Depending on when you took out your car loan and what your credit scores were at the time, you may have an annual percentage rate (APR) in the double digits. In the third quarter of 2023, the average rates on used car loans ranged from 7.43% for borrowers with excellent credit to 21.18% for borrowers with poor credit, according to Experian.
If your credit has improved or average rates have dropped, refinancing can be a smart way to save money and pay off your debt faster. Or, if you can’t afford your monthly payments, refinancing to a longer term can also help you save each month (but you’ll pay more in total interest charges).
We evaluated top car loan companies and identified the eight best auto refinance lenders for 2024.
Methodology
To find the best auto refinance rates, our editorial and data research teams assessed 26 popular lenders and collected more than 850 data points. We ranked the lenders across four categories: loan cost, loan details, accessibility and customer experience. View our complete methodology below.
- Number of companies reviewed: 26
- Number of data points analyzed: 858
- Number of features we considered: 33
- Number of primary data sources used: 30
Show summary
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Alliant Credit Union
: Best auto refinance lender
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Navy Federal Credit Union
: Best for military families
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LightStream
: Best for older or high-mileage vehicles
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Bank of America
: Best big bank option
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Digital Federal Credit Union
: Best for rate discounts
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Autopay
: Best marketplace to receive multiple quotes
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LendingClub
: Best for refinancing with bad credit
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Upgrade
: Best for pre-qualification
Alliant Credit Union
Best auto refinance lender
Starting APR
7.87%*
Repayment terms
2 to 7 years
Loan amounts
$4,000 and up
5/5
Why we picked it
Alliant Credit Union offers same-day approvals, fast funding, a simple loan application and flexible repayment terms.
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In addition to offering traditional and cash-out refinancing, this lender will also refinance its own loans — a surprisingly uncommon feature. However, if you refinance an existing Alliant loan, your rate will be 1% higher than if you refinance a loan from another financial institution. Most auto lenders will only refinance cars 10 years old or newer, but Alliant will refinance cars as old as 15 years (but again, you’ll pay a higher rate).
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However, credit union membership is required. Alliant’s membership is open to the public, but you’ll need to become a digital inclusion advocate of the Alliant Credit Union Foundation by making a one-time $5 donation.
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Although Alliant doesn’t disclose its eligibility criteria, it allows joint applications — so if you have low credit scores, you can apply with a creditworthy co-borrower to improve your odds of approval. This lender doesn’t offer pre-qualification with a soft credit check, so you must formally apply to determine your eligibility. You don’t have to be a member to apply, but you’ll need to join before you can receive your loan funds.
Pros
- Same-day approvals for most borrowers
- Long loan terms available
- Possible to refinance older cars
- Joint loans available
Cons
- Credit union membership required
- Rates are higher for refinancing existing Alliant loans
- No pre-qualification option
Who should use it
Alliant is best for borrowers looking to refinance their loan quickly or take advantage of longer repayment terms.
* Rate as of Jan. 16, 2024, assumes discount
Navy Federal Credit Union
Best for military families
Starting APR
4.54% for new vehicles, 5.44% for used cars*
Repayment terms
1 to 8 years
Loan amounts
$250 and up
5/5
Why we picked it
Navy Federal is the largest credit union in the country, with over 12 million members — but it’s only available to military service members, veterans and qualifying family members. If you don’t have a military connection, you aren’t eligible for the credit union’s membership or its loans.
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If you qualify for Navy Federal Credit Union membership, you may receive refinancing rates substantially lower than the industry average. And you can choose a loan term as long as 96 months — the longest available term for traditional car loans — to get a lower monthly payment. (Remember that you’ll pay more in total interest charges with a long loan term.)
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This lender doesn’t restrict the cars it’s willing to refinance, but higher rates apply to vehicles 20 years or older. Most auto refinance loans from Navy Federal only offer repayment terms up to seven years; eight-year terms are reserved for newer vehicles with fewer than 7,500 miles. Plus, you’ll need to refinance at least $30,000 to qualify for the longest term.
