How Long Does Car Finance Approval Take?

checking how long car finance takes using apple watch

Your dream car is beaming on the screen in front of you. It has your name written all over it. Now that you’ve made the decision to buy your new car, the next thing you need is car finance. But how long does car finance approval take?

Read on to find out which factors affect how long it takes for a car finance application to be approval – and what you can do to speed things up.

Times are changing

Car finance approval has something of a reputation for being long and drawn out. That’s mostly down to the old-fashioned approach to car finance. Traditionally, you’d need stacks of paperwork, lengthy credit checks, back-and-forth communication and multiple submissions to financial institutions.

Nowadays, thanks to digital advances, car finance approval has become much easier and quicker. Buying a car and applying for credit online is as simple as clicking here and there, completing the online questionnaire and tapping on the final prompt to send the application.

That said, there are some ways you can make it quicker…

How can I get car finance approved faster?

While it’s difficult to estimate how long car finance takes to process or how many days are required to get your car loan approved, it’s helpful to know how you can speed things up from your side.

1. Budget

Whether you shop for your car first or wish to apply for car finance first, you still need to have an idea of what you can afford in terms of repayments. Use a car finance calculator to provide you with some rough calculations before you set off. Enter the loan amount, repayment period and try to get your bearings before you complete the application.

2. Credit rating

While we aim to help drivers with any credit rating, some small improvements can go a long way. Cancel out-of-date credit cards and complete the application as truthfully as you can. Check if your credit profile is linked to someone else or if there is any missing information on your credit report.

3. Documents

Online applications are much easier and faster than the old-fashioned way. But you’ll still need a few key documents along the way, including your driving licence, bank statements and proof of employment and earnings.

To save yourself time, try to get those documents ready before you apply for car finance. Scan them onto your computer and keep the physical copy on hand just in case.

Quick, hassle-free car finance approval

My Car Credit has taken every measure to eliminate the hassles of car finance approval and streamline the process for you. With more than 34 trusted car loan companies at our disposal, you can rest assured that we’ll be hunting for the best possible car finance deal available from our large panel of lenders.

Use our car finance calculator now to check how much you can borrow.

Rates from 9.9% APR. Representative APR 12.4%

Evolution Funding Ltd T/A My Car Credit

My Credit Rating

Excellent

  • You are a home owner
  • You have been on the electoral role for a long period of time
  • You have current credit arrangements and mortgage with no defaults
  • You have no CCJs, credit arrears or missed payments
  • You rarely apply for credit
  • You are employed or self-employed

Good

  • You are on the electoral role
  • You are a home owner or long standing tenant
  • You have a stable employment history
  • You have current credit arrangements with occasional missed payments
  • You have no CCJs

Fair

  • You are or have recently been on the electoral role
  • You may have recently changed address
  • You may have occasional missed payments
  • You may have an old CCJ
  • You may have regularly applied for credit

Poor

  • You may have had frequent changes in address
  • You may not be traceable on the voters roll
  • You may have exceeded credit card limits
  • You may have missed payments on current agreements
  • You may have had a CCJ in the past

Bad

  • You may not be traceable on the voters roll
  • Your credit cards are over their limits
  • You have recent CCJs
  • You may have been refused credit elsewhere
  • You may be in a debt management plan
£

X monthly repayments of
£X

Typical rate

Loan amount

Total payable

X% APR*

£X

£X

*for illustration purposes only

No impact on your credit score*

Representative Example

Borrowing £7,500 at a representative APR of 12.4%, annual interest rate (fixed) 12.36%, 47 monthly payments of £196.44 followed by 1 payment of £206.44 (incl. estimated £10 option to purchase fee), a deposit of £0.00, total cost of credit is £1,939.12, total amount payable is £9,439.12.

Evolution Funding Limited, trading as My Car Credit, is a credit broker and not a lender.

Please ensure you can afford the repayments for the duration of the loan before entering into a credit agreement.

*Initial application is a soft search. Should you progress, some lenders may perform a hard search on your credit file.

Require more help?

Got a question you can’t find the answer to, or need some advice and guidance around taking out car finance? Our Car Credit Specialists are friendly, experienced, and here to help so get in touch today!