Been turned down before, or worried you will be? It happens far more than you'd think — and it's rarely the end of the road. Let's find out where you actually stand.
What could you afford a month?
Slide it and we'll show you what that buys.
Soft search — won't affect your credit score
Cars sitting on our forecourt today — move the slider and this changes.
Monthly figures are the advertised representative payment for each car (mostly Personal Contract Purchase, some Hire Purchase). Cash prices include our £199 admin fee. PCP is not available on every application — your product, rate and payment are confirmed on application.
Nobody enjoys explaining a rough patch to a stranger. You won't have to justify yourself here. Missed payments, a default, a CCJ, a thin file because you've never borrowed — we've placed finance for all of it, and we'll tell you honestly what's realistic before anything touches your credit file.
Yes — in many cases you can. Being turned down in the past, or having a low credit score, missed payments, defaults or a CCJ on your file, doesn't automatically rule you out. Lenders look at far more than a single number: they weigh up your income, how affordable the monthly payment is for you today, how stable your circumstances are and how your credit history has moved recently. A blip from a few years ago matters much less than a steady picture now.
At LMC (London Motor Company) we've spent years building relationships with a wide panel of reputable UK lenders — including specialist lenders whose whole purpose is helping people with poor or limited credit get back on the road. Because we can look across that panel rather than a single bank, we can match your circumstances to the lender most likely to say yes. Even if you've been declined elsewhere, it's worth letting us take a look.
Your score is one input among several — and rarely the deciding one.
Whether the monthly payment comfortably fits your income and outgoings. A modest, well-matched agreement is often approved where a stretch would be declined.
The last 12–24 months carry the most weight. Keeping up with rent, bills and existing credit counts for a lot, even with older problems on file.
Being on the electoral roll, time at your address and steady employment all point to a settled, reliable picture.
Not always required, but putting something down lowers what you borrow and widens the lenders willing to help. Zero-deposit options exist too.
The vehicle is the security, so a sensibly-priced, good-condition used car is easier to fund than something expensive or high-risk.
Self-employment, a thin file, past defaults — specialist lenders assess these on their merits rather than an automatic no.
There's no single definition, and every agency uses its own scale — so the same person can look very different depending on who checked.
| Credit reference agency | Their full scale | Poor / very poor |
|---|---|---|
| Experian | 0–999 | 0–720 |
| Equifax | 0–1,000 | 0–438 |
| TransUnion | 0–710 | 0–566 |
Falling in these ranges doesn't mean finance is out of reach — lenders look well beyond the number itself.
You'll see plenty of adverts promising guaranteed car finance or no credit check. Be careful. No responsible, FCA-regulated lender can guarantee acceptance before looking at your application, and a legitimate lender will always run a credit check before lending — it's part of lending responsibly. Anyone promising finance with genuinely no checks at all is best avoided.
What we can honestly offer is the next best thing: a soft eligibility check that shows what you're likely to be approved for without affecting your credit score, and a panel of specialist lenders who say yes to people high-street banks often turn away. It's realistic, it's transparent, and it protects your credit file while you find out where you stand.
LMC is a family-run dealer in Upminster, Essex — the same family since 1980. You can come and stand next to the car, ask awkward questions and get an answer from the person who'll actually handle your deal.
Bring your part-exchange and we'll value it while you're here.
Often, yes. Specialist lenders on our panel consider applications with defaults, CCJs and past arrears, particularly where they're a year or more old and your recent history is stable. The soft check tells you where you stand without leaving a mark.
No. The eligibility check is a soft search. It's visible only to you on your credit file and has no effect on your score. Only a full application, once you decide to proceed, involves a hard search.
Yes, especially if it's been a few months or anything has improved. A refusal from one lender says little about the others; different lenders have very different appetites, which is the whole point of going through a panel.
Not always — we have zero-deposit options. But a deposit reduces what you borrow, lowers the monthly payment and widens the lenders willing to help, so it's worth putting something down if you can.
It depends on affordability rather than a fixed cap. The check asks a few questions about income and outgoings and comes back with a realistic figure, so you can shop knowing your budget.
LMC Cars Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 668759). We are a credit broker, not a lender, and can introduce you to a limited number of lenders who may be able to finance your purchase. We will only introduce you to these selected lenders and may receive a commission for doing so, which may be a fixed amount or a percentage of the amount you borrow; you have the right to request the amount of any commission. Finance is subject to status and affordability. Applicants must be 18 or over and UK residents. Terms and conditions apply. You may be able to obtain finance from other lenders and are encouraged to seek alternative quotations.