Auto Credit Express Financing Review 2026
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Auto loan reviews
Auto Credit Express (ACE) doesn’t make auto loans; it connects applicants with dealerships and lenders that may be able to approve financing based on preliminary information. Being matched with a dealer or lender doesn’t guarantee approval. ACE also helps car owners find auto refinancing options.
Used auto purchase loan review
Pros
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Specializes in helping car buyers who have low credit scores, bankruptcies or repossessions.
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Connects car buyers to lenders with more flexible qualification requirements.
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Partners with lenders that allow co-signers and co-borrowers.
Cons
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Buyer limited to purchasing a car within the Auto Credit Express dealer network.
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Loans arranged through a subprime lender or buy here pay here (BHPH) dealer typically have higher rates.
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Some network lenders may do a hard credit inquiry.
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Social Security number required to submit initial application.
Best for used-car buyers who can’t qualify for a lower-rate loan through a traditional lender and need help finding a bad-credit auto loan.
Lender | Est. APR | Loan amount | Min. credit score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best for affordability and good credit  Visit Lenderon LightStream's website on LightStream's website | 6.74-
15.24% | $5,000-
$100,000 | 660 | Visit Lenderon LightStream's website on LightStream's website |
Best for transparency and good credit Visit Lenderon LightStream's website on LightStream's website | 6.74-
15.49% | $5,000-
$100,000 | 660 | Visit Lenderon LightStream's website on LightStream's website |
 Visit Lenderon MyAutoloan's website on MyAutoloan's website | 6.24-
29.90% | $8,000-
$100,000 | 600 | Visit Lenderon MyAutoloan's website on MyAutoloan's website |
Visit Lenderon MyAutoloan's website on MyAutoloan's website | 6.49-
31.90% | $8,000-
$100,000 | 600 | Visit Lenderon MyAutoloan's website on MyAutoloan's website |
Visit Lenderon Auto Credit Express' website on Auto Credit Express' website | N/A | $5,000-
$50,000 | 525 | Visit Lenderon Auto Credit Express' website on Auto Credit Express' website |
New auto purchase loan review
Pros
-
Specializes in helping car buyers who have low credit scores, bankruptcies or repossessions.
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Connects car buyers to lenders with more flexible qualification requirements.
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Partners with lenders that allow co-signers and co-borrowers.
Cons
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Buyer can shop only within the Auto Credit Express dealer network.
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Loans arranged through a subprime lender or buy here pay here (BHPH) dealer typically have higher rates.
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Some network lenders may do a hard credit inquiry.
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Social Security number required to submit initial application.
Best for new-car buyers who can’t qualify for a lower-rate loan through a traditional lender and need help finding a dealer with subprime lending.
Auto loan refinancing review
Pros
-
Specializes in helping car buyers who have low credit scores, bankruptcies or repossessions.
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Some network lenders have a minimum credit score as low as 525.
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Partners with lenders that allow co-signers and co-borrowers.
Cons
-
Some network lenders may do a hard credit inquiry.
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Social Security number required to submit initial application.
Best for borrowers with a credit score of at least 640 or the ability to show recovering credit, although some lenders have a lower minimum credit score.
Auto Credit Express auto loan terms and requirements
New car | Used car | Refinance | |
|---|---|---|---|
Loan terms available. | 24-96 months. | 24-72 months. | 12-96 months. |
Maximum vehicle age. | Did not respond. | 10 years. | 10 years. |
Maximum vehicle mileage. | Depends on the lender. | 100,000 miles. | 100,000 miles. |
Place of purchase allowed. | At one of 4500+ dealerships in the Auto Credit Express network. | NA. | |
Maximum loan-to-value ratio. | Did not respond. | Did not respond. | Did not respond. |
Compare other lenders:
About Auto Credit Express auto loans: a closer look
Auto Credit Express specializes in helping borrowers find bad-credit car dealerships that offer financing through more than 50 subprime lenders. If you have bad credit, ACE can help identify dealers and lenders more likely to work with you, but expect your loan to have a higher interest rate than other auto loan options.
For new and used car purchases, ACE works with a network of 4,500+ car dealerships across the U.S. and Canada. Lenders within this network have more flexible credit requirements than traditional lenders. For example, ACE may be able to connect you with lenders that have no minimum credit score requirement or prior bankruptcy restrictions.
If matched to one or more dealerships, borrowers will be contacted by the dealer and will complete financing at the dealership. Although loan requirements are less stringent, applicants may have to provide specific documentation such as a utility bill as proof of residence, a phone bill as proof of having a landline or contract cell phone, or a list of personal references.
