Apply now
A woman and a mechanic looking into the engine bay together

Car repair loans

The repair has a price. So does every day without the car.

A $900 alternator feels expensive until you add up a week of rideshares and a missed shift. The meter below prices the downtime against the loan, day by day, so the decision is arithmetic instead of dread.

See your offer Run the downtime meter

The downtime meter.

Red grows with every day the car sits: rides to work plus any shifts you can't make. Blue is the whole cost of borrowing the repair over six months. Set your own numbers.

Not fixing it yet—
—
Fix it on a 6-month loan—
—

Loan cost is the total interest on the estimate over 6 months at 35.99% APR, a common fair-credit rate. Lost-shift value defaults to $120 (eight hours at $15). Representative example: $2,500 over 12 months at 35.99% APR is $251.14 a month, $3,013.71 total. Your offer shows your rate before you sign.

What repairs cost, and what they cost per month.

Typical 2026 shop prices, parts and labor, for a mainstream sedan or small SUV at an independent shop. Dealers run 20–40% higher. The monthly figure is the midpoint financed at 35.99% APR.

Get the estimate in writing and ask for the bill split into parts and labor; lenders don't need it, but you do.

Brake pads and rotors, one axle
$250–$600≈ $78.45/mo × 6
Battery
$150–$350≈ $46.15/mo × 6
Alternator
$500–$1,000≈ $138.44/mo × 6
Starter
$400–$800≈ $110.76/mo × 6
Tires, set of four
$500–$900≈ $129.21/mo × 6
Catalytic converter
$1,000–$2,500≈ $175.80/mo × 12
AC compressor
$800–$1,500≈ $212.28/mo × 6
Timing belt / water pump
$500–$1,100≈ $147.67/mo × 6
Transmission rebuild
$1,800–$3,500≈ $266.21/mo × 12
Head gasket
$1,500–$3,000≈ $226.03/mo × 12
$0$3,500

Before you borrow for the car.

Free or cheaper than any loan. We put them first on every emergency page.

  1. Ask the shop about its own plan.

    Many independents take half now, half at pickup, or offer 6-month no-interest financing through a card like Synchrony Car Care. Fine if you clear it in time.

  2. Get a second quote by phone.

    Read the first estimate to another shop. Ten minutes; transmission quotes vary by $1,000 between shops in the same town.

  3. Check the warranty and recalls.

    Powertrain warranties run 5 years / 60,000 miles on many cars, and recall repairs are free at any dealer. NHTSA.gov takes the VIN.

Car repair loan
questions

More in the full FAQ.

How much can I borrow for a car repair?
$200 to $5,000. Most car repair requests are $500–$2,500 and come back as a 6–12 month installment loan; a brake job or battery under $600 often fits a one-payday short-term loan instead. Ask for the estimate, not a round number.
Can I get a car repair loan with bad credit?
Yes. Lenders look at income and the bank account, and a car that gets you to that income is the kind of expense they understand. Scores in the 500s are approved; the APR reflects it. Bad credit loans
Should I put the repair on a credit card?
If you have the room and can clear it in two or three months, yes; a card purchase is cheaper than a 35.99% loan for a short stretch. Some shops offer their own 6-month 0% financing (Synchrony Car Care and similar): fine if you pay in full on time, expensive deferred interest if you don't.
Is it worth fixing an old car?
The usual rule: if the repair costs more than half the car's value, or you're on your second major repair this year, price a replacement. If the repair is under that and the car gets you to work, fixing it is almost always cheaper than the downtime, which the meter above makes visible.
How fast can the shop be paid?
Money lands the same day if you accept before the lender's cutoff, otherwise next business day. Most shops will release the car on a payment the day the deposit posts; some take a card over the phone from the loan funds. Same-day board

Keep reading.

Same-day loansGet the car out today$1,000 loanThe payoff raceLoans for gig workersIf the car is the jobEmergency loansAll situations
$200–$5,000Soft check · $0 to apply
Apply now