Can I negotiate a car loan interest rate with the dealer? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2024)

FAQs

Can I negotiate a car loan interest rate with the dealer? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? ›

Yes, just like the price of the vehicle, the interest rate is negotiable. Dealers may not offer you the lowest rate that you qualify for. To get the best interest rate, shop around with multiple lenders and negotiate.

Negotiating at the Dealership

Dealerships often mark up the interest rates on loans they offer. If you're armed with quotes from other lenders, you can use these as bargaining chips. Show them what others are offering and ask if they can match or beat those rates.

Yes – you may be able to negotiate a lower auto loan interest rate with some lenders.

The CFPB's order requires California Auto to refund or credit customers harmed by the conduct, furnish corrected information to credit reporting agencies, and pay a civil penalty and also prohibits the company from charging interest on late payments without disclosing costs.

The law says that lenders cannot charge more than 16 percent interest rate on loans. Unfortunately, some lending companies owned by or affiliated with vehicle makers have devised schemes whereby you are charged interest at rates exceeding the maximum permitted by law. This is called usury.

Dealers make money off in-house financing because they mark up your offered rate. For example, if you could qualify for a loan at 7 percent through a bank, you may receive an offer of 9 percent through dealership financing.

Paying off your loan early can substantially reduce the amount of interest you pay over the life of the loan, especially when your rate is high. You want to save money: Paying off your auto loan ahead of time reduces the amount you pay in interest.

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.

Make sure the financing is final before you take the car home. A clause in many contracts allows the dealer to renegotiate the deal after you drive the car off the lot.

What is a good APR for a car loan? ›

The dealer doesn't have to tell you you're paying all these markups. Loan Markup? Dealers make a commission known as the “dealer reserve” or “finance reserve” for arranging an auto loan for a car buyer. The dealer adds 1-2% to the bank's interest rate, which can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Buying Down the Interest Rate

To induce a lender to accept the loans, the dealer "buys down" the interest rate by making an additional payment to the lender. To calculate this buy-down amount, check the loan and compute the dealer reserve using the Present Value method.

Each lender will offer somewhat different rates on the same type of loan. Even a couple of percentage points can make a big difference in how high your money payment will be, so be sure to ask around. Negotiate mortgage rate and fees with desired lender.

Dealership car loans offer convenience, but you will likely find better deals on interest rates by getting a loan from a bank, credit union or online lender. To secure the best auto loan rate, whether at the dealership or elsewhere, it is essential to arrange financing ahead of going to the car lot.

Car Loan APRs by Credit Score

Excellent (750 - 850): 2.96 percent for new, 3.68 percent for used. Good (700 - 749): 4.03 percent for new, 5.53 percent for used. Fair (650 - 699): 6.75 percent for new, 10.33 percent for used. Poor (450 - 649): 12.84 percent for new, 20.43 percent for used.