What is the highest interest rate you can get on a car?

Asked by: Prof. Alysa Nitzsche DDS  |  Last update: September 4, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (74 votes)

There is no set federal maximum, although some states do set caps. According to data from Experian, average rates range from 5.38 percent to 21.57 percent, depending on credit and vehicle type. And these are just averages — individual lenders may charge max rates of 30 percent or more.

What is too high of an interest rate for a car?

A high interest rate on a car loan is one that's above the national average. In the second quarter of 2024, the average rate was 6.84% for new cars and 12.01% for used cars, according to Experian's State of the Automotive Finance Market report.

What is 6% interest on a $30,000 loan?

For example, the interest on a $30,000, 36-month loan at 6% is $2,856. The same loan ($30,000 at 6%) paid back over 72 months would cost $5,797 in interest. Even small changes in your rate can impact how much total interest amount you pay overall.

Can a car dealership lower your interest rate?

Negotiating your interest rate can help save you hundreds or thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. Negotiating can be as simple as asking the dealer if those are the best loan terms they can offer you or by pointing out lower rates available at a competing lender.

How much is a 30k car payment for 60 months?

How much would a $30,000 car cost per month? This all depends on the sales tax, the down payment, the interest rate and the length of the loan. But just as a ballpark estimate, assuming $3,000 down, an interest rate of 5.8% and a 60-month loan, the monthly payment would be about $520.

Why Car Payments Are So High Right Now

23 related questions found

What is 7% interest on $300000?

If your lender offered you a $300,000 loan with a 15-year fixed-rate term at a 7% annual percentage rate (APR), you could expect your monthly payment — principal and interest — to be about $2,696. If you took out a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 7% APR, your payment could be about $1,995.

What is 9% interest on $50,000?

The loan value of $50,000 is multiplied by the interest rate of 9% to determine the annual interest. Thus, the amount of annual interest is $4,500.

Who is offering the best auto loan rate?

  • LightStream - Used car purchase loan. 5.0. NerdWallet rating. Est. APR. 7.74-15.69% ...
  • Consumers Credit Union - Used car purchase loan. 5.0. NerdWallet rating. Est. APR. 6.43-18.54% ...
  • Alliant Credit Union – Used car purchase loan. 4.0. NerdWallet rating. Est. APR. ...
  • Carvana - Used car purchase loan. 4.0. NerdWallet rating. Est. APR.

Why is my APR so high with good credit?

Even people with good credit scores make mistakes, and a bank may charge a penalty APR on your credit card without placing a negative mark on your credit report. Penalty APRs typically increase credit card interest rates significantly due to a late, returned or missed payment.

What credit score do you need for a car loan?

In general, you'll need a FICO credit score of at least 600 to qualify for a traditional auto loan, although there are lenders that offer bad credit auto loans.

Can I lower my car interest?

Refinancing allows you to replace your current loan with a new one and hopefully lower your car payment in the process. You may qualify for a lower interest rate — especially with a record of on-time payments — and be able to extend your loan term or both, enabling you to reduce your monthly payment.

What interest rate can I get with a 800 credit score car loan?

Individuals with an 800 credit score can secure an average interest rate of 5.25% for new cars and 7.13% for used cars. A high credit score allows borrowers to access favorable interest rates and loan terms, which can lower overall borrowing costs.

What is a realistic interest rate on a car?

As of 2022, the average interest rate for car loans was 4.07 percent for new cars and 8.62 percent for used cars. However, these rates are just averages—you might get a higher or lower rate based on several personal factors, like your lender and the age of your vehicle.

What is 20% out of 300,000?

Answer and Explanation:

Then, to solve for the value that is 20% of 300,000, the decimal value of the percentage is multiplied by the number 300,000. The operation is as follows: 0.20 x 300,000 = 60,000. Therefore, the answer is 60,000.

What is 8% interest of $10000?

For example, a $10,000 investment that returns 8% every year, is worth $10,800 ($10,000 principal x . 08 interest = $10,800) after the first year. It grows to $11,664 ($10,800 principal x . 08 interest = $11,664) at the end of the second year.

Can I live off the interest of $300000?

With $300,000 in your retirement savings and factoring in the average annual rate of return between 10–12%, you'll have between $30,000 and $36,000 to live off of each year.

How much should my car payment be if I make $60000 a year?

A person making $60,000 per year can afford about a $40,000 car based on calculating 15% of their monthly take-home pay and a 20% down payment on the car of $7,900. However, every person's finances are different and you might find that a car payment of approximately $600 per month is not affordable for you.

Is $300 a month a good car payment?

NerdWallet recommends spending no more than 10% of your take-home pay on your monthly auto loan payment. So if your after-tax pay each month is $3,000, you could afford a $300 car payment. Check if you can really afford the payment by depositing that amount into a savings account for a few months.

Is $2000 a good down payment on a car?

How much should you put down on a car? A down payment between 10 to 20 percent of the vehicle price is the general recommendation.

Is it better to finance through dealer or bank?

Pros. May help you get the best terms: Dealers generally work with a limited set of lenders, who may not offer the ideal loan terms. In addition, dealers may add a markup to the annual percentage rate (APR) as compensation for arranging the loan. When you work directly with a bank, you won't have to worry about this.

Can you negotiate 0 APR?

Since the dealership only profits from the actual sale, they will rarely agree to bargain down the price and often waive other incentives, like cashback rebates. Stripping away rebates helps them make their money back. Because of this, a no-interest loan could cost more than the savings you'd get negotiating on price.

Do banks approve car loans on weekends?

Do banks approve car loans on weekends? It is possible to finance a new vehicle on the weekend, as most lenders have automated approval systems. However, since the system is automated, you may learn that more information is needed. You may have to return on a business day to complete the paperwork.