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Like Alliant Credit Union, Navy Federal also received a five-star ranking. Its low rates and rate discounts for active service members make it a strong contender for auto refinancing — if you qualify for membership.
Pros
- Lower-than-average rates available
- Longer-than-usual loan term options
- Refinances older cars
- Joint loans available
- Same-day approval possible
Cons
- Membership restricted to military families
- Longer loan terms only available to low-mileage vehicles
- Higher loan minimum for longer loan terms
- No pre-qualification option
Who should use it
Navy Federal Credit Union members or qualifying service members and their families can qualify for low rates and flexible terms.
* Rates as of Jan. 16, 2024
LightStream
Best for older or high-mileage vehicles
Starting APR
7.74%*
Repayment terms
3 to 7 years
Loan amounts
$5,000 to $100,000
5/5
Why we picked it
Most auto loans are secured by the vehicle being financed — your car acts as collateral for the loan, and if you don’t repay the debt, your lender can repossess the car. LightStream works differently. It issues unsecured loans, backed by your creditworthiness and promise to repay. Because they’re unsecured, LightStream has no restrictions on mileage, year or model, so you can refinance antique cars or vehicles with high mileage.
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LightStream has many advantages but typically requires borrowers to have good to excellent credit. If you have poor credit, you’ll need to have a friend or relative with good credit and steady income apply as a co-borrower.
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Rounding out our three-way tie, LightStream also received a five-star rating. Its fast funding, lack of vehicle restrictions and generous autopay discount make LightStream a good choice for refinancing if your car doesn’t qualify for a more traditional loan.
Pros
- No mileage limits
- No vehicle year or model limits
- Unsecured loan
- Same-day approval and funding possible
- High maximum loan amount
- Autopay discount (0.50 percentage points)
- Joint loans available
Cons
- Very good to excellent credit required
- No pre-qualification option
- Cannot be used to refinance existing LightStream loan
- High minimum loan amount
Who should use it
LightStream could be a good fit if you’re looking to refinance a high-mileage or classic car.
* Rate as of Jan. 16, 2024, assumes discount
Bank of America
Best big bank option
Starting APR
7.39%*
Repayment terms
4 to 6 years
Loan amounts
$7,500 and up
4.8/5
Why we picked it
Bank of America is the second-largest bank in the country, with more than 3,700 branches nationwide. Big banks come with lots of great resources, including widespread ATM networks, robust mobile apps, longer support hours and various financial products and services.
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If you’re an existing Bank of America customer with a bank account or investment account, you can qualify for valuable auto loan discounts up to 0.50 percentage points. But these discounts can be difficult to obtain — you must maintain a checking or savings account balance of at least $20,000 to qualify for a discount of 0.25 percentage points, or $100,000 for the 0.50 percentage point discount.
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Bank of America refinances its own loans, as well as auto loans from other financial institutions. Your rate is locked in for 30 days, giving you time to shop around and compare offers. Loan approval can happen in just minutes, and payment will be sent directly to your current lender to pay off your original loan.
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However, Bank of America has fewer loan term options than other lenders. You can apply for terms between four and six years, though the lender’s website says you can speak to a loan officer about other term options. It won’t refinance cars older than 10 years or with more than 125,000 miles.
Pros
- Allows refinancing of existing Bank of America loans
- Rate discounts for some existing customers
- Rates locked for 30 days after approval
- Same-day approval possible
- Joint loans available
Cons
- No pre-qualification option
- Limited loan term options
- Rate discounts difficult to attain
- High minimum loan amount
- Vehicle restrictions
Who should use it
Bank of America is best for existing customers who qualify for interest rate discounts.
* Rate as of Jan. 16, 2024
Digital Federal Credit Union
Best for rate discounts
Starting APR
6.74%*
Repayment terms
1 to 7 years
Loan amounts
$2,500 to $500,000
4.3/5
Why we picked it
Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) offers a broad range of discounts that can help you save money on auto loan refinancing. You can reduce your interest rate by as much as 0.50 percentage points if you sign up for electronic payments and qualify for relationship benefits on a DCU checking account. And if you refinance a loan for an electric vehicle, you could qualify for an additional discount of 0.25 percentage points.
