Buying a automobile is a big expense. And sadly, it is normally 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 critical rewards in the event you put some or — in uncommon circumstances — the entire price on a bank card to earn helpful factors and miles. A big buy, reminiscent of a automobile down cost, can be a good way to satisfy the minimal spending necessities for a bank card welcome provide.
Should you’re contemplating buying a automobile with a bank card, listed below are some playing cards to think about and key issues to concentrate on.
Greatest playing cards for purchasing a automobile
Selecting the best card can earn you extra rewards in your automobile buy, making the method extra rewarding. Listed below are among 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 charges)
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 provides 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 good selection: The Platinum Card® from American Categorical is a superb selection as a result of it has no preset spending restrict, making it very best for a big buy like a brand new automobile. No preset spending restrict doesn’t suggest limitless funds, however in the event you’re seeking 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 may spend adapts based mostly on elements reminiscent of 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 really helpful you repay the cardboard as quickly as doable 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 large spenders
Annual price: $695 (see charges and charges)
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 12 months)
Why it is a good selection: 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 very best 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, price $300 in keeping with TPG’s July 2025 valuations. The quantity you may spend adapts based mostly on elements reminiscent of your buy, cost and credit score historical past.
To benefit from this card, be certain the automobile buy or down cost is a minimum of $5,000; in any other case, you are higher off utilizing a no-annual-fee card that gives rewards on nonbonus classes, reminiscent of The American Categorical Blue Enterprise Money™ Card (see charges and charges), which earns 2% money again (on the primary $50,000 spent every calendar 12 months, 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 charges)
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 can be a variable charge from 17.49%-27.49%.)(see charges and charges)
Incomes charge on automobile purchases: 2 factors per greenback on the primary $50,000 spent every calendar 12 months (then 1 level per greenback)
Why it is a good selection: For a card with no annual price, The Blue Enterprise® Plus Credit score Card from American Categorical earns a formidable 2 factors per greenback spent on the primary $50,000 in purchases every calendar 12 months (and 1 level per greenback thereafter).
For the reason that card comes with a 0% introductory APR, it may be straightforward 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 ensure you may 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 good selection: The Chase Freedom Limitless® (see charges and charges) may be a good way to earn money again — and switch it into helpful factors.
A $15,000 automobile buy would earn you $225 money again. Nonetheless, when you’ve got an Final Rewards points-earning bank card, you may maximize your money again by turning it into 22,500 factors, that are price $461, in keeping 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 can provide 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 12 months, 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 good selection: Though the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard® solely earns 1 mile per greenback spent, the actual profit for American Airways frequent flyers is that the cardboard earns 1 Loyalty Level per greenback spent. If a dealership permits you to put a big down cost or all the buy on the cardboard, you can 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 Govt 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 supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Buying a automobile with a bank card FAQ
Though shopping for a automobile with a bank card could appear straightforward, listed below are some issues to remember.
What’s the most quantity I can placed on a bank card?
The utmost quantity you may placed on a bank card relies on the automobile dealership. You might be able to negotiate how a lot it will probably cost, as this was the case for me. I used to be capable of 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 seeking to buy a automobile fully on a bank card, it is really helpful to name forward and communicate to a finance supervisor on the dealership. Some could not settle for bank cards for all the car buy, whereas others can be completely satisfied to just accept them. In my expertise, a down cost when financing or leasing a automobile is normally payable with a bank card, supplied it is throughout the allowed restrict of fees.
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. After I put a down cost on my automobile final 12 months, the dealership didn’t cost me a transaction price, even after I negotiated charging a better quantity of the cost to my bank card. The best option 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 worth with my bank card?
Once more, this relies on the dealership, as some could solely help you use a bank card for a down cost towards a lease or financed car. Others could help you put all the buy worth of the automobile on a bank card.
Do I have to pay my full stability?
Should you make the automobile buy on a card that’s providing a 0% rate of interest, then you may pay the minimal stability monthly (normally 1% of all the stability) or make sufficient of a cost to repay all the card throughout the promotional interval. Should you put the cost on a card that fees 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 improve, and this will negatively have an effect on your credit score rating. To maintain your utilization down, repay the stability as quickly as doable, and you may reduce the long-term influence.
Backside line
Buying a automobile with a bank card may be a good way to earn a big sum of factors, miles or money again. It is also a straightforward option to meet the minimal spending requirement on a brand new card.
Simply understand that not all dealerships will help you cost the total buy worth — many solely settle for bank cards for down funds — so make sure you verify forward of time.
Associated: Greatest bank cards
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Enterprise Platinum, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Blue Enterprise Plus, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Blue Enterprise Money, click on right here
