If you're a college student and are looking to get a car loan, don't waste your time trying to figure out a way of buying a car with your student loans. That's just not a slick idea, although I'm sure I would have tried that at some point in my life and denied it later.

If you are in college, need some wheels and you've got bad credit, there are a couple good places online that can help you out with that. Nobody wants you to have to be seen riding a 10 speed on campus in the rain so there are places you can go to get approved for a car loan without having to use your tuition money for a down payment.

Avoid at all costs: Buy here pay here dealers. Also, avoid a car salesman named Slick that wears white shoes, mirrored sunglasses and a fake Rolex watch on his right hand. You want a good deal and don't need to be talked into putting your laptop in a pawn shop to get a down payment for a '78 Pinto station wagon.

There are some legitimate websites on the internet. Some of them look cheesy, but they can get you approved for a car loan. You have to have a j.o.b. (just over broke) and you need to not be in the middle of a bankruptcy. If you are in the middle of a bankruptcy in your early 20's, go back and change your major to accounting.

Seriously, here's my recommendation: Check out a couple places that let you learn about the basic requirements of getting financed so you can know what you can do before you do it. You're in college. Make mama proud and make an 'educated decision' about your car loan. Please don't go from dealership to dealership trying to get a student car loan with a bad credit history. You'll do much better and get a real loan easier by using a website that has a database of lenders.