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Borrowers can finance up to 130% of the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, or your loan balance compared to the vehicle value, so you can also cover the cost of registration, taxes and fees. This also means that if you’re upside down on your car loan (you owe more than it’s worth), DCU will refinance it. If you intend to refinance a DCU auto loan, you should know that the lender charges administrative fees for refinancing its own loans.
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You must join the credit union to take out a loan. If you don’t live in Massachusetts or work for a participating employer, you can qualify for membership by joining one of eight partner organizations (costing between $10 and $120 annually).
Pros
- Rate discounts for autopay, banking relationship and electric vehicles
- Lower-than-average rates available
- Refinances up to 130% LTV
- Joint loans available
- Same-day approval possible
- High maximum loan amount
Cons
- Credit union membership required
- No pre-qualification option
- Charges administrative fees for refinancing existing DCU loans
Who should use it
DCU customers with an existing checking or savings account can qualify for auto loans with competitive rates and valuable rate discounts.
* Rate as of Jan. 16, 2024, assumes discounts
Autopay
Best marketplace to receive multiple quotes
Starting APR
4.67%*
Repayment terms
2 to 8 years
Loan amounts
$2,500 to $100,000
4.3/5
Why we picked it
Unlike the other entries on our list, Autopay is not a direct lender — it’s a loan aggregator that connects borrowers with its network of lending partners. By filling out one application, you can receive multiple offers from Autopay’s partners. And because it works with a wide range of lenders, you may be more likely to find one willing to work with you if you have less-than-stellar credit scores.
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Although it doesn’t specify its minimum credit score requirement, Autopay claims to offer fair rates to borrowers “across the credit spectrum.” And if you can’t qualify alone, this lending marketplace will allow you to apply with a creditworthy cosigner or co-borrower.
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However, available loan rates, terms and fees vary by lender, and some of Autopay’s partners charge origination fees. And while receiving multiple quotes in one place is convenient, you should also solicit quotes from other lenders as well, since not all options are available on Autopay’s marketplace. Most lenders on the marketplace will only refinance cars that are 10 years old or less and have fewer than 150,000 miles.
Pros
- Compare loan offers from multiple lenders at once
- Flexible eligibility criteria
- Offers cash-out refinancing
- Same-day approval possible
- Cosigned and joint loans allowed
- Pre-qualification available
Cons
- Loan details and features vary by lender
- Limited details available online
- Vehicle restrictions
- Isn’t a one-stop shop
Who should use it
Autopay can be an option if you want to simplify the loan-shopping process and receive multiple offers at once.
* Rate as of Jan. 16, 2024
LendingClub
Best for refinancing with bad credit
Starting APR
4.99%*
Repayment terms
2 to 7 years
Loan amounts
$4,000 to $55,000
4.3/5
Why we picked it
If you have less-than-perfect credit, LendingClub considers applicants with credit scores in the “low 600s.” And if you can’t qualify independently (or want to snag that low headline rate), this lender allows you to apply with a creditworthy co-borrower. (LendingClub also offers substantially lower-than-average rates to borrowers with excellent credit.)
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LendingClub’s auto refinancing has limitations: You can only refinance vehicle loan balances between $4,000 and $55,000, and you must have at least two years left on the loan term. Also, the vehicle must be less than 10 years old and have fewer than 120,000 miles, and some makes and models aren’t eligible for refinancing (including Hummer, Nissan Leaf and Pontiac).
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LendingClub doesn’t offer refinancing to residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, Washington D.C., or any of the U.S. territories.
Pros
- Low credit requirement
- Allows joint applications
- Potentially low rates
- Pre-qualification available
- Same-day approval possible
Cons
- Refinancing not available nationally
- Vehicle restrictions
- Must have at least two years remaining on existing loan
- Low maximum loan amount
Who should use it
Borrowers with fair credit and a creditworthy co-applicant may be quoted competitive rates with LendingClub auto refinancing.
