Is it better to refinance a car with the same lender?
Your lender knows how much interest you currently pay on your loan, which means they can offer you a slightly lower interest rate for your refinance without having to truly compete with other lenders. This is why you'll still need to negotiate and shop around, even if end up sticking with your current lender.
Refinancing With Your Lender
Whatever the reason, refinancing with someone you've worked with in the past has its perks. For starters, it should be a seamless process. Conveniently, your old lender will already have some of your financial documents and records on file, depending on how recently you worked with them.
Refinancing can come with extra fees due to new loan applications and early closing fees. Additionally, you could end up paying more in interest costs if you refinance for another term, so you could be paying more than your car is worth.
Refinancing also comes with the risk of higher interest rates. If your credit has dipped or interest rates have gone up, you may find interest rates higher than your current one. In the current market, steep interest rates aren't uncommon. Recent Fed rate hikes have driven interest rates up to record highs.
A cash-out auto loan refinance allows you to adjust your current loan and refinance to an amount that is more than you owe, receiving that extra amount in cash. This type of loan is typically used by those who need extra money.
You can refinance a car as often as you would like to as long as there are no restrictions from your lender. However, we recommend comparing your options carefully before doing so as refinancing too often can cause a drop in your credit score.
Here we explore the process of refinancing and how long it can take to refinance your home loan. The process to refinance works in a similar way as applying for your original loan and therefore refinancing on average can generally take 4-8 weeks in total.
You May Get a Better Interest Rate
Shopping around is one of the best ways to make sure you're getting the best interest rate on your new loan, and if you stick with your current lender who knows what your current rate is, you might get a lower rate but not the best out there.
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If the interest rate you qualify for today is significantly lower than your current loan rate, it may be a good time to refinance a car. If it's the same or higher, it's probably not the right time to refinance.
The following factors might disqualify your car entirely: Negative equity: If you owe more on your car than it's worth, it can be difficult to find a lender willing to refinance your car. High mileage:Cars with high mileage are more high-risk for lenders and can be difficult to refinance.
Does your car payment go down when you refinance?
Refinancing to a lower interest rate will decrease your monthly car payment some, but to significantly reduce your payment, you might have to extend your loan term.
Refinancing a car does not typically lead to a sales tax charge. Refinancing basically means that you are taking out a new loan against the vehicle and using the funds accessed through the new loan to pay off your existing loan.
While interest rates aren't at historic lows anymore, other market factors like car values could make this a good time to refinance your car. However, whether it's a good time to refinance heavily depends on your credit situation. If you can get a lower interest rate, it's a great time to refinance.
Lenders have specific requirements regarding the age and mileage of cars they're willing to refinance, and some lenders won't refinance a loan that's too close to the end of its term. Generally, if your car is older or has high mileage, lenders may offer you a higher interest rate, if they offer refinancing at all.
Lower Interest Rates
The difference is you might be able to refinance at a lower interest rate while also making extra payments toward your principal, which drastically decreases the overall loan term.
The fastest way to pay off a car loan is to simply pay cash for the remaining balance, but make sure to get a pay-off quote before sending in that payment, because it doesn't always align perfectly with the amount shown on your statements.
When you refinance a loan, the original lender is paid off by the new lender. You'll have to keep making repayments on the new loan, but your terms might be much better than before, which can save you money in long-term interest or lower your monthly payment amount, or both.
Payment Period | Purchase APR* "As Low As" | Payment per $1,000 |
---|---|---|
Up to 72 Months | 7.24% | $17.16 |
Up to 75 Months | 7.49% | $16.74 |
Up to 78 Months | 7.74% | $16.36 |
Up to 84 Months | 7.99% | $15.58 |
2 years or more remaining on the car loan
To see a benefit from auto refinancing, it's best to have at least two years remaining on your auto loan. With most interest paid in the beginning of a loan term, there's less potential for savings if you refinance too late in the term.
Loan starts over: You'll be replacing your current mortgage loanāand any time you have left until it's paid offāwith a brand new mortgage. Depending on how long you've had your current mortgage and how long your new mortgage will last, you're likely extending the amount of years you'll be making mortgage payments.
Does your loan amount increase when you refinance?
If you change the term of your loan (say, from 30 years to 15 years) your monthly payment amount will likely increase, but you'll make fewer interest payments throughout the life of your loan. Cash-out refinance A cash-out refinance allows you to convert your home equity to cash in exchange for a higher loan balance.
Legally, there isn't a limit on how many times you can refinance your home loan. However, mortgage lenders do have a few mortgage refinance requirements you'll need to meet each time you apply for a loan, and some special considerations are important to note if you want a cash-out refinance.
- Better.
- Old National Bank.
- U.S. Bank.
- PenFed Credit Union.
- Rocket Mortgage.
- Citizens Bank.
- PNC Bank.
You're not required to refinance with your original lender, but whether it makes sense to switch to a different one depends on your priorities as well as what rate and terms you can qualify for with a new lender.
Refinancing will hurt your credit score a bit initially, but might actually help in the long run. Refinancing can significantly lower your debt amount and/or your monthly payment, and lenders like to see both of those. Your score will typically dip a few points, but it can bounce back within a few months.
References
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