Car title loans are a fast and easy way to use the equity in your vehicle to cover unexpected expenses. Many people use car title loans and visit a direct title lender without having an idea of what the actual costs of the loan may be.
Before applying for a car title loan, or visiting a title lender, we suggest estimating the costs of the loan. It is critical to have an estimate of the costs prior to moving forward with a title loan.
Estimating title loan costs will allow you to make a better decision related to both the loan amount and the loan term (length in months). This will help ensure the loan is affordable. An affordable title loan should always be the goal.
Car Title Loan Interest Rates
Car title loans are very different than payday loans and any other loan for that matter with respect to interest rates.
Many articles online state that car title loans cost 300% APR, which, in many cases, is simply not accurate. So, what is an accurate car title loan interest rate?
The right answer is it depends on the lender and the state. This can make getting an accurate car title loan estimate difficult.
This is often by design, some lenders prefer not to disclose their rates because they are very high. Car title loan interest rates can and do vary widely from state to state and lender to lender.
The type of loan will also influence the rate. Single payment title loans often have a higher APR than title loans with monthly installments.
How to get an Accurate Estimate
To get an accurate car title loan estimate, first you will need to find out the interest rate. Additionally learn how car title loan interest rates work.
Not all lenders advertise their rates, so you may need to call them and ask for their rate. If they will not provide a rate, the safe way to estimate is to use the maximum in your state.
You can find information of the rates in your state using this map. Once you have the interest rate, you can get an estimate of the title loan cost using our car title loan calculator.
Using the Car Title Loan Calculator
The car title loan calculator has three input fields.
- Loan Amount,
- Competitor Interest Rate, and
- Loan Term.
Enter the loan amount (the amount you want to estimate), the lender’s interest rate, and the loan term in months. Then click calculate. The calculator will provide a detailed estimate of title loan costs along with a repayment schedule. This makes it easy to estimate the costs of a title loan prior to applying.
Estimating Total Car Title Loan Cost
In addition to providing the monthly payment, the title loan cost comparison calculator provides a full payment schedule for any title loan interest rate.
Additionally, it provides totals for both interest and total payments. Use this calculator by entering the same information, and view the full loan estimate.
Estimating Single Payment Car Title Loan Costs
As mentioned, the interest rate for single payment title loans is usually higher. These are typically very short term loans of about 30 days.
You can estimate the costs of a single payment title loan using the car title loan calculator and choosing a repayment term of 1 month.
The higher rate usually associated with single payment title loans starts to make a big difference if you end up rolling over the title loan. Make sure you can afford to repay the loan in full by the due date.
Costs for Online Car Title Loans
The costs for online car title loans should be very similar to the cost for any title loan. For completely online title loans with no inspection, however, the amount you are able to borrow may vary.
This is because there is no inspection and no physical appraisal. The lender assigns a value to your vehicle without seeing it in person; which may be different than if the appraiser inspected the vehicle.
Summary
Car title loan costs are often made difficult to figure out. This is why we built our calculator, to provide customers with a way to estimate car title loan costs before applying or visiting a lender.
If you are trying to figure out how much a title loan will cost, feel free to use the calculator to get an accurate estimate to help with planning for a title loan. Finding a favorable title loan with fair terms should be a priority.