Semi-Truck Financing Guaranteed No Hard Inquiries

Step-by-Step Guide for Financing a Semi-Truck

Semi-truck financing is different from traditional vehicle financing and leasing. Traditional truck loans typically require your credit, business revenue, and time in business to determine if you’re qualified.

When it comes to semi-truck leases and loans, the truck you decide to purchase becomes the collateral, which helps to limit the lender’s risk on the truck lease or loan. By reducing the risk you’re more likely to be qualified for truck financing.

Several factors will determine your semi-truck financing terms, interest rate, and down payment. Here’s a list of all the semi-truck financing requirements and factors that determine your eligibility.

When it comes to semi-truck financing we recommend that you get pre-approved BEFORE you go semi-truck shopping. Being pre-approved first allows you to have a better sense of how much you can spend on your new big rig. But if you’d like, you can apply for funding after you find your new or used 18 wheeler. At TopMark Funding we have a quick and easy pre-approval process. One of our finance specialists will ask you a few questions about your credit and business history. We will then do a soft pull on your credit, not a hard inquiry. 

The majority of our competitors do a hard credit inquiry. That’s not good for your credit score. Our pre-approval process only does a soft credit check and is guaranteed not to harm your business or personal credit score. Once we get your credit results back we’ll get you pre-approved and let you know how much you can spend on your truck.

Semi-Truck Financing Requirements

• Credit Score – 600 or Above for the Best Semi-Truck Financing Rates.
• Time in Business with a CDL License – 3+ Years Preferred (But We Can Finance Start-ups Too!)
• Down Payment Amount – How Much Can You Afford to Put Down on Your Semi-Truck.
• Age of the Semi-Truck – Less than 10 years old
• Semi-Truck Mileage – Less than 700k miles

Making smart choices with semi-truck financing is critical to any trucking company. Having up-to-date equipment to maximize efficiency and stay in compliance with regulations is important to a company’s growth and sustainability. 

We’ve made semi-truck financing quick and easy so you can get funded fast and back on the road with your new truck!

1. SEMI TRUCK FINANCING AND CREDIT

When it comes to buying a big rig, credit can play a big role. When looking for semi-truck financing, you need to keep your credit health in mind. A lot of truckers actually harm their credit by applying haphazardly to any company that promises to get them the truck of their dreams.

This will result in a LOT of hard inquiries on your report. Remember, each hard inquiry can ding you about 10 points. Even if you apply to 4 places, that’s enough to drop your score by a whole credit grade.

Dealers are another avenue you want to be wary of in regards to credit. When you “apply” or see if you can get financed for a truck at a dealership, dealers often send your information around to any bank or company they think will approve you. Again, this leads to many unnecessary and credit-damaging hard inquiries.

Don’t worry, there are companies out there that can get you approved for truck financing without harming your credit. TopMark Funding can get you pre-approved with just a soft inquiry. This way, you can see your rates without any damage to your credit or commitment from you.

For these reasons, it’s important for you to be familiar with both your credit score and what financing companies can offer you at your current credit rating before you ding your score. Do your research and make sure you are making good choices for your business. 

Click the link if you want to read our in-depth Semi-Truck Financing guide. Being knowledgeable about the process and what it means for your credit will help you make the best choices.

BREAKDOWN OF FICO SCORE RANGES

Statistically speaking, most people’s credit scores fall between the range of 600 to 720.

• 300-579: A score in this range is considered Very Poor. Credit applicants with a score in this range will often be required to pay larger fees and deposits, or sometimes may not be approved for credit at all. 16% of people have a score in this range.
• 580-669: Scores between the 580 mark to the higher 600s are called Fair credit scores. Often, people with scores in this range will be referred to as subprime borrowers. A total of 17% of people have a credit score in this range.
• 670-739: This range is referred to as Good. Individuals with scores this high have a much lower rate of default. Statistically, about 8% of applicants with a Good range credit score will become seriously delinquent. Around 21% of people have a score in this range.
• 740-799: People with scores in the mid to top 700s are in the range of Very Good. Borrowers with scores in this range will receive better than average interest rates from banks and lenders. 25% of people have a score in this range.
• 800-850: The top of the scale is considered an Exceptional credit score. Individuals with a credit score above 800 receive the best rates from lenders. Around 21% of people have scores between 800-850.

