I will be looking to buy a vehicle sometime between now and the next two years. I will be paying cash for roughly 75% of the purchase price and borrowing the rest. I contacted USAA to find out if there is a way they can tell me what my loan terms would be (what my interest rate would be, and if the loan would be approved), without actually applying for a loan. She said that I would actually have to apply for the loan to find out and there's no other way to do it. So I asked her if I applied for the loan, not to actually take it, but just to find out my terms and if it will be approved, will that go on my credit record in any way that could negatively affect my chances of getting the loan when I actually need it. She said it would go on my record as an application for credit. She would not, or could not say if that would negatively affect a future loan application. To me it sounds like something that would count against me, but I don't know for sure. Anyone in here know?