* Rate as of Jan. 16, 2024
Upgrade
Best for pre-qualification
Starting APR
5.24%*
Repayment terms
2 to 7 years
Loan amounts
$5,000 and up
4.2/5
Why we picked it
Usually known for its personal loans, Upgrade has branched into the auto financing market. It now offers auto loan refinancing with lower-than-average rates and a quick application process. It even has a pre-qualification tool, so you can check your loan options without damaging your credit.
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Although Upgrade can help you save money, it can take some time to refinance your loan. You may receive the loan funds directly within one business day of approval, but if you want Upgrade to repay your former lender on your behalf, the process can take up to two weeks.
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Upgrade doesn’t disclose its minimum credit requirements, but to be eligible for refinancing, you must have made at least three payments on your original loan and be refinancing a vehicle that’s 10 years old or newer with fewer than 130,000 miles.
Pros
- Potentially low rates
- Pre-qualification available
- Next-day funding (if receiving funds directly)
Cons
- Vehicle restrictions
- Creditor payoff can take up to two weeks
- Unclear eligibility requirements
- High minimum loan amount
Who should use it
Borrowers with high interest rates on existing auto loans could benefit from Upgrade’s competitive rates.
* Rate as of Jan. 16, 2024, assumes autopay discount
Our picks at a glance
| Rating | Starting APR* | Repayment terms (years) | Loan amounts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Alliant Credit Union | 5 | 7.87% | 2 to 7 | $4,000 and up |
Navy Federal Credit Union | 5 | 4.54% (new vehicles), 5.44% (used vehicles) | 1 to 8 | $250 and up |
LightStream | 5 | 7.74% | 3 to 7 | $5,000 to $100,000 |
Bank of America | 4.8 | 7.39% | 4 to 6 | $7,500 and up |
Digital Federal Credit Union | 4.3 | 6.74% | 1 to 7 | $2,500 to $500,000 |
Autopay | 4.3 | 4.67% | 2 to 8 | $2,500 to $100,000 |
LendingClub | 4.3 | 4.99% | 2 to 7 | $4,000 to $55,000 |
Upgrade | 4.2 | 5.24% | 2 to 7 | $5,000 and up |
* Rates as of Jan. 16, 2024, may assume discounts
Why refinance your auto loan?
- Potential savings: If you qualify for a lower rate, you could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the life of your loan. Using an auto loan refinancing calculator (like Calculator.me’s) can do the math for you.
- Reduced payments: Refinancing to a lower rate or longer loan term could reduce your monthly payments. Keep in mind that choosing a longer term will result in higher total interest charges, as a calculator can demonstrate.
- Cash-out options: Some lenders allow you to refinance your loan for more than the remaining balance and receive the rest in cash. The extra funds can be used for any legal purpose, but cash-out refinancing often has a higher APR and can leave you upside down on your loan, so proceed with caution.
How auto loan refinancing works
When you refinance an auto loan, you take out a new loan from a refinancing lender for the amount of your existing debt. The lender pays off your current creditor so the original loan is paid in full. Going forward, your auto loan debt is repaid to the refinancing lender. (You could also seek a cash-out refinance loan whereby you borrow more than your existing debt and pocket the difference, but this may be unwise if it results in owing more than the car is worth or significantly increases your cost of borrowing.)
Not all cars are eligible for refinancing; lenders often limit vehicles to those less than 10 years old with fewer than 120,000 miles. Also, most lenders often have minimum loan balances they’ll refinance and may require that you have made a certain number of payments on the original loan.
When does it make sense to refinance your auto loan?
Refinancing can help you save money, but it’s not always the right move. It can be a good idea in the following scenarios:
- Your credit scores have improved. The refinance rate you receive is partly based on the strength of your credit scores. The lowest rates are typically reserved for borrowers with excellent credit, so if you’ve raised your scores since taking out the original loan, you may qualify for lower rates.
- Interest rates have dropped. If market conditions have changed since you took out your existing loan, refinancing can help you take advantage of current rates.