WHAT AFFECTS YOUR CREDIT SCORE

• Payment history – This shows if you’ve made your payments on time or at all.
• Credit utilization rate – How much of your credit you are using on your credit cards.
• Type, amount, and age of credit accounts – Lenders want to see diversity on your credit report. Having a good mix of credit cards, a car loan, and maybe a mortgage helps your score.
• Total Debt Owed – This is the amount you owe in loans and how much is on your cards.
• Bankruptcies, Child Support Due, Public Records – Filing for bankruptcy or having a large amount of delinquent child support will hurt your score.
• New Credit Accounts – Opening a lot of accounts in a short period of time can hurt your score. If you have gotten too many loans or credit cards in a 2-year period, it can ding you.
• Hard Inquiries – The number of times a lender has requested your credit information will affect your score. These searches stay on your report for two years.

IF YOUR CREDIT LOOKS GOOD & YOU WANT TO GET PRE-APPROVED  >>CLICK HERE<<

2. Shop For a New Or Used Semi-Truck

Here’s the fun part of the semi-truck financing: shopping for your new big rig! When shopping for your new 18-wheeler you need to keep in mind some requirements the lenders have. 

We always recommend buying your new or used semi-truck from a reputable semi-truck dealer.  If you’re not sure which semi-truck dealer in your area is reputable, give us a call and we’ll have some suggestions at (866) 627-6644. We have a list of great dealers throughout the US.

• Make, Model, Year (Less than 10+ years)
• Mileage (Less than 700k)
• The truck needs to be for your intended use.
• Condition Report
• Any past major repairs.
• Preferably sold by a semi-truck dealer. (We can finance private parties)
• Serial Number of the truck.
• Is the semi-truck new or used
• Minimum of 3 pictures

Lenders want to make sure the semi-truck you’re trying to buy is a good investment for you and will last the duration of the financing term. Remember, the truck will be the collateral for financing. 

If something happens and you can no longer afford to pay the loan or lease, the lender will need to repossess the semi-truck and recover their capital.

Online Semi-Truck Listing Sites

• Commercial Truck Trader
• Truck Paper
• My Little Salesman
• Trucker to Trucker

We can finance any semi-trucks, trailers, or commercial vehicles you want to purchase on these sites. We can get you pre-approved before you decide to purchase your next semi-truck. The advantage to being pre-approved first is you know how much you can spend. Knowing your approval amount can help narrow down your next big rig.

What Are The Best Semi-Truck Brands?

We get asked this question all the time, what is the best semi-truck? Or what’s the most popular semi-truck? To help answer those questions we’ve put together a guide to the best semi trucks brands in the United States.

Here’s our list of the top 5 best semi-trucks. Listed 5 through 1. Scroll down to see which truck brand is #1.

5. Volvo

Volvo Trucks is one of the leading heavy truck and engine manufacturers in the world. Today, Volvo Trucks manufactures a broad line of on-highway and vocational Class 8 vehicles. Each new or used purchase is supported by a strong dealer network and by industry-leading parts and service programs to smooth your ride on the road to success. 

Volvo trucks make up about 10 percent of the market share in America. Volvo is a Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer, and also owns the well-known trucking brand Mack Trucks. In the USA Volvo ranks fifth, but worldwide they rank second for heavy-duty truck manufacturers. 

4. International

Navistar International Corporation (formerly International Harvester Company) is an American holding company that owns the manufacturer of International brand commercial trucks, IC Bus school, commercial buses, and Workhorse brand chassis for motorhomes and step vans. They are a private-label designer and manufacturer of diesel engines for the pickup truck, van, and SUV markets. The company also provides truck and diesel engine parts and services.

Navistar holds an 11 percent market share in the commercial trucking industry in the United States. Located in Lisle, Illinois, Navistar has 16,500 employees and a 2013 annual revenue of $10.7 billion dollars. 

