Best Auto Repair Financing: Fix Your Car Fast
Get approved today and get your car back on the road tomorrow
| Lender | User rating | APR | Term | Amount | Min. credit score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6.99% – 35.99% | 36 to 60 months |
$2k – $5M |
580 | ||
|
8.49% – 25.14% | 24 to 84 months |
$5k – $100k |
Not specified | ||
|
7.99% – 35.99% | 24 to 84 months |
$1k – $50k |
580 | ||
|
18.00% – 35.99% | Not specified |
$1.5k – $20k |
Not specified |
Loans for auto repair financing at a glance
Best for: Getting approved with fair credit – Best Egg
The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and ranges from 5.99% to 29.99%, which may include an origination fee from 0.99% – 6.99% that is deducted from loan proceeds. Any origination fee on a loan term 4-years or longer will be at least 4.99%. The loan term and the APR offered will depend on your credit score, income, debt payment obligations, loan amount, credit usage history and other factors. Additionally, the APR offered is impacted by your loan term and may be higher than our lowest advertised rate. Requests for the highest loan amount may result in an APR higher than our lowest advertised rate. You need a minimum 700 FICO® score and a minimum individual annual income of $100,000 to qualify for our lowest rate.
Best Egg loans are unsecured personal loans made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, Member FDIC. “Best Egg” is a trademark of Marlette Funding, LLC. All uses of “Best Egg” refer to “the Best Egg personal loan” and/or “Best Egg on behalf of Cross River Bank, as originator of the Best Egg personal loan,” as applicable. The term, amount and APR of any loan we offer to you will depend on your credit score, income, debt payment obligations, loan amount, credit history and other factors. Your loan agreement will contain specific terms and conditions. The timing of available funds upon loan approval may vary depending upon your bank’s policies. Loan amounts range from $2,000–$50,000. Residents of Massachusetts have a minimum loan amount of $6,500 ; New Mexico and Ohio, $5,000; and Georgia, $3,000. For a second Best Egg loan, your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $50,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 5.99%–29.99%. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 0.99%–6.99% of your loan amount, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. The origination fee on a loan term 4-years or longer will be at least 4.99%. Your loan term will impact your APR, which may be higher than our lowest advertised rate. You need a minimum 700 FICO® score and a minimum individual annual income of $100,000 to qualify for our lowest APR.
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- Accepts credit scores as low as 580
- Can use your home’s fixtures as collateral, which can help you get approved
- Offers a special payment plan that helps you get out of debt faster
- Can’t take out a loan with another person to help boost approval odds
- Will keep at least out of your loan as an origination fee
You only need fair credit to qualify for Best Egg . You can also use your house’s permanent fixtures as collateral. Collateral loans (or secured loans) are generally easier to get than other types of auto repair financing.
However, just because you can get approved with fair credit doesn’t mean the loan will be cheap. Every loan gets a mandatory origination fee, and your rate could be as high as 35.99%.
Consider signing up for Payment Pathways, a special payment plan that can help you pay your loan off early. The sooner you get out of debt, the less overall interest you’ll pay. This can help make up for a higher rate.
You must meet the requirements below to qualify for a Best Egg loan:
- Citizenship: Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident living in the U.S.
- Administrative: Have a personal checking account, email address and physical address
- Residency: Not live in the District of Columbia, Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia or U.S. territories
- Credit score: 580+
Best for: Auto repair financing with no fees – LightStream
- No fees whatsoever
- Will beat competitors’ rates
- Can get your loan the same day that you apply
- Only approves good to excellent credit
- Can’t check rates or eligibility without dinging your credit
- Loans start at $5,000, so might not work if unless you have a major car repair
LightStream rewards good credit by offering a lot of perks. You won’t have to worry about any fees with LightStream , which is rare for an online lender. If a competitor offers you a better rate, LightStream will beat it by 0.10 percentage points.
It isn’t easy to qualify for LightStream . It requires at least good credit and you can’t check rates without a hard credit pull. You also can’t change your due date. You won’t have a late fee for paying late, but late payments have a big impact on your credit score.
LightStream doesn’t specify its exact credit score requirements, but you must have good to excellent credit to qualify. Most of the applicants that LightStream approves have the following in common:
- At least five years of on-time payments under a variety of accounts (credit cards, auto loans, etc.)