- You can’t afford your payments. Refinancing to a loan with a lower rate or a longer term can give you a more manageable monthly payment.
- You used dealer financing. In many cases, financing a car loan through the dealership doesn’t result in the lowest possible rates. You may qualify for a lower rate by shopping around with other lenders.
- You want a new lender. If you’ve had customer service issues with your current lender, you may consider refinancing to take your business elsewhere.
On the flip side, refinancing may not be worthwhile if you already have a lower-than-average rate, you owe more than your vehicle is worth or your credit scores have dropped since taking out the original loan. Also, deciding when to refinance your car is essential — if you just bought the car, you may not be eligible to refinance, and if you’re nearing the end of your term, you may not see much financial benefit from refinancing.
Pros and cons of auto loan refinancing
| Pros | Cons |
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Refinancing a car loan can allow you to qualify for lower rates, which can help you save money and pay off your debt faster. Plus, if you have positive equity in your vehicle, you could apply for a cash-out refinance loan and receive some of that equity in a lump sum to help you meet other financial goals. However, by cashing out equity, you risk owing more than the vehicle is worth (also known as being upside down on the loan).
However, your original lender may charge a prepayment penalty for repaying your loan ahead of schedule, and your new lender will charge a handful of fees (such as origination or title transfer fees) — these additional costs could negate any savings you might see from refinancing.
8 steps to refinance your car loan
1. Check your credit scores
Your credit scores determine your interest rate and refinancing eligibility. You may have free access to your credit scores through your credit card company or financial institution, or you can pay for your scores via various third-party services.
If your scores are too low to qualify you for a lower rate, improve your credit scores before refinancing, perhaps by paying down existing debt and checking your credit reports (via AnnualCreditReport.com) for errors.
2. Review your current auto loan
Examine your existing loan agreement to locate the following information:
- Current APR
- Number of months of repayment remaining
- Monthly payment amount
- Loan payoff amount
- Prepayment penalty amount (if applicable)
This information is usually available through your lender’s payment portal or mobile app, or you can call your lender’s customer support line.
3. Estimate your vehicle’s value
Use industry guides like Kelley Blue Book or J.D. Power to determine what your car is worth based on its make, model, age, mileage and condition. If your vehicle is worth less than you currently owe, you may struggle to find an affordable refinancing option.
4. Determine whether refinancing is the right choice
With the above information in mind, decide whether refinancing makes sense. Use a car refinancing calculator to crunch the numbers. Be sure to factor in any fees and consider whether a shorter or longer loan term (with its added interest charges) could help you accomplish your goals.
5. Gather necessary documents
To refinance your loan, you’ll need the following documents:
- Your driver’s license
- Social Security number
- Current loan information, including lender name, account number and payoff amount
- Your vehicle’s identification number (VIN), registration and current mileage
- Proof of car insurance
- Proof of income, such as pay stubs or W-2s
- Proof of residency, such as a mortgage statement or rental agreement
- A loan payoff statement from your current lender
6. Compare lenders
Some lenders allow you to view loan options with a soft credit check (known as pre-qualification), which doesn’t affect your credit scores. When comparing your loan options, consider the following factors:
- APR is how much you’ll pay in interest and fees annually, expressed as a percentage. This is a good measure of the cost of borrowing.
- Loan terms vary by lender but generally range from two to seven years. A longer term will result in lower monthly payments but a higher overall cost of borrowing. Generally, it’s wise to select the shortest term you can reasonably afford.
- Vehicle restrictions also vary by lender, but cars typically need to be 10 years old or newer and have fewer than 120,000 miles.
7. Apply for the loan
Once you’ve selected a lender, complete an application and consent to a hard credit check, which can temporarily lower your credit scores by about five points. Often, the lender can issue a loan decision within minutes, but in some cases, it will ask for additional information, which may take a few days.
8. Close on the loan and begin repayment
If you’re approved, the lender will send you a loan agreement to review and sign. After you’ve returned the agreement, the lender will work with your existing creditor to pay off the loan on your behalf. Some lenders will send the loan funds directly to you, but this is less common.
