If you’re looking for an auto loan with flexibility and easy repayment options, you’ll want to consider a loan through Ally Bank. These car loans are versatile, covering accessible vehicles and commercial vehicles that many other auto loan lenders avoid. Plus, with five different payment methods and a free app to help you manage your loan, Ally Bank auto loans are designed with your convenience in mind.
Ally Bank offers numerous services, including credit cards, home mortgages, and auto financing. In fact, Ally Bank, a subsidiary of Ally Financial, has provided auto loans since 1919. Ally serves over 18,000 dealerships and four million customers throughout the United States.
Car loans through Ally come with several benefits, including the option to sell back your vehicle to the bank and a balloon payment option for lower monthly payments. However, you can only get these loans by buying from a dealership that partners with Ally, so while there’s some limitation, these loans may still be a good fit for you.
Ally Auto Finance Review
Ally Auto Finance offers new and used car loans that are purchased at the dealership. However, they do not offer loans for RVs, motorcycles, or powersport vehicles.
Loan terms are 12-84 months and loan amounts range from $1,000 to $300,000. There is no minimum credit score. However, most borrowers have credit scores of 620 or higher. During the prequalification process, a soft credit inquiry will be performed, so it won’t affect your credit history.
Ally Bank Auto Loan Application Requirements
You’ll need to apply for an Ally auto loan through the dealership where you’ll be buying your car. To streamline the process, make sure that you have all the standard documents and information that auto loans require:
- Personal information, like your mailing address, email address, and Social Security number
- Income information, including your annual gross income and contact information for your current employer
The dealership will also need to supply information about the vehicle you’re buying, but you should decide how much you’ll want to finance and what monthly payment you can afford.
If you’re just starting the car shopping process and haven’t found a vehicle you want to buy, Ally’s monthly car payment calculator can help. This calculator allows you to change the finance amount, APR, and loan term to see what your payments will be like in different situations. It can help to give you a sense of what size and type of car loan fit into your monthly budget. Then, you can focus your vehicle search on cars that you can afford.
Types of Auto Loans Available Through Ally Bank
Ally Bank offers a wide range of auto financing options:
- New- and used-car loans for vehicles purchased through a dealership
- Lease options with shortened financing terms
- Specialty-vehicle financing for vehicles with accessibility features like wheelchair lifts
- Business vehicle financing, including heavy-duty truck financing
- Auto loan refinancing
If you’re looking to buy a vehicle, Ally Auto Finance offers loans for new, used, and certified pre-owned cars. Vehicles must have 120,000 miles or less and be up to 10 years old.
How to Make Your Payments
Ally offers numerous ways for you to make your car loan payments for your convenience:
- Use Ally Auto Mobile Pay, available for iPhone and Android, to schedule payments.
- Set up one-time or automatic recurring payments online.
- Mail a payment by check to Ally’s processing center.
- Make a one-time online payment with a credit card.
- Call 1-888-925-2559 and make a payment over the phone. (A convenience fee applies.)
Ally Auto Finance Fees and Rates
Ally Bank only offers loans through dealerships, so you’ll need to apply through a dealership to get information on interest rates. Ally Financial offers competitive loan rates, but keep in mind that your credit score and the amount of money you put down will affect your interest rates and monthly payments.
If you want to pay down your loan early, Ally doesn’t accept principal-only payments. This means they won’t use any extra money you pay toward your car loan to bring down the principal balance. Instead, these funds will go toward fees or finance charges.
Once you pay those fees in full, they will apply the extra money toward your future loan payments. This type of repayment method can slow you down if you’re trying to pay off your loan quickly since your additional payments aren’t going directly to your balance.
Ally Auto Finance Reviews
Many customers have left positive reviews about their experiences obtaining an auto loan through Ally. They have praised the ease of the application process and the helpfulness of the customer service team.
Some customers have also reported being able to secure a lower interest rate through Ally Auto Finance compared to other lenders. Overall, Ally seems to be a reliable and convenient option for financing a new or used vehicle.
Ally Bank Auto Loan Application Process
You can’t apply for a loan directly with Ally Auto Finance. Instead, you will need to apply at a dealership that the bank partners with. Once you apply through the dealership, you’ll receive information about interest rates and loan terms.
A dealership can help you access several types of auto loans, both through Ally and other providers. This is ideal because it allows you to quickly compare interest rates and loan terms to find the best loan for your needs.
Ally Bank Auto Loan Special Features
Ally Auto Finance has a loan program called the Ally Balloon Advantage. These loans come with a few unique features that make them appealing options. Here’s what you can expect:
- A fixed annual percentage rate (APR).
- You’ll have a lower car payment during the term of your loan. The last payment, the “balloon payment,” will be larger.
- The fixed APR lasts for the entire term of your 48- or 60-month loan.
- You’ll own your vehicle, so you don’t have to worry about penalties for excess mileage or wear.
Ally Balloon Advantage isn’t available in Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, or Pennsylvania.
Ally Financial also offers a Buyer’s Choice program, which may be ideal if you anticipate wanting to sell your car in a few years. With the program, you’ll have the option of selling your car to Ally either 48 or 60 months into your loan term.
You can choose to keep your car and continue with your loan payments, or you can sell your car without the hassle of dealing with a private sale. This program is available in all states except Nevada.
Bottom Line
An auto loan from Ally might be a good fit for you if you:
- Want to buy a car with less than 120,000 miles and that’s younger than 10 years
- Will buy a car from a dealership that partners with Ally Auto Finance
- Don’t feel the need to get pre-qualified before shopping for a new car
- Don’t plan to make principal-only payments to pay down your loan
There are some disadvantages to Ally Bank auto loans, like the fact that you can’t make principal-only payments and need to apply through a dealership. However, if you intend to complete a finance application through a dealership anyway, you might find that Ally has competitive rates.
In addition, with perks like the Buyer’s Choice program and the Ally Balloon Advantage option, an Ally Bank auto loan might end up being the best choice for you.
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