- Stable income and can handle paying their current debt obligations
- Savings, whether in a bank account, investment account or retirement account
Best for: Mid-cost car repairs – Upgrade
Personal loans made through Upgrade feature Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) of 7.99%-35.99%. All personal loans have a 1.85% to 9.99% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. Loans feature repayment terms of 24 to 84 months. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36-month term and a 17.59% APR (which includes a 13.94% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $341.48. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,293.46. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early. Personal loans issued by Upgrade’s bank partners. Information on Upgrade’s bank partners can be found at https://www.upgrade.com/bank-partners/.
- Loans start at $1,000
- Don’t need perfect credit to qualify
- Can add a second person to your loan to help get approved
- Every loan gets an origination fee
- Live chat is only available once you’ve finished your loan
The key to using personal loans responsibly is only borrowing what you need. Otherwise, you’ll take on unnecessary debt and interest. Loans available through lending platform Upgrade start at $1,000. You can qualify with fair credit and if you need a boost, consider adding a co-borrower.
Be sure to account for an origination fee if you go with Upgrade . Some lenders only charge origination fees if you have lower credit. Upgrade charges them on every loan.
To qualify for a loan through Upgrade , you must meet the requirements below:
- Age: Be at least 18 years old (19 in some states)
- Citizenship: Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or live in the U.S. with a valid visa
- Administrative: Have a valid bank account and email address
- Credit score: 580+
Best for: Small auto repair loans – Upstart’s Short-Term Relief Loan
- Can borrow as little as $1,500
- Accepts + credit scores, so could be a great alternative to a payday loan
- As long as you pay on time, you can get up to five extra months to pay back what you owe
- Won’t make sense for larger car repairs, since loans cap at $20,000
- Doesn’t specify a starting rate, so you can’t easily tell if OneMain Financial will be cheap for you
If you think your only option is a payday loan, look into a short-term relief loan with lending platform OneMain Financial. At , OneMain Financial has one of the lowest credit score minimums around. Loans start at $1,500, but unlike a payday loan, you have a minimum of three months to repay. You usually only have two weeks with payday loans.
OneMain Financial also has a much lower annual percentage rate (APR) than payday loans — which are typically triple-digit. But you’ll need to prequalify to see if this loan is right for you if you have solid credit. OneMain Financial doesn’t specify minimum rates on its short-term loans.
OneMain Financial has transparent eligibility requirements, including:
- Age: Be 18 or older
- Administrative: Have a U.S. address, personal banking account, email address and Social Security number
- Income: Have a valid source of income, including a job, job offer or another regular income source
- Credit-related factors: No bankruptcies within the last three years, reasonable number of recent inquiries on your credit report and no current delinquencies
- Credit score: + (unless you’re an eligible college student or graduate, in which case OneMain Financial could approve you with no credit)
What is auto repair financing?
If you’re looking to fix your car and spread the cost over time, you need auto repair financing. There are a few different types of auto repair financing, but this article mostly focuses on auto repair loans, a type of personal loan.
A personal loan comes as a lump sum of cash, usually by direct deposit and sometimes the same day that you apply. You’ll pay off what you borrowed over time (usually 12 to 84 months), and your monthly payment will always be the same.
Auto repair loans pros and cons
Pros
- Interest rates are usually lower than credit cards if you have excellent credit
- Applications are quick, easy and usually entirely online
- Can be easier to budget since payments are always the same
Cons
- High interest rates for bad credit (although you still might be approved)
- Some loans come with an origination fee
- Won’t come with a 0% APR period or rewards like with some cards
An auto repair loan is usually a better choice than a standard credit card — as long as you have excellent credit. The average rate on a personal loan for 720+ credit scores is 17.71%. Credit cards, on the other hand, have a current average rate of 24.28%.
If you have bad credit, you can still get an auto repair loan, but be prepared for high rates. Also, the worse your credit, the more likely it is you’ll have an origination fee. This is an amount the lender will deduct from your loan before sending it to you.
Always use a personal loan calculator to see if the overall cost of the loan is worth it.
How to find auto repair financing with LendingTree
Shopping around for an auto repair loan on LendingTree can save you $1,659 on average. That’s huge — the average car repair bill is $838 according to Kelly Blue Book (KBB). Here’s how it works.
Fill out one form
Take two minutes to answer questions about you and the money you need. We’ll take care of the rest. It’s free, simple and secure.
Shop your offers
Lenders will compete for your business. We’ll gather offers from up to five lenders from the nation’s largest lending network.
Get paid in as little as 24 hours
Choose the offer that works best for you and finalize your loan directly with the lender. You could get your money as soon as tomorrow.
