Car repair loans: What is a car repair loan?

Dealing with car troubles can be a real hassle and often quite expensive. If you’re caught in a jam trying to foot the bill for a big service or unexpected repairs, you might consider taking out a car repair loan (also referred to as a personal loan) to help cover the cost.

Car repair loans (not to be confused with car loans, which are used to fund the purchase of a vehicle) are specifically designed to help car owners pay for car repairs to get their car back on the road.

A car repair loan is a type of personal loan designed specifically to help cover the cost of vehicle repairs. Unlike a car loan, which is used to finance the purchase of a vehicle, a car repair loan allows you to address maintenance or repair costs, enabling you to get your car back on the road swiftly. These loans typically offer fixed interest rates, unsecured borrowing, and relatively quick approval processes.

There’s a range of different financing options available to help pay for car repairs. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of each option to help you make a more educated decision:

Car repair loans:

Here are some of the pros and cons of using a car repair loan to pay for vehicle repairs:

Personal loans

These are some of the pros and cons of taking out a personal loan to cover the cost of car repairs:

Credit cards:

Using a credit card to pay for car repairs isn’t necessarily the worst option, so long as you’re able to pay off the balance before the due date. If not, you could wind up paying sky-high interest charges!

Here are some of the pros and cons of paying for car repairs with a credit card:

Payday loan:

You might’ve heard of people using ‘payday’ or ‘instant cash loans when they require urgent funds. The negatives typically far outweigh any potential positives when it comes to payday loans – so it’s best to proceed with great caution and avoid them at all costs.

These are some of the pros and cons of using a payday loan to pay for car repairs:

The verdict:

As you can see, there are pros and cons for each finance option. Going down the credit card route, you could potentially save on interest in the first year by finding a card with a 0% promotion. However, you’ll get stuck with high interest fees if you haven’t paid your debt once the honeymoon period ends.

And while payday loans might sound promising at first, they can have a nasty bite if you don’t pay off your debt within the typical 14 days and could have you paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the original price. Mozo recommends you stay well clear of payday loan options. 

Generally speaking, personal loans and car repair loans typically charge the least interest compared to the other finance options mentioned above. However, you’ll need to decide what the best option is for you based on your specific financial situation.

It's no secret that car repairs can be costly. Here are a few ways to potentially reduce costs:

• Dealership repairs vs. local panel beater: While dealership repair centres might offer you an espresso and fancy biscuit while you wait for your vehicle – this star treatment usually comes at a premium price. I’d rather skip the coffee and go to a local no-frills mechanic who won’t charge extra for all the bells and whistles.
• Shop around with mechanics: On that note, don’t just go for the first mechanic you see. Ask friends and family or post in local community groups for word-of-mouth recommendations. You should also call up different mechanics to ask for a rough quote. They might hesitate to give a quote over the phone (especially if you don’t know exactly what needs repairing), but you might be able to gauge out at least a starting price. 
• Prioritise: If you have a list of things you want to get serviced on your car, prioritise what’s most critical (anything that impacts safety and drivability) and try to save anything unnecessary or cosmetic down the track when you’ve got some more money up your sleeve.
• Car insurance: Not only are cars expensive to run in terms of mechanics, but insurance and rego costs can really add up too. Make sure to shop around and compare car insurance policies to ensure you’re getting the best car insurance deal.

It’s also useful to consider how you might get a better price overall. For example, you can reduce car repair costs by: 

• Shopping around: Get multiple quotes from mechanics and ask for recommendations to find reliable and affordable services.
• Prioritising repairs: Focus on safety-critical issues first, deferring non-essential work if necessary.
• Choosing local mechanics: Independent garages may offer lower rates than dealership service centres.
• Maintaining regularly: Preventative maintenance can help avoid more costly repairs in the future.
• Saving for an emergency fund. This is a way to manage unexpected car repair costs and is generally considered good practice when it comes to personal finance.

If you’re curious to see what car repair loans are available, you can head over to our car loan hub page and compare providers.