Know your rate before you reach the dealership.
Walk in with financing already settled and the price is the only thing left to negotiate. A fixed-rate loan, funded to your account, makes you a cash buyer before the finance office is involved.
Fixed rates from
7.74%APR with AutoPay*
Assumes excellent credit. Your rate is determined by your credit profile, amount, and term.
Checking your rate does not affect your credit score.
What it covers.
- A new-car purchase from a franchise dealer
- A factory or special-order vehicle with a deposit
- Skipping dealer-arranged financing and its rate markup
- Buying at one price without a trade-in muddying the numbers
Why a Lightstream loan.
Negotiate as a cash buyer
When your financing is already in place, the dealer negotiates price, not payment. That removes the finance office’s favorite lever — quoting you a monthly number instead of a rate.
A rate the dealer cannot reprice
Your APR is fixed the day it funds. There is no “we found you a better lender” switch at signing, and no rate that quietly climbs on the back end of the deal.
No fees on either end
No origination fee to take the loan and no prepayment penalty if you pay it down early or trade the car sooner than planned.
Funded in time to buy
Same-day approval for qualified applicants means the money is ready when you find the car, not days after the deal you wanted is gone.
Loan amounts and terms.
- Loan amounts
- $3,000 – $100,000
- Repayment terms
- 2–12 years
| Loan term | APR range with AutoPay* | Example payment per $10,0002 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 7.74%–18.74% | $312.17/mo |
| 4 years | 8.54%–19.54% | $246.67/mo |
| 5 years | 9.44%–20.44% | $209.73/mo |
| 6 years | 9.44%–20.44% | $182.45/mo |
| 7 years | 10.54%–21.54% | $168.82/mo |
| 10 years | 10.54%–21.54% | $135.16/mo |
Funds can be received as soon as the same business day for applications approved before 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.¹
Frequently asked questions.
Dealer financing is often marked up above the rate the underlying bank offered — the spread is dealer profit. A direct fixed-rate loan removes that layer, and because the funds are in your account, you buy the car outright and negotiate the price rather than a monthly payment.
Borrow to your target out-the-door price, including tax and fees, using the calculator to test payments at a few amounts and terms. Because funds go to your account, any unused portion can simply be paid back down against the loan.
Yes. Paying with your own financing means you can take cash rebates that are sometimes withheld from buyers who use special dealer APR offers — letting you compare the rebate-plus-our-rate against the promotional-rate path.
No. Many buyers get approved and funded first, then shop knowing their budget and rate. The loan is not tied to a specific VIN, so you are free to buy whichever car you settle on.
Related loan purposes.
Disclosures
*Loan terms vary by loan purpose, amount, term, and credit profile. The lowest advertised rates require excellent credit. 29.46% of approved applicants who applied for the lowest rate qualified for it, based on data from 01/01/2026 to 03/31/2026. The rate quoted includes the AutoPay discount; the AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding, and rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. All loans are subject to credit approval; additional conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
¹Same-day funding is available if your loan is approved on a banking business day and, by 2:30 p.m. Eastern time, you complete these steps: (1) review and electronically sign your loan agreement; (2) provide us with your funding preferences and relevant banking information; (3) complete the final verification process.
²Example payments are per $10,000 borrowed at the lowest APR shown for that term, include the AutoPay discount, and assume excellent credit. Your payment is determined by your amount, term, and credit profile.
Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 7.24% APR with a term of 3 years would result in 36 monthly payments of $309.87.
Maximum APR for a Lightstream loan is 25.39%. Loan terms range from 24 – 240 months depending on the loan purpose.