Saturday, February 4th
2023 Auto Loan Company Reviews
Instant Car Loan
- BBB Rating: D-, not accredited
Instant Car Loan promises that you can request a car loan in seconds. In operation for more than 10 years, this auto loan referral service encourages customers of all credit types to apply, having worked with thousands of people who didn't have perfect credit histories.
Not so instant
To see if you qualify for an auto loan through Instant Car Loan, you start by entering your name, zip code and email address. In step two, you'll have to provide your detailed information: SSN, employer name and gross monthly income, and so on. Your application will be shared with up to five partner lenders, and those partners might run a credit report before contacting you. Instant Car Loan isn't so "instant": they don't fund anything themselves, but rather connect you with their network of auto loan providers.
Serious concerns
However, because of some serious concerns we had with this site, you may not feel comfortable going through the whole process of applying for an auto loan. Why? Here's what we found.
D- rating
Would you entrust your finances to a lender whose parent company is called "Internet Brands"? That's who owns Instant Car Loan - along with Cars Direct, Groove Job, and several other businesses. Sure, that in itself might not be so bad, but when you consider that Internet Brands has a "D-" rating from the Better Business Bureau, it becomes obvious that you won't want to give this auto loan provider access to your personal information.
Is anyone there?
We came across one customer comment from over a year ago, asking if anyone is actually managing this business. No one ever responded. Plus, the Instant Car Loan site proudly claims an "A+' rating with the BBB: that is definitely not the case.
Cannot recommend
With all that said, we just don't feel that Instant Car Loan is a trustworthy source of funding for your auto loan. We cannot recommend strongly enough that you work with one of the higher-ranked lenders in our review.
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Where Can You Get the Best Auto Loans?
You're right if you suspect that the answer to that question is "not necessarily at the dealership". You might initially be lured in by a dealership's attractive 0% financing offers - but unless you've got extremely good credit, you're not going to qualify. And, in the excitement of getting your new (or new-to-you) car, you could wind up with interest rates on your car loan that are even higher than what you'd get elsewhere.
Savvy consumers know that the best way to get truly competitive rates on auto loans is by comparison shopping with online lenders. Even if you're just starting the research process, it only takes a few minutes to find out how much you're qualified to borrow and with what loan terms. With that information in hand, perhaps with a preapproval letter too, you'll be much more confident walking into the dealership and negotiating the best possible deal on the car itself.
Auto Loan Company FAQ
Continued from above...
Some providers of auto loans specialize in helping customers with less-than-perfect credit. These lenders can work with you to get a loan that you can afford, and they take into account your whole financial picture - not just your low credit score, previous late payments, or a bankruptcy in your past. Of course, if your credit history is excellent, shopping around for your auto loan online will likely turn up dozens of offers to choose from.
It's important to carefully consider several criteria when evaluating different online lenders. These factors include the following:
- Reputation. A seemingly-great auto loan is a bad deal if the lender isn't trustworthy. What does the Better Business Bureau say about the company? Have other car shoppers had a good experience?
- Functionality. How easy does the auto loan site make the borrowing process, from information-gathering to funding? Can you work through the steps of securing your loan quickly and intuitively?
- Options. To whom does the lender cater (e.g. people with good/bad credit? New/used car shoppers?)? Do you have a wide range of loans to choose from, both with respect to interest rates and length of the loan period? Are there any perks or penalties in the fine print?
TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best auto loan providers available today. We hope this information helps you get the right financing for your next vehicle purchase or refinance!
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