Buying a automobile is a big 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} automobile buy can earn you some severe rewards in case you put some or — in uncommon instances — the entire value on a bank card to earn invaluable factors and miles. A big buy, akin to a automobile down cost, can be an effective way to satisfy the minimal spending necessities for a bank card welcome provide.
In the event you’re contemplating buying a automobile with a bank card, listed below are some playing cards to contemplate and key issues to pay attention to.
Greatest playing cards for getting a automobile
Selecting the best card can earn you extra rewards in your automobile buy, making the method extra rewarding. Listed here are a number of the finest playing cards to make use of when shopping for a automobile or making a down cost.
American Categorical Platinum: Greatest for big purchases
Annual price: $695 (see charges and costs)
Welcome provide: New cardmembers can discover out their provide 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 charge on automobile purchases: 1 level per greenback spent
Why it is a sensible choice: The Platinum Card® from American Categorical is a wonderful selection as a result of it has no preset spending restrict, making it preferrred for a big buy like a brand new automobile. No preset spending restrict does not imply limitless funds, however in case you’re trying to make a big down cost and even buy a complete automobile, 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 akin to your buy, cost and credit score historical past.
The Amex Platinum requires the stability to be paid in full every month, however with Pay Over Time, cardmembers can carry a stability (although it accrues curiosity). If buying a automobile, it is beneficial you repay the cardboard as quickly as potential and keep away from dropping worth you gained from incomes a pleasant sum of factors.
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To study extra, learn our full overview of the Amex Platinum.
Apply right here: American Categorical Platinum
American Categorical Enterprise Platinum: Greatest for giant spenders
Annual price: $695 (see charges and costs)
Welcome provide: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first three months of card membership.
Incomes charge on automobile 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 sensible choice: The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical is just like the private Amex Platinum and has no preset spending restrict. This card is one other preferrred selection because it earns 1.5 factors per greenback spent on purchases of $5,000 or extra. A $10,000 down cost on a brand new automobile would earn you 15,000 Amex factors, value $300 in accordance with TPG’s July 2025 valuations. The quantity you possibly can spend adapts based mostly on components akin to your buy, cost and credit score historical past.
To profit from this card, be certain that the automobile buy or down cost is not less than $5,000; in any other case, you are higher off utilizing a no-annual-fee card that gives rewards on nonbonus classes, akin to The American Categorical Blue Enterprise Money™ Card (see charges and costs), which earns 2% money again (on the primary $50,000 spent every calendar yr, then 1%).
To study extra, learn our full overview of the Amex Enterprise Platinum.
Apply right here: American Categorical Enterprise Platinum
American Categorical Blue Enterprise Plus: Greatest for max factors
Annual price: $0 (see charges and costs)
Welcome provide: Earn 15,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of card membership. Plus, obtain a 0% introductory annual proportion charge for 12 months from the date of account opening. (After that, the APR might be a variable charge from 17.49%-27.49%.)(see charges and costs)
Incomes charge on automobile purchases: 2 factors per greenback on the primary $50,000 spent every calendar yr (then 1 level per greenback)
Why it is a sensible choice: For a card with no annual price, The Blue Enterprise® Plus Credit score Card from American Categorical earns a powerful 2 factors per greenback spent on the primary $50,000 in purchases every calendar yr (and 1 level per greenback thereafter).
Because the 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 costs.
Not like the 2 Platinum playing cards, this one comes with a preset restrict, so make certain you possibly can cowl the price of the automobile or down cost earlier than buying.
To study extra, learn our full overview of the Amex Blue Enterprise Plus.
Apply right here: American Categorical Blue Enterprise Plus
Chase Freedom Limitless: Greatest for incomes money again
Annual price: $0
Welcome provide: New cardholders can earn $200 money again after spending $500 within the first three months from account opening.
Incomes charge on automobile purchases: 1.5% money again
Why it is a sensible choice: The Chase Freedom Limitless® (see charges and costs) could be an effective way to earn money again — and switch it into invaluable factors.
A $15,000 automobile buy would earn you $225 money again. Nevertheless, you probably have an Final Rewards points-earning bank card, you possibly can maximize your money again by turning it into 22,500 factors, that are value $461, in accordance with TPG’s July 2025 valuations.
Cardholders additionally obtain a 0% introductory APR on purchases and stability 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 automobile buy with out curiosity.
To study extra, learn our full overview of the Freedom Limitless.
Apply right here: Chase Freedom Limitless
Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Choose: Greatest for American Airways loyalists
Annual price: $0 introductory annual price 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 charge on automobile purchases: 1 mile and 1 Loyalty Level per greenback spent
Why it is a sensible choice: Though the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard® solely earns 1 mile per greenback spent, the true profit for American Airways frequent flyers is that the cardboard earns 1 Loyalty Level per greenback spent. If a dealership lets you put a big down cost or all the buy on the cardboard, you may earn a pleasant chunk of Loyalty Factors towards elite standing.
I put the down cost for my final automobile buy on my spouse’s Citi / AAdvantage Platinum as a result of she was a number of thousand Loyalty Factors wanting Government Platinum standing, and this buy helped her safe it.
To study extra, learn our full overview 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 offered by the cardboard issuer.
Buying a automobile with a bank card FAQ
Though shopping for a automobile with a bank card could appear simple, listed below 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 relies on the automobile dealership. You might be able to negotiate how a lot it could 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?
In the event you’re trying to buy a automobile totally on a bank card, it is beneficial to name forward and converse to a finance supervisor on the dealership. Some could not settle for bank cards for all the car buy, whereas others might be joyful to simply accept them. In my expertise, a down cost when financing or leasing a automobile is often payable with a bank card, offered it is throughout the allowed restrict of costs.
What dealerships cost charges for utilizing bank cards?
This varies by dealership, and whereas some can cost a price for a bank card transaction, different dealerships could select to not cost any price. Once I put a down cost on my automobile final yr, the dealership didn’t cost me a transaction price, even after I negotiated charging the next quantity of the cost to my bank card. The simplest method to discover out is by calling dealerships in your space, however which will require extra effort in your half.
Can I pay a portion of the value with my bank card?
Once more, this relies on the dealership, as some could solely can help you use a bank card for a down cost towards a lease or financed car. Others could can help you put all the buy value of the automobile on a bank card.
Do I have to pay my full stability?
In the event you make the automobile buy on a card that’s providing a 0% rate of interest, then you possibly can pay the minimal stability per thirty days (often 1% of all the stability) or make sufficient of a cost to repay all the card throughout the promotional interval. In the event you put the cost on a card that costs curiosity, your finest plan of action is to pay the stability in full to keep away from curiosity.
Does shopping for a automobile with a bank card have an effect on my credit score rating?
When buying a automobile in your bank card, your credit score utilization will certainly enhance, and this will negatively have an effect on your credit score rating. To maintain your utilization down, repay the stability as quickly as potential, and you will reduce the long-term influence.
Backside line
Buying a automobile with a bank card could be an effective way to earn a big sum of factors, miles or money again. It is also a straightforward method to meet the minimal spending requirement on a brand new card.
Simply remember that not all dealerships will can help you cost the total buy value — many solely settle for bank cards for down funds — so you should definitely examine forward of time.
Associated: Greatest bank cards
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Enterprise Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Blue Enterprise Plus, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Blue Enterprise Money, click on right here
