How many lenders should I apply to for a car loan?

Getting quotes from two to four sources, such as your bank, a credit union and an online lender, is usually enough to know whether a dealer's offer is competitive. Submit applications within a short window so scoring models treat the inquiries as one. Compare APR, term, amount financed and any fees. On OffLot, the financing step of Build your deal shows examples from sample lenders side by side, which is a helpful way to see how terms change the numbers.