<prompt> Human: My wife and I are attempting to finance a mini van. Our family is expanding to 4 children and we need the extra space. We test drove a couple of vehicles yesterday and then were told that we were not approved for a loan. The van we were looking at was 9,00. 07 Town and Country with 80k miles on it. We were told that we wouldnt get approved based entirely on our credit scores im 696 and shes 695. And the van was too old with too many miles on it and the bank just wouldnt do it. What was most puzzling, however, was that we got a call later that evening from the dealer with two offers. Both were 08 Town and Countrys with fewer miles but one was 12,500 and the other was 14,500, were offered payments around 250 a month well outside of the 150-175 that we can realistically afford. So, im confused. The bank will quickly refuse us on a loan that we can afford but approve us for one we almost certainly cant? Oh, we had also offered up to 2,000 down as well. This is frustrating, quite.  <response>: If the bank needs to repo the minivan, how much do you think theyll get for a 2007 Chrysler w 80k miles on it at auction? A newer, lower mileage vehicle is much less risky for a bank. This is one of the reasons people recommend buying a 10 year old car in cash; it can be a pain to deal with any sort of financing.And as a few other people have said, get your financing in order before you set foot on a lot. And, while your at it, avoid the dealers completely. For what your looking at, youre going to do much better via a private party sale. Browse Craigslist, get a trusted mechanic to inspect before purchase which you should do even with a dealer purchase , and save a couple thousand. 