Their products, parts, and services are sold through a network of nearly 1,000 dealer outlets in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. More than 60 dealers in 90 countries throughout the world.

3. Peterbilt

Peterbilt Motors Company, founded in 1939, is an American manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty trucks. They are a subsidiary of PACCAR, which also owns fellow heavy-duty truck manufacturer Kenworth. 

For 80 years, Peterbilt has supplied the North American commercial vehicle market with the industry’s most rugged, reliable, and efficient products. Based in Denton, Texas, Peterbilt manufactures highway, vocational, and medium-duty trucks that provide value to their owners and pride to their drivers.

Peterbilt is an iconic trucking brand. Their red oval design script-style lettering logo can be found on trucker clothing, hats, and more. Peterbilt makes up about 13 percent market share. Peterbilt is an iconic and beloved trucker brand.

2. Kenworth

Kenworth is an American manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty Class 8 trucks with offices based in Kirkland, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. Kenworth is one of three major truck divisions and brands under the parent company PACCAR.

They were founded in 1912 by brothers George T. and Louis Gerlinger JR as a car and truck dealership known as Gerlinger Motor Car Works. In 1914, they decided to build their own truck with a more powerful inline six-cylinder engine- the first put into a commercial truck.

Kenworth has majorly grown since 1912 with annual revenue of 19.1 billion dollars. They sold an estimated 154,000+ trucks in 2015 and pushed out Peterbilt slightly. They have about a 14% market share.

1. Freightliner

Freightliner Trucks is an American truck manufacturer and a division of Daimler Trucks North America. The division is known mainly for the heavy-duty class 8 diesel trucks it offers, as well as class 5–7 trucks.

Freightliner is the best-selling semi-truck in America today. They sell about 190K trucks per year! Freightliner dominates with 40% of the commercial truck market share. They also employ over 3,000 workers in their MT. Holly and Cleveland facilities. 

Freightliner manufactures several models and styles of commercial trucks from on-highway, medium-duty, severe duty, to natural gas vehicles. They are soon to roll out their new line of all-electric commercial vehicles named Freightliner e-Mobility. There will be two models: the eCascadia and eM2 106.

Bottom Line

Freightliner takes the cake for the most popular semi-truck in America for 2019. Whether you drive a Freightliner, Peterbilt, or Kenworth, every trucker driver has their favorite big rig. Click the link to learn more about all the semi-truck brands in America.

3. FIND GOOD SEMI-TRUCK INSURANCE

Before you get approved and obtain your semi-truck financing, you’ll need to have commercial truck insurance. Commercial vehicle lenders will help you with this. Just like your personal vehicle, you’ll need good insurance for your big rig. 

Like anything else in life, you get what you pay for. Your semi-truck and business are valuable assets, and you don’t want to be under-insured and liable for potential repair and legal bills.

Truck lenders require you to have the following coverage:

• Liability coverage
• Physical damage coverage
• Bobtail coverage for non-trucking use
• Cargo and storage coverage for items you’re hauling

If you own a fleet of semi-trucks and have employees driving for you, you’re going to need worker’s compensation. Contact your local business insurance agent for more details.

Lenders will not allow you to finalize the deal without the correct type of insurance for a semi-truck. If you have any questions please feel free to contact your finance specialist. (866) 627-6644

Learn more about Commercial Truck Insurance

GET PRE-APPROVED TODAY – QUICK & EASY APPLICATION >>GET A QUOTE <<

4. SUBMIT ALL DOCUMENTS AND GET FUNDED

Once you’ve picked out your semi-truck that meets all the requirements and you have the proper insurance in place, it’s time to finalize your funding. Contact your finance specialist to finalize your application. 

Documents will be generated and then emailed for review and signature. An electronic signature is acceptable on most documents.

After the signed contract is returned, we’ll process your documents. Most transactions fund within 1 to 3 days. We have a fast turnaround to get your truck on the road and generate revenue!

Click for more Semi-Truck Financing FAQ

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