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 critical rewards for those who put some or — in uncommon instances — the entire value on a bank card to earn beneficial factors and miles. A big buy, equivalent to a automobile down fee, can be a good way to fulfill the minimal spending necessities for a bank card welcome provide.
If you happen to’re contemplating buying a automobile with a bank card, listed below are some playing cards to contemplate and key issues to concentrate on.
Finest playing cards for purchasing a automobile
Choosing the proper card can earn you extra rewards in your automobile buy, making the method extra rewarding. Listed below are a few of the greatest playing cards to make use of when shopping for a automobile or making a down fee.
American Categorical Platinum: Finest 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 provides differ, and also you might not be eligible for a proposal.
Incomes charge on automobile purchases: 1 level per greenback spent
Why it is a sensible choice: The Platinum Card® from American Categorical is a superb selection as a result of it has no preset spending restrict, making it best for a big buy like a brand new automobile. No preset spending restrict doesn’t suggest limitless funds, however for those who’re seeking to make a big down fee and even buy a complete automobile, this card is a greater possibility than one with a hard and fast credit score restrict. The quantity you may spend adapts primarily based on components equivalent to your buy, fee 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 doable and keep away from shedding worth you gained from incomes a pleasant sum of factors.
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To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Amex Platinum.
Apply right here: American Categorical Platinum
American Categorical Enterprise Platinum: Finest for giant spenders
Annual price: $695 (see charges and costs)
Welcome provide: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases inside 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 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 best selection 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 automobile would earn you 15,000 Amex factors, price $300 based on TPG’s July 2025 valuations. The quantity you may spend adapts primarily based on components equivalent to your buy, fee and credit score historical past.
To take advantage of this card, be sure the automobile buy or down fee is at the least $5,000; in any other case, you are higher off utilizing a no-annual-fee card that gives rewards on nonbonus classes, equivalent 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 12 months, then 1%).
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Amex Enterprise Platinum.
Apply right here: American Categorical Enterprise Platinum
American Categorical Blue Enterprise Plus: Finest for optimum factors
Annual price: $0 (see charges and costs)
Welcome provide: 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 charge for 12 months from the date of account opening. (After that, the APR shall 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 12 months (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 12 months (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 sure you may cowl the price of the automobile or down fee earlier than buying.
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Amex Blue Enterprise Plus.
Apply right here: American Categorical Blue Enterprise Plus
Chase Freedom Limitless: Finest 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) will be a good way to earn money again — and switch it into beneficial factors.
A $15,000 automobile buy would earn you $225 money again. Nevertheless, 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, based on 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 be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Freedom Limitless.
Apply right here: Chase Freedom Limitless
Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Choose: Finest 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 sensible choice: 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 lets you put a big down fee or your entire buy on the cardboard, you may earn a pleasant chunk of Loyalty Factors towards elite standing.
I put the down fee 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 be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum card.
The data 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 simple, listed below are some issues to bear in mind.
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?
If you happen to’re seeking to buy a automobile fully 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 your entire automobile buy, whereas others shall be completely satisfied to just accept them. In my expertise, a down fee when financing or leasing a automobile is often payable with a bank card, supplied it is inside 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 fee on my automobile final 12 months, the dealership didn’t cost me a transaction price, even after I negotiated charging the next quantity of the fee to my bank card. The best approach 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 fee towards a lease or financed automobile. Others could can help you put your entire buy worth of the automobile on a bank card.
Do I must pay my full stability?
If you happen to make the automobile buy on a card that’s providing a 0% rate of interest, then you may pay the minimal stability per 30 days (often 1% of your entire stability) or make sufficient of a fee to repay your entire card inside the promotional interval. If you happen to put the cost on a card that costs curiosity, your greatest 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 decrease the long-term affect.
Backside line
Buying a automobile with a bank card will be a good way to earn a big sum of factors, miles or money again. It is also a simple approach to meet the minimal spending requirement on a brand new card.
Simply remember that not all dealerships will can help you cost the complete buy worth — many solely settle for bank cards for down funds — so you should definitely examine forward of time.
Associated: Finest 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
