Apply to the best one first and see the response. It is important to limit the number of applications filed as each one queries your credit history. Each of these queries appears on your credit history. Just don't give anyone the opportunity to misinterpret the data. A Negotiating Advantage Having credit approval when walking into the dealership gives most consumers a shopping advantage.
Dealers receive incentives from lenders for loans they write.
Dealers are motivated to write loans with the lender offering them the best incentives and not necessarily the ones with the most attractive rates for the customer. They are not trying to rip anybody off, just motivating salespeople to sell a particular financing product. It is up to you to decide whether the loan package offered is good enough. For that reason, being pre-approved for financing gives many people a leg up. As a cash buyer, your primary concern is to haggle over the lowest possible bottom-line price.