What you need to know about refinancing a car loan
You can refinance your car loan to unlock a lower rate, saving you money.
To switch, start by comparing loans and make sure your new car loan works out to be cheaper.
Pay attention to the loan term and fees before refinancing. And check your credit score.
How to refinance a car loan in 5 steps
Compare car loans. Compare car loans from multiple lenders and find a loan with a lower rate that suits your needs.
Do the maths. Use a calculator and work out the cost of the new loan, including fees and how the loan length and interest rate affect your repayments. Don't forget about any exit fees from the old loan.
Apply for the new loan. Complete the lender's application process and make sure you have all the paperwork and identification documents you need.
Discharge the old car loan. You will need to pay off and discharge the old loan. Your new lender should help you with this process.
Start repaying your new car loan. Once the new loan is approved you can concentrate on paying it off.
Finder survey: What percentage of Australians have refinanced a car loan?
Response
No
63.97%
I have never had a car loan
29.65%
Yes
6.38%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1113 Australians, December 2023
How car loan refinancing can save you money
Refinancing a car loan means applying for a new loan and paying off the old one. You can refinance a car loan to get a better deal with a new lender and to get out of debt faster.
You should aim to refinance to a new car loan with fewer fees and a lower interest rate than your old one. This saves you money.
Example: refinancing a car loan to lower your repayments
You have a $20,000 car loan with a 12% interest rate. It's a 4-year loan and after 1 year you've paid off $5,000. This leaves you with an outstanding debt of $15,000 over 3 years.
Since getting the loan your credit score has improved significantly. You are confident you can now get a much lower interest rate.
You find a new loan with a rate of 7%. After comparing the loan fees and repayments, you apply for a new 3-year loan and borrow $15,000.
At 12% over 4 years, your old car loan repayments were $527 a month. With your new, lower-rate loan the repayments are just $464 a month over 3 years.
Car loan refinance calculations
Here are 3 similar car loans with different interest rates. You can see how the lower interest rate saves you money over time.
Loan 1
Loan 2
Loan 3
Loan amount
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
Interest rate
15%
10%
7%
Loan term
4 years
4 years
4 years
Monthly repayment
$835
$761
$719
Total loan cost
$40,077
$36,523
$34,483
Looking at these examples, loan 3 works out to be $2,040 cheaper than loan 2 and $5,594 cheaper than loan 1.
These are just simple examples and don't include loan fees.
6 car loan refinancing traps and mistakes to watch out for
Make sure you refinance to a new loan that's both cheaper than the old one and suitable for you.
Factor in all the costs of both loans
Look at the new car loan's application and monthly fees, and any discharge or exit fees that come with your old one.
Pay attention to the loan term
Let's say you have a 5-year loan term. After 2 years you decide to refinance to a new 5-year loan. This means you're actually extending your 5-year debt into a 7-year debt (2 years of the original loan plus 5 for the new one). This means you'll pay more interest over the longer term.
Choosing the right loan term is about finding a balance between manageable monthly repayments and the overall interest you pay.
If the loan term is too long you'll have small monthly repayments but your lender will get a lot more interest from you. A shorter term means higher monthly costs but you'll get out of debt faster.
Make sure the new loan is the right type of loan for you
There are some differences between car loans. Some have fixed or variable interest rates, and some allow you to make extra repayments.
Make sure your car is eligible for the new loan before you refinance. If your car is too old or the wrong model, you might not qualify for a particular loan.
Check your credit score before refinancing
Before refinancing, check your credit score. Many lenders determine your car loan's interest rate based partly on your credit score. If your score is good or excellent you have a strong chance of getting a good deal.
If your score has fallen since you took out the original car loan you'll probably need to improve your score before refinancing.
Don't forget about depreciation
Cars lose value quickly, especially new ones. This can be a problem when refinancing if your car is used to secure the loan.
If you bought a brand new car worth $32,000 and it loses 10% of its value as soon as it's sold and a further 10% a year, after just 2 years the car would be worth $23,328.
If your car's depreciation outpaces the outstanding loan amount you might have a harder time refinancing. This is less of a problem if you've paid off a good chunk of the loan or if you paid some of the car's total cost upfront.
Avoid over-applying for loans
Every loan application impacts your credit score. Avoid applying for multiple car loans at once. You can only refinance to one loan, so find the best one for you, make sure you're eligible and then apply.
If your credit report has multiple loan enquiries then a lender will consider you a higher-risk borrower. You may end up on a higher rate or have your application rejected.
Frequently asked questions
You can refinance a car loan with a below average credit score but you won't get a competitive interest rate. If your credit score has gotten worse since you took out your original car loan then refinancing means you might end up with a higher rate.
Some lenders charge exit fees for ending a loan early. Fixed rate loans have the most expensive fees for breaking the loan and ending it early.
Before refinancing, check the costs of discharging your old loan by contacting your lender. For the new loan, check that it allows you to make extra payments.
