Which FICO Score Is Used For Recreational Vehicle Loans?

Most RV lenders pull the traditional consumer FICO Score - usually FICO 8, 9, or 10 (or a comparable VantageScore) - from the three major credit bureaus, not the FICO Auto Score that auto‑dealer financing uses. They request a hard inquiry from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, then evaluate the scores (often focusing on the middle of the three) against their own minimum thresholds, which commonly range from the low‑600s to the high‑700s depending on the lender, loan term, and down‑payment size.

Because the score comes from your regular credit report, reviewing your standard credit reports and scores before you apply lets you gauge eligibility and anticipate any lender‑specific cut‑offs.

FICO Auto scores appear on most RV applications because lenders treat RVs as vehicles, and the credit‑reporting systems used by dealers and finance companies automatically pull the 'Auto' version of the FICO Score. The auto model is the default in many dealer‑originated loan platforms, so the score shows up even before a lender decides which bureau to query.

The FICO Auto Score uses the same 300‑850 range as a standard FICO Score, but it weights recent vehicle‑related activity - such as auto loan balances and payment history - more heavily. Those weightings give lenders a quicker sense of how a borrower will manage an RV loan, which is why the next sections discuss which credit bureau score lenders pull and how they use the middle of the three FICO Scores.

• Lenders usually pull the FICO Auto Score from the credit bureau they have a contract with - most often Experian, but Equifax and TransUnion are also common.
• When a lender accesses all three bureau files, they typically use the median of the three FICO Auto Scores.
• The score range stays 300‑850; a 700+ auto score generally secures the most favorable RV loan rates.
• Some lenders, especially credit unions, may request the standard FICO 8 Score instead of the auto version, but they still pull it from the same bureau they hold on file.

Lenders typically calculate the middle of your three FICO Scores and use that number for RV loans. By taking the median, they smooth out a single unusually high or low bureau result and align the figure with their automated underwriting rules.

For example, if Experian reports 720, TransUnion 680, and Equifax 710, the lender discards the 680 and 720 and works with the 710 median. That score determines the interest rate, loan‑to‑value limits, and approval odds. When a lender requests only one bureau's FICO Auto Score, they skip the median step and apply the single number instead. The next section shows how a dealer's pull differs from a credit‑union pull, which can affect which score you actually see.

Dealers usually run the check through a third‑party financing partner, which performs a soft pull that does not dent your 300‑850 FICO Score range; they often request the FICO Auto Score because it predicts vehicle‑related risk and can be obtained without your explicit consent.

Credit unions typically conduct a hard pull directly with the credit bureaus, pulling the full credit report and applying the middle of your three FICO Scores, which may include the standard FICO 8 or the FICO Auto Score, and the inquiry will appear on your report.

Soft pulls leave your FICO Score unchanged; hard pulls can shave 5‑10 points and stay on the credit report for up to two years.

• Soft pull - initiated by pre‑qualification tools, dealer 'quick check,' or when you view your own FICO Auto Score; only you see the inquiry; no score dip; disappears from the report after 12‑24 months.
• Hard pull - triggered by a formal RV loan application, credit‑union membership request, or dealer financing submission; visible to other lenders; may drop the score 5‑10 points; remains on the report for two years, affecting future credit decisions.
• Impact on RV loans - lenders typically base the decision on the FICO Auto Score (300‑850) after the hard pull; a small dip seldom shifts you out of the 'good' range (680‑720) that earns better rates.

Understanding the difference helps you time inquiries before you reach the 'how soft pulls versus hard pulls affect your FICO check' point and positions you for the upcoming discussion on the score ranges that secure the best RV loan terms.

Higher FICO (or FICO Auto) scores generally unlock the most favorable RV‑loan rates, because lenders use the middle of your three bureau scores to set the APR.

• 720‑850  -  Excellent (super‑prime). APR usually 4‑5 % or lower.
• 680‑719  -  Good (prime). APR typically 5‑7 %.
• 640‑679  -  Fair (near‑prime). APR often 7‑10 %.
• 300‑639  -  Poor (sub‑prime). APR commonly 10 %+ or a higher fixed‑rate program.

These brackets reflect what most banks, credit unions, and RV dealers apply when they pull your credit, as described in the earlier sections on auto‑score usage and middle‑score calculations. Understanding FICO score ranges

Check your FICO Auto Score now with a free soft‑pull so you know where you stand before submitting an RV loan application.

1. Visit Free soft‑pull FICO Auto Score at The Credit People and register with basic personal information.
2. The site returns the FICO Auto Score from the bureau most often used by RV lenders (typically one bureau, not an average of three).
3. Compare the result to the 720‑plus range that usually secures the best RV loan rates.
4. Keep the check soft (no hard inquiry) to avoid lowering your score before you apply.
5. If the score falls short, pause the application and work on the factors that affect the Auto Score - payment history, credit utilization, and recent inquiries - before re‑checking.

The below content will be converted to HTML following it's exact instructions:

Boost your FICO Score fast by tackling these five moves before you request an RV loan. Each step targets the factors lenders weigh most for the FICO Auto Score used on RV financing.

• Pay down revolving balances to below 30 % of each credit limit; this lowers credit utilization, the biggest driver of the Auto Score.
• Eliminate inaccurate negative items; dispute errors with the credit bureaus and request a corrected report (how to dispute credit report errors).
• Avoid new hard inquiries for at least 30 days; each inquiry can shave a few points off the Auto Score.
• Keep older accounts open and active; length of credit history adds positively to the middle FICO score lenders often average.
• Set up automatic, on‑time payments for all revolving and installment accounts for the next 90 days; a streak of timely payments quickly improves the payment‑history component.

Closing a Citi card can cause your Citi FICO score to shift because the account's balance, credit limit, and age leave the scoring model. The change usually appears in the next monthly update that Citi posts to your online dashboard.

If the card carried a balance, the same debt now sits against a smaller total limit, so utilization rises and the score may dip a few points. The average age of your accounts also drops, which can lower the score further. However, if you keep overall utilization under 30 % on your remaining cards, the impact can be modest or even positive if the closed card had a high APR or annual fee. For more detail on how Citi calculates its score, see Citi's FICO score education.

If you register your RV as a commercial vehicle, most lenders still base the loan on your personal FICO Auto Score, typically the FICO 5 model, rather than a Business Score.