Unsecured Car Loan and Unsecured Personal Loan are totally different, they don't call them differently...
i used to work for Citibank in the Credit Card department but i knew a little about Personal Loans...
i would apply for a Personal Loan, if they ask you what you want to use it for you say a holiday, pay off some little debts or whatever (like you owe your mum a few hundred bucks etc.) and that you might even buy a car that's more reliable than the one you already own... that would give you more chance of getting the loan, thing is... if you have applied at a few banks before and have been knocked back, you won't be able to apply for any 'CREDIT' for the next 3 months, that includes Loans, Credit Cards and Mobile Phone Contracts etc.
so if you have been declined 'CREDIT' within the last 3 months (some banks even ask you to wait 6 months) then i wouldn't keep applying, they don't tell you why but most of the time you need to wait, i would double check with them and tell them you have applied and ask if it would affect the application you're putting through that day
if you want to know anything else, just pm me... i don't want to keep ranting and boring people out, cheers
Andrew