There's nothing worse than falling in love with your dream used car or used van and then being turned down because you've got bad credit.However, if you've got a poor credit rating or bad credit, buying a used car or van needn't be out of reach. There are a whole host of different finance options available which have been designed specifically to help those with less than perfect credit scores. What is bad credit?Being classified as having bad credit basically means that you have a low credit score and are considered as a risk to a potential lender. This is one of the main reasons some people struggle to buy a car or van via vehicle finance, such as Personal Contract Payment (PCP) or Hire Purchase (HP). You can find out your credit score by checking your credit report online. If you have a low score, this generally indicates that you have struggled to repay your debts in the past, or you have missed payments. As a result, lenders are reluctant to approve credit as they assume that you will not be a reliable borrower.Of course, there are lot of ways to improve your credit score before looking to buy a used car or van. However, if you're looking to get car or van finance with bad credit, there are other options available. How can I buy a used car or van with bad credit?Although you may struggle to get a car on PCP if you have a low credit score, it may be easier to get finance through a Hire Purchase finance agreement.PCP finance defers payment for part of the car's value until the end of the contract, which means you pay the debt off the car more slowly, with lower monthly payments. This means that lenders are looking for borrowers with higher credit scores, which makes it more difficult to get finance through PCP.Alternatively, if you sign up to a HP agreement, the loan is secured against the car, which means it can simply be taken away if you fail to keep up with your monthly repayments. Borrowers with bad credit are far more likely to be approved for car finance this way than a PCP option, as the risk to finance companies is far less. Free Finance CheckCar and van finance at Carbase Here at Carbase, we keep used vehicle finance simple to understand and quick to apply for, and we also offer financial solutions for those drivers with bad credit.For example, as well PCP options, we also offer Hire Purchase finance, which has been designed to offer affordable monthly car finance payments with a fixed interest rate. For more information, read our guide: HP vs PCP - Which Type of Car Finance is Best?All that is required is a deposit; your terms can even be adjusted to suit your financial situation based on your circumstances. The finance will still be against the vehicle and the agreement can be settled at any time. Oh, and at the end of the agreement term, your car or van will be yours - officially!Need help with any part of the used car or van buying or finance process? Get in touch with our expert team today. Free Finance Check Sub-prime finance is not guaranteed and may cost more than finance provided by a prime lender. We will try to obtain finance for you but there is no guarantee. It may be from a sub-prime lender, and if so, the cost of finance may likely be at a higher rate than prime lenders offer.