KTKA

It doesn't matter what Wichita dealership you talk to, they are all facing the same problem.

"Just letting people know that stigma that there is no credit. It's wrong. That's how we sell cars. If we don't get credit, we don't sell cars," said Les Eck of Rusty Eck Ford.

"I had so many people just day after day and I started talking to other dealer friends and everybody had the same perception. I want to buy a car but there's no money to be had," said Roger Scholfield of Scholfield Honda.

That's what Kim Smith thought before she tried to buy a car, but found getting credit wasn't that hard.

"It wasn't a problem at all," Smith said.

Local dealers are fighting a national perception, that credit is tough to come by.

"The national stigma like I was talking abou,t CNN, 24/7, you got to come up with something and its on the negative side," Eck said.

Smith said not only did she find credit, she found it without much effort.

"Yes I was, you just have to take a step and go out and check it out," she said.

"The bottom line is if you want to buy a car, the money is there. There are dozens and dozens financial sources that every dealership in town has access to."

Although credit is available, banks are looking more closely at borrowers.

Before you buy a car, figure out how much car can you afford.

Consumer Reports suggests you add up all your debt, credit cards, other car payments and include your mortgage or rent.

That total should be no more than 36 percent of your gross income.

Experts also suggest you put 20 percent down on a car.