcome supply: Earn 15,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases inside the first three months of card membership. Plus, obtain a 0% introductory annual share fee for 12 months from the date of account opening. (After that, the APR will likely be a variable fee from 17.49%-27.49%.)(see rates and fees)
Incomes fee on automotive purchases: 2 factors per greenback on the primary $50,000 spent every calendar yr (then 1 level per greenback)
Why it is a good selection: For a card with no annual payment, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns a formidable 2 factors per greenback spent on the primary $50,000 in purchases every calendar yr (and 1 level per greenback thereafter).
For the reason that card comes with a 0% introductory APR, it may be simple to make a purchase order with it and pay it off inside 12 months to keep away from curiosity fees.
In contrast to the 2 Platinum playing cards, this one comes with a preset restrict, so be certain you possibly can cowl the price of the automotive or down fee earlier than buying.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Amex Blue Business Plus.
Apply right here: American Express Blue Business Plus
Chase Freedom Limitless: Greatest for incomes money again
Annual payment: $0
Welcome supply: New cardholders can earn $200 money again after spending $500 within the first three months from account opening.
Incomes fee on automotive purchases: 1.5% money again
Why it is a good selection: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) might be a good way to earn money again — and switch it into priceless factors.
A $15,000 automotive buy would earn you $225 money again. Nonetheless, if in case you have an Ultimate Rewards points-earning credit card, you possibly can maximize your money again by turning it into 22,500 factors, that are value $461, based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations.
Cardholders additionally obtain a 0% introductory APR on purchases and steadiness transfers for 15 months from account opening. After the introductory interval, a variable APR of 18.99%-28.49% applies. This may give you time to repay your automotive buy with out curiosity.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Freedom Unlimited.
Apply right here: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Choose: Greatest for American Airways loyalists
Annual payment: $0 introductory annual payment the primary yr, then $99
Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,500 on purchases within the first 4 months from account opening.
Incomes fee on automotive purchases: 1 mile and 1 Loyalty Level per greenback spent
Why it is a good selection: Though the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® solely earns 1 mile per greenback spent, the actual profit for American Airlines frequent flyers is that the cardboard earns 1 Loyalty Level per greenback spent. If a dealership lets you put a big down fee or your complete buy on the cardboard, you could possibly earn a pleasant chunk of Loyalty Factors towards elite standing.
I put the down fee for my final automotive buy on my spouse’s Citi / AAdvantage Platinum as a result of she was just a few thousand Loyalty Factors in need of Executive Platinum status, and this buy helped her safe it.
To study extra, learn our full review of the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum card.
The knowledge for the Citi Platinum Choose has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Buying a automotive with a bank card FAQ
Though shopping for a automotive with a bank card could seem simple, listed here are some issues to remember.
What’s the most quantity I can placed on a bank card?
The utmost quantity you possibly can placed on a bank card is dependent upon the automotive dealership. You could possibly negotiate how a lot it might cost, as this was the case for me. I used to be in a position to negotiate with my native dealership to extend the utmost allowed cost on a bank card from $5,000 to $8,000.
Do all dealerships settle for bank cards?
Should you’re trying to buy a automotive completely on a bank card, it is really useful to name forward and communicate to a finance supervisor on the dealership. Some could not settle for bank cards for your complete car buy, whereas others will likely be joyful to simply accept them. In my expertise, a down fee when financing or leasing a automotive is often payable with a bank card, supplied it is inside the allowed restrict of fees.
What dealerships cost charges for utilizing bank cards?
This varies by dealership, and whereas some can cost a payment for a bank card transaction, different dealerships could select to not cost any payment. After I put a down fee on my automotive final yr, the dealership didn’t cost me a transaction payment, even after I negotiated charging the next quantity of the fee to my bank card. The simplest method to discover out is by calling dealerships in your space, however that will require extra effort in your half.
Can I pay a portion of the value with my bank card?
Once more, this is dependent upon the dealership, as some could solely will let you use a bank card for a down fee towards a lease or financed car. Others could will let you put your complete buy worth of the automotive on a bank card.
Do I have to pay my full steadiness?
Should you make the automotive buy on a card that’s providing a 0% rate of interest, then you possibly can pay the minimal steadiness per 30 days (often 1% of your complete steadiness) or make sufficient of a fee to repay your complete card inside the promotional interval. Should you put the cost on a card that fees curiosity, your greatest plan of action is to pay the steadiness in full to keep away from curiosity.
Does shopping for a automotive with a bank card have an effect on my credit score rating?
When buying a automotive in your bank card, your credit utilization will certainly improve, and this will negatively have an effect on your credit score rating. To maintain your utilization down, repay the steadiness as quickly as potential, and you may decrease the long-term affect.
Backside line
Buying a automotive with a bank card might be a good way to earn a big sum of factors, miles or money again. It is also a straightforward method to meet the minimum spending requirement on a brand new card.
Simply take into account that not all dealerships will will let you cost the total buy worth — many solely settle for bank cards for down funds — so be sure you examine forward of time.
Associated: Best credit cards
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Enterprise Platinum, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Blue Enterprise Plus, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Blue Enterprise Money, click on here