What credit union has the best auto refinance rates?
Best Direct Lender: PenFed Credit Union
Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is a direct lender with no extra fees added to its auto refinance loans. Many auto refinance marketplaces impose document fees or origination fees, and in return, the company handles the original loan payoff.
Best Direct Lender: PenFed Credit Union
Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is a direct lender with no extra fees added to its auto refinance loans. Many auto refinance marketplaces impose document fees or origination fees, and in return, the company handles the original loan payoff.
- #1 Auto Approve: Best Refinance Loan. Starting APR: 5.24% ...
- #2 myAutoloan: Best Low-Rate Option. Starting APR: 4.49% ...
- #3 PenFed Credit Union: Most Cohesive Process. ...
- #4 Consumers Credit Union: Most Flexible Terms. ...
- #5 iLending: Best Refinance Loan for Bad Credit.
Company | Forbes Advisor Rating | Minimum rate |
---|---|---|
PenFed Credit Union | 4.7 | Starting at 5.94% |
Consumers Credit Union | 4.2 | Starting at 6.84% (with autopay) |
Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) | 3.7 | Starting at 6.74% (with autopay) |
USAA | 3.7 | Starting at 6.14% (with autopay) |
Company | Forbes Advisor Rating | Turnaround time |
---|---|---|
LendingClub | 3.9 | 2 days or more |
Consumers Credit Union (CCU) | 3.8 | Same-day funding available |
Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) | 3.5 | 1 to 7 days |
U.S. Bank |
Auto Loan Lender | Lowest APR | Term Length |
---|---|---|
PenFed Credit Union | 5.24% | 36 to 84 months |
Auto Approve | 5.24% | 12 to 84 months |
Consumers Credit Union | 5.94% | Up to 84 months |
Auto Credit Express | Varies | Varies |
While eligibility and available annual percentage rate terms vary, a credit union can be an excellent option for refinancing an auto loan. As with any loan, it's important to compare interest rates among lenders to choose the best one.
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.
Once you know your credit score and your budget, you can start looking into auto refinance rates. If your goal is to negotiate the best possible rate, you should talk to several different lenders to ensure you're receiving competitive offers. There are several different lender options to choose from.
Interest rates
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.
Can you negotiate auto loan rate with credit union?
The first quote you receive – whether from a dealership or a bank or credit union – may not be the lowest rate you qualify for. When negotiating, you can also ask for a better rate or more favorable terms.
What is a good interest rate for a 72-month car loan? An interest rate under 5% is a great rate for a 72-month auto loan. However, the best loan offers are only available to borrowers who have the best credit scores and payment histories.
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Average Auto Loan Interest Rate by Credit Score | ||
---|---|---|
Average New Car Rate | Average Used Car Rate | |
Nonprime (620-659) | 8.86% | 13.28% |
Prime (660-719) | 6.40% | 8.75% |
Super prime (720 or above) | 5.18% | 6.79% |
Banks are often able to offer more competitive interest rates than dealerships and don't need to mark up their rates to turn a profit. You may also be able to score a relationship discount on your annual percentage rate if you already have an account — if your bank offers it.
The general advice is to wait at least six months before refinancing your auto loan.
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.
- Best overall: PenFed Auto Loans.
- Best from a big bank: Capital One Auto Finance.
- Best for rate shopping: myAutoloan.
- Best for online car shopping: Carvana.
- Best for used vehicle selection: CarMax Auto Finance.
- Best for refinancing: Autopay.
Personal FICO score | Average interest rate for new car loans | Average interest rate for used car loans |
---|---|---|
781 to 850 | 5.61% | 7.43% |
661 to 780 | 6.88% | 9.33% |
601 to 660 | 9.29% | 13.53% |
501 to 600 | 11.86% | 18.39% |
Loan Amount Range | Minimum of $4,000 |
---|---|
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) | Rates begin around 3.54% for those with excellent credit |
Loan Term Length | 36 to 72 months |
Prepayment Penalty | None |
Application Fee | None |
While you could refinance your car almost immediately after purchase, it's best to wait at least six months to a year to give your credit score time to recover, build up a payment history and catch up on any depreciation that occurred when you purchased.
Will car loan rates go down in 2024?
McBride shares that while the high-rate environment will persist, rates will ease for most borrowers in 2024. Increased competition between lenders may help drivers secure a good rate. However, he warns, “don't expect auto loan rates to fall enough to offset the increases we've seen over the past couple of years.”
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.
Refinancing is one of the easiest ways to get a lower car payment and more favorable interest rates to save money. You can reduce monthly car payments without refinancing by trading in your vehicle, selling it, or negotiating with your lender.
If you aren't able to get a better interest rate than you had on your original loan, refinancing probably isn't a good option. That's because you'll likely increase the amount of interest you pay over the life of the loan.
Evaluate your credit
If you've made all your car loan payments on time for six to 12 months, and kept other credit accounts up to date, your credit may have improved. If so, there's a better chance you can benefit from refinancing your car loan to a lower interest rate.
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