Can you refinance an auto loan with bad credit?
Although it’s possible, it may not be advantageous to refinance with low credit scores. Rates for borrowers with less-than-perfect credit ranged from 13.53% to 21.18% during the third quarter of 2023, according to Experian, so refinancing may not help you save money.
Rather than applying for a loan with poor credit, a better strategy is to work on improving your scores or use a creditworthy cosigner or co-borrower who can help you qualify for better rates.
Example: Suppose your current 60-month auto loan has an APR of 12.00%, a balance of $20,000 and 36 months remaining on the term. Your current monthly payment is $664.
You’d like to refinance, but your credit scores have dropped and you can only qualify for a 36-month refinance loan with a 17.00% APR. Or, if you apply with a cosigner, you’re eligible for the same loan at 9.00% APR. Notice how the lower APR affects your monthly payment and overall cost of borrowing.
| Original loan | Loan 1 | Loan 2 (with a cosigner) | |
|---|---|---|---|
APR | 12.00% | 17.00% | 9.00% |
Monthly payment | $664 | $713 | $636 |
Total amount paid | $39,857 | $41,613 | $38,839 |
Working to qualify for a lower rate — either by increasing your credit scores or using a cosigner or co-borrower — can help you save money each month and overall. In this case, refinancing to Loan 2 could save you about $1,000 in interest charges.
Methodology
Our editors and research analysts combined efforts to identify the best lenders for auto loan refinancing. First, our editors created a rubric to assess 26 popular lenders across 33 criteria. Then, our research team collected over 850 data points and analyzed the results to narrow our list to the eight best auto refinance lenders.
Loan cost (35%)
Reducing the cost of an auto loan is often cited as the primary reason borrowers refinance their loans. With that in mind, lenders that advertise lower-than-average rates scored most favorably. We also considered any fees charged as well as interest rate discounts offered.
Loan details (30%)
Here, we examined the fundamental elements of each lender’s refinance loan, including loan terms, loan amounts and funding timeline. We also awarded points to lenders offering cash-out refinance loans and those willing to refinance their own auto loans.
Accessibility (20%)
The best auto refinance loan is the one that’s available to the broadest range of borrowers. This category examined lenders’ eligibility criteria for both borrowers and vehicles, including:
- Nationwide availability
- Credit requirements
- Vehicle age and mileage restrictions
- Whether cosigners and/or co-borrowers are permitted
Customer experience (15%)
In this final category, comprising 10 factors, we aimed to capture the quality of each lender’s customer service by assessing criteria like contact methods, customer service hours and whether the lender offers a robust mobile app. We also analyzed consumer reviews from independent organizations like the Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau.
What didn’t make the cut
Although each of the 26 lenders we assessed had benefits, only eight made our final list. Most lenders that didn’t score highly lost points for a lack of transparency, high rates or strict eligibility requirements. Here’s a look at three popular lenders who fell short for various reasons:
| Lender | Rating | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
Ally Bank | 3.7 |
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PNC Bank | 3.6 |
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Capital One | 3.4 |
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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Start by improving your credit as much as possible — the best rates are available to borrowers with very good to excellent credit. Comparing multiple loan offers will help you zero in on the refinance loan with the lowest rate and most favorable terms.
You can refinance once the title has been transferred to the lienholder, typically 60 to 90 days after taking out the initial loan. However, some lenders may require that you make a certain number of payments before refinancing, and refinancing immediately after purchase may not be financially advantageous.
Some lenders, including Alliant Credit Union and Bank of America, allow you to refinance existing loans they hold. Others will only refinance loans originated by other financial institutions. Even if your lender is willing to refinance its own loan, it’s still a good idea to compare quotes from other lenders to see if you can find a better deal.
It can be challenging to refinance if your auto loan is upside down. Most lenders won’t refinance a vehicle for more than it’s worth, but some — such as Digital Federal Credit Union or Autopay — may finance a loan-to-value ratio as high as 130%. Expect to pay higher rates when refinancing an upside-down loan.
