I'm looking to buy a used car* for the first time in my life.
I already know the price range I'm looking at (Under $10,000) and the loan term I'd prefer (5 years) and the down payment I'm willing to make ($2,500), so I know what type of loan I'd be looking for**, but my chief concern is if I'm going about this wrong.
I've been looking for a car with the intent of getting the loan after I've found the car I want - should I instead talk to my credit union about the auto loan I'm willing to make, then shop for a car based on the loan I can get?
*Please note this is not about which car I should get, but about how I should go about getting an auto loan.
**This also isn't about the terms of the loan - just when I should be looking to get one.