Alternatives to auto repair loans
| Type of financing | What it is | Why we like it | Why we don’t like it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% APR credit card | A card that offers a zero-interest promo period (usually six to 21 months) |
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| Rewards credit card | A card that lets you rack up cash back or airline miles |
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| Buy now, pay later | Apps that let you split purchases into payments, usually four over six weeks (including one down payment) |
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| Paycheck advance app | An app that lets you access your money before payday |
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| Repair shop financing | A branded credit card offered by your repair shop (Goodyear and Firestone, for instance) |
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How to decide if it’s worth fixing your car
You should decide if the repair is worth it before fixing an older car. It might make more sense to buy a new car, but it depends on how much your car is currently worth and how much life it has left.
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Get car repair estimates
Find some repair shops with good reviews. Word of mouth is best — consider asking a local Facebook group. Then, get two or three repair estimates. -
Find your car’s value
Use KBB and Edmunds to get an idea of how much your car is worth, minus depreciation. For the most accurate results, provide your vehicle identification number (VIN) and be honest about the car’s condition. -
Compare cost to value
If the car costs more to fix than it’s worth, fixing it won’t make sense. Other than that, it’s up to you to decide if repairs are worth it. Has your car been falling apart for a while? Don’t sink money into a car that will continue to give you trouble. -
Check auto loan rates
The average rate for a new car loan is 6.73%, according to Experian’s most recent data. For used cars, it’s 11.87%. If you have good credit, the peace of mind that comes with a reliable ride might be worth the car payment.
3 ways to get approved for auto repair financing with bad credit
Add a co-borrower
Getting a joint loan with another person can help if you have bad credit. It’s best if your co-borrower has excellent credit. Missed payments affect their score as well as yours, so stay true to your payment schedule to avoid tension.
Offer collateral
Secured loans need collateral and are generaly easier to qualify for. Lenders probably won’t accept your broken-down car as collateral due to its reduced value. But Best Egg lets you use your home’s fixtures, and banks or credit unions might let you borrow against your savings.
Use a loan marketplace
When you shop for new car insurance, you probably contact multiple companies for quotes. You should do the same for loans since — lender has a different way to calculate rates. Get access to our exclusive lender network and let LendingTree do the shopping for you.
Avoiding predatory auto repair financing
Skip loans with APRs above 36%. You should also have at least a few months to pay back what you borrowed. Otherwise, you could be at risk for predatory lending.
Payday loans: Payday loans usually have triple-digit APRs, and your entire loan will be due on your next payday, usually by autopay. If the money isn’t there when the payday lender attempts the withdrawal, expect fees from your bank and the lender.
Title loans: A title loan uses your car as collateral. So do some personal loans. But title loans usually have extremely high interest and repayment terms between 15 and 30 days. Most people end up getting a second title loan to pay the first to avoid getting their car repossessed.
High-interest installment loans: A high-interest installment loan is a personal loan, but with super-high rates and shorter repayment terms. Tribal loans are an example, which can carry APRs as high as 800%.
Frequently asked questions
No, your car insurance typically won’t pay if your car breaks down due to wear and tear or a manufacturer defect. Instead, car insurance pays out if your car is involved in an accident.
There are some rare times when insurance may pay for breakdowns, but it requires extra coverage. For instance, you could be covered if you had a Geico policy with mechanical breakdown insurance. Breakdown coverage is rare and only offered by a few companies.
If you can’t afford to pay for car repairs, you have a few finance options:
- Auto repair loan: Best if you have 670+ credit, but can qualify with a lower score
- 0% APR card: Best if you can pay off your balance quickly
- Rewards card: Best if you plan on needing more repairs in the future
- Buy now, pay later: Best if you can pay in four installments
- Paycheck advance app: Best if you have bad credit and have a small emergency car repair
- Repair shop financing: Best if the repair shop offers 0% special financing or discounts
Our methodology
We reviewed more than 30 lenders to determine the overall best car repair personal loans. To make our list, lenders must offer auto repair loans with competitive annual percentage rates (APRs). From there, we prioritize lenders based on the following factors:
Accessibility. Lenders are ranked higher if their personal loans are available to more people and require fewer conditions. This may include lower credit requirements, wider geographic availability, faster funding and easier and more transparent prequalification and application processes.
Rates and terms. We prioritize lenders with more competitive fixed rates, fewer fees and greater options for repayment terms, loan amounts and APR discounts.
Repayment experience. For starters, we consider each lender’s reputation and business practices. We also favor lenders that report to all major credit bureaus, offer reliable customer service and provide any unique perks to customers, like free wealth coaching.
According to our standardized rating system, the best auto repair loans come from Best Egg, LightStream, OneMain Financial, SoFi, Upgrade and Upstart.