Does refinancing a car hurt your credit score?

There are several reasons why you might consider refinancing a car:

Lower interest rates: One of the main reasons to refinance a car is to take advantage of lower interest rates. If your credit score has improved since you first took out your car loan or if interest rates have gone down, you may be able to qualify for a lower interest rate on a new loan. This can lower your monthly payments and reduce the total amount of interest you pay over the life of the loan.

Lower monthly payments: If you are struggling to make your current car payments, refinancing may be able to help lower your monthly payments. This can be achieved by extending the loan term, which spreads the payments out over a longer period of time. However, it’s important to remember that extending the loan term can result in paying more interest in the long run.

Shorter loan term: On the other hand, if you have a shorter loan term, you can refinance to a shorter loan term with higher monthly payments. This can help you pay off the loan sooner and reduce the amount of interest paid.

Change in financial circumstances: If you have experienced a change in your financial circumstances, such as a loss of income or a change in expenses, you may want to refinance your car to reduce your monthly payments and free up more cash flow.

Switching lenders: If you are unhappy with your current lender, you can refinance your car loan with a new lender. This can be a good way to find a lender that better meets your needs, whether that be in terms of interest rates, customer service, or other factors.

Refinancing a car loan can have both positive and negative effects on your credit score, depending on how you manage the refinancing process.

When you apply for a car loan refinance, the lender will typically perform a hard inquiry on your credit report. This inquiry can have a temporary negative impact on your credit score, usually between 5 and 10 points. However, if you shop around for the best refinancing rates within a short period of time, multiple inquiries for the same purpose will be treated as a single inquiry, minimizing the impact on your credit score.

Once you are approved for a refinance, your credit score may improve if you make timely payments on the new loan, as timely payments show that you are a responsible borrower. Additionally, if you are able to refinance to a lower interest rate or a shorter loan term, this can help you pay off the loan sooner and reduce the overall interest paid, which can further improve your credit score.

On the other hand, if you miss payments or default on the refinanced loan, this can have a negative impact on your credit score. It’s important to carefully consider your ability to make the new payments before refinancing your car loan.

In summary, refinancing a car loan may initially result in a small decrease in your credit score due to the hard inquiry, but it can have a positive impact on your credit score over time if you make timely payments on the new loan.