Not necessarily. Applying for any loan causes a small dip in your credit score. But your score will bounce back in a couple of months as you repay the loan.
The main focus for any borrower should be the loan itself. Is the rate lower? Are there fewer fees? Are you eligible?
But there are some real differences between lenders. Online lenders often have competitive rates and fast approvals. But if you're already banking with a big bank it may already have all the details it needs from you, plus a handy app to manage all your finances.
Elizabeth Barry was the lead editor for Finder. She has over 10 years' experience writing about a range of topics with a focus on personal finance. You’ll find her writing and commentary in a range of publications and media including Seven News, the ABC, MSN, the Irish Times and Singapore Business Review. See full bio
Elizabeth's expertise
Elizabeth has written 211 Finder guides across topics including:
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A variable rate car loan can give you a way to finance your new car purchase while letting you take advantage of any favourable interest rates should they become available. Compare your options today and see what's available.
Since you’re looking for refinancing options for your car, the guide above will give you ideas and tips on how to go about getting one. You may compare the car loan refinancing products above and click the Go to Site button of your preferred loan product.
Please make sure to meet all the criteria and the requirements before submitting the application. Please make sure that you’ve read the relevant T&Cs or PDS of the loan products before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. We also recommend that you get in touch with the lender.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
SavvasAugust 31, 2017
I have a car loan and I would like to refinance it somewhere else with a better interest rate
JonathanAugust 31, 2017
Hello Savvas,
Thank you for your question.
You are on the right page! :)
You may put your loan amount and the desired term on the calculator at the top of the comparison table. This will help you get the figures down for the loan you’re likely to be comfortable with in terms of repayments.
It is worth mentioning that you need to review the qualifications and the loan terms prior application.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
AJDecember 5, 2016
Good Afternoon,
I am looking to refinance my Harley Davidson motorcycle. The interest rate is extremely high.
The only default I have is from over 5 years ago – no current credit cards, no credit issues.
Is there another option I have to re-finance? Payout figure is approximately $28K
Finder
MayDecember 6, 2016Finder
Hi AJ,
Thanks for your question.
You may try contacting a motorcycle loan lender for your motorcycle refinancing options. Please note that your approval will be on a case-by-case basis so make sure to read the criteria and requirements before you apply.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
May
bobMay 25, 2016
I have an existing car loan and im wanting to borrow an extra $20000. Adding it to my loan. Is that possible? Is that refinancing?
Finder
ElizabethMay 25, 2016Finder
Hi Bob,
Refinancing involves you taking out a new loan to pay out your existing loan, so borrowing an additional $20,000 on your existing loan is just “topping up” your loan. You’ll need to get in touch with your lender to find out if this is possible and what the process is to apply.
Hope this helps,
Elizabeth
Finder
ElizabethMay 12, 2016Finder
Hi Roy,
As a financial comparison service we can’t offer you personal advice, but any of the lenders on the page above can help you with car loan refinancing. You can use the table above to compare them. You can also click the “Speak to a broker” tab if you’d like some advice from a car loan broker.
Hope this helps,
Elizabeth
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Hello Sony,
Thank you for your comment.
Since you’re looking for refinancing options for your car, the guide above will give you ideas and tips on how to go about getting one. You may compare the car loan refinancing products above and click the Go to Site button of your preferred loan product.
Please make sure to meet all the criteria and the requirements before submitting the application. Please make sure that you’ve read the relevant T&Cs or PDS of the loan products before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. We also recommend that you get in touch with the lender.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
I have a car loan and I would like to refinance it somewhere else with a better interest rate
Hello Savvas,
Thank you for your question.
You are on the right page! :)
You may put your loan amount and the desired term on the calculator at the top of the comparison table. This will help you get the figures down for the loan you’re likely to be comfortable with in terms of repayments.
It is worth mentioning that you need to review the qualifications and the loan terms prior application.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Good Afternoon,
I am looking to refinance my Harley Davidson motorcycle. The interest rate is extremely high.
The only default I have is from over 5 years ago – no current credit cards, no credit issues.
Is there another option I have to re-finance? Payout figure is approximately $28K
Hi AJ,
Thanks for your question.
You may try contacting a motorcycle loan lender for your motorcycle refinancing options. Please note that your approval will be on a case-by-case basis so make sure to read the criteria and requirements before you apply.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
May
I have an existing car loan and im wanting to borrow an extra $20000. Adding it to my loan. Is that possible? Is that refinancing?
Hi Bob,
Refinancing involves you taking out a new loan to pay out your existing loan, so borrowing an additional $20,000 on your existing loan is just “topping up” your loan. You’ll need to get in touch with your lender to find out if this is possible and what the process is to apply.
Hope this helps,
Elizabeth
Hi Roy,
As a financial comparison service we can’t offer you personal advice, but any of the lenders on the page above can help you with car loan refinancing. You can use the table above to compare them. You can also click the “Speak to a broker” tab if you’d like some advice from a car loan broker.
Hope this helps,
Elizabeth