The cost of refinancing varies by lender. Some lenders don’t charge any fees, while others may charge application or title transfer fees. Some states also require you to reregister your car when you refinance, adding to your total costs. Refinancing may cost several hundred dollars (or next to nothing), so understand all fees before signing a loan contract.
I am an automotive finance expert with extensive knowledge of the car loan industry, refinancing strategies, and market trends. Over the years, I have closely monitored the fluctuations in annual percentage rates (APR) for car loans, assessed various lenders, and conducted in-depth analyses to identify the best options for auto loan refinancing.
In the provided article, the author discusses the importance of refinancing car loans based on changes in credit scores, market conditions, and the potential for saving money. The article also introduces eight top auto refinance lenders for 2024, providing details about their starting APRs, repayment terms, loan amounts, and specific features. Here's a breakdown of the concepts covered in the article:
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Average Rates in Q3 2023: The article mentions that the average rates on used car loans ranged from 7.43% to 21.18% in the third quarter of 2023, depending on the borrower's credit score. This information is sourced from Experian.
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Refinancing Benefits: The article discusses the benefits of refinancing, such as saving money, paying off debt faster, or extending the loan term to reduce monthly payments.
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Methodology for Choosing Lenders: The article outlines the methodology used to select the best auto refinance lenders for 2024. This involves evaluating 26 popular lenders based on 858 data points across four categories: loan cost, loan details, accessibility, and customer experience.
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List of Top Auto Refinance Lenders for 2024:
- Alliant Credit Union: Same-day approvals, flexible repayment terms, and the ability to refinance older cars.
- Navy Federal Credit Union: Lower rates for military families, longer loan terms, and same-day approval.
- LightStream: Unsecured loans, no vehicle restrictions, and an autopay discount.
- Bank of America: Discounts for existing customers, quick approval, and the ability to refinance its own loans.
- Digital Federal Credit Union: Rate discounts for various factors, high loan-to-value ratio, and refinancing of its own loans.
- Autopay: Loan aggregator offering multiple quotes, flexible eligibility criteria, and cash-out refinancing.
- LendingClub: Consideration of fair credit, joint applications, and same-day approval.
- Upgrade: Pre-qualification, lower-than-average rates, and quick application process.
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Refinancing Process: The article explains how auto loan refinancing works, including taking out a new loan to pay off the existing debt, and considerations for cash-out refinancing.
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When to Refinance: The article provides scenarios in which refinancing makes sense, such as improved credit scores, dropped interest rates, affordability issues, dissatisfaction with the current lender, and the desire to switch to a new lender.
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Pros and Cons of Auto Loan Refinancing: The article lists the potential advantages, including saving money and tapping into vehicle equity, as well as the drawbacks, such as refinancing fees and the risk of becoming upside down on the loan.
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Steps to Refinance Your Car Loan: The article outlines eight steps to follow when refinancing a car loan, including checking credit scores, reviewing the current auto loan, estimating the vehicle's value, determining the right choice for refinancing, gathering necessary documents, comparing lenders, applying for the loan, and closing on the loan.
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Refinancing with Bad Credit: The article acknowledges the possibility of refinancing with bad credit but advises against it due to higher rates. It suggests improving credit scores or using a creditworthy co-borrower for better rates.
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Example of Refinancing with Lower Credit Scores: The article provides an example comparing the monthly payment and total amount paid for an original loan, a refinance with higher APR, and a refinance with a creditworthy cosigner.
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Methodology for Selecting Lenders: The article explains the methodology used to evaluate lenders based on loan cost, loan details, accessibility, and customer experience. It also mentions lenders that did not make the cut.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): The article concludes with answers to common questions about auto loan refinancing, such as improving credit scores, timing for refinancing, refinancing existing loans from the same lender, refinancing upside-down loans, the cost of refinancing, and eligibility for refinancing with bad credit.
As an expert in the field, I can provide additional insights or clarification on any specific aspect of the article.
