According to dealers, you may have a hard time getting a car loan these days, unless of course you are Bill Gates.

Carmakers say it’s consumers’ inability to get car loans that is causing them to leave showrooms without making a purchase.

Credit is tight, and many banks have to tread water because they already carry too many mortgages that are high-risk.  This is causing them to shy away from additional auto loans.  And when Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, troubles with credit puffed up.

Gas costing $4 per gallon this summer did change the types of cars that consumers wanted to buy, and that trend remains.  People are looking for small, fuel-efficient cars with a good auto warranty.  However, the credit crunch has changed people’s ability to make a car purchase.  When motorists do get approved for a loan, it’s often for less money than they hoped for.