A few dealers in the ACE network provide buy here, pay here in-house financing, which is one of the most expensive ways to buy a car. Also, be aware that some lenders may run a hard credit inquiry, which will lower your credit scores.
Auto loan refinancing through Auto Credit Express
ACE works just like other aggregators when providing loans to refinance a car. It connects you directly to one or more auto refinancing lenders in its network, whether ACE helped with finding the original loan or not. Lenders within this network are mainly traditional banks and credit unions.
The lenders in ACE’s refinancing network have tighter credit requirements than those for purchase loans. The minimum credit score to qualify for an auto refinancing loan is 550, but borrowers have a better chance of qualifying with a credit score in the mid-600s or evidence of improving credit.
Nerdy Tip
Because car loan rates tend to be highest with subprime lenders or buy-here, pay here dealers, you should first see if you can qualify for a lower rate through a traditional lender such as a credit union or bank. Try to make all applications within a 14-day window, so hard credit inquiries are counted as one and have less effect on your credit scores. And, if you must settle for a high interest rate, look into auto loan refinancing to a lower rate after you have six to 12 months of on-time payments.
Do you qualify for an Auto Credit Express auto loan?
Here are ACE’s borrower requirements to qualify for an auto loan. Because ACE works with many different lenders, some requirements vary by lender. Meeting these requirements doesn’t guarantee approval. Also, some lenders may be more flexible with requirements when taking into account an applicant's total financial picture.
Minimum credit score | None for purchase loans, with an average of 525 for approved borrowers. Minimum is 550 to qualify for refinancing loan. |
Minimum credit history | None. |
Minimum annual gross income | $2,000 monthly. |
Maximum debt-to-income ratio | 50%. |
Co-applicants allowed? | Co-signers and co-borrowers allowed. |
States covered | All except MS, LA, ND, WV and DE. |
Other restrictions | No bankruptcy restrictions for purchase loans. Auto refinancing loans have bankruptcy restrictions but details were not shared. |
Other Auto Credit Express auto loan details
New vehicle definition. Depends on the lender a borrower is matched to.
Pre-qualification and preapproval. ACE says not all lenders through their dealer network offer pre-qualification with a soft credit check, with less than half of applicants able to get pre-qualified offers. Lenders that don't offer pre-qualification may use a hard credit inquiry which can temporarily lower your credit scores.
Upfront fees. No origination fees for purchase loans. It's possible refi lenders could charge such a fee, but the amount possible was not provided.
Interest rate discounts. ACE does not know whether matched lenders will offer rate discounts for automatic payment.
Refinancing time restrictions. ACE has a three-month waiting period before a person can refinance after completing the previous loan. Also, borrowers aren’t required to have a certain balance or number of months remaining on their current loan.
Deferred payments. Lenders within the ACE dealer network don’t offer deferred payments.
Hardship plans. Did not respond.
Contacting Auto Credit Express. Borrowers work with the dealership and lender for financing, but ACE is available, if needed, during the loan process. It can be contacted by phone, email or website form. Hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. EST.
Auto Credit Express may be a good fit for those who:
Can’t qualify for a car loan through a traditional lender: While loans arranged through Auto Credit Express will most likely come with a higher rate, it provides an option for car buyers who can’t get a car loan elsewhere due to bad credit or past financial problems, like bankruptcy.
May need a co-signer or co-borrower to qualify: Not all lenders allow co-applicants. Auto Credit Express can direct loan applicants to lenders that do.
Want to avoid multiple rejections and hard credit inquiries: Car buyers who don’t know which dealers in their area offer subprime lending can be turned away at numerous dealerships. Auto Credit Express helps identify dealerships more likely to work with bad-credit borrowers.
Before you apply to Auto Credit Express
Check your credit. Understand exactly where your credit score falls. You can get your free credit report on NerdWallet or at AnnualCreditReport.com. If you find errors, file a credit dispute to correct them before you apply for an auto loan.
Figure what monthly payment you can afford. For purchase loans, use an auto loan calculator to determine what APR and repayment term you need to get monthly car payments that fit your budget. When you know your maximum car payment, a car affordability calculator can help you determine a realistic car price.
For auto refinance loans, use an auto refinance calculator to see your monthly payment and determine what APR and term you need to make refinancing worthwhile.
Gather documents and information. ACE requires the following to submit an initial auto loan application: Social Security number or ITIN, address, time at address, phone, email, birthdate, employment status, employer name, time with employer, income, housing status, housing payment amount. You will also be asked about bankruptcies in the past five years, car repossession in the last 12 months and amount of down payment you can make.
How to apply for an Auto Credit Express auto loan
On the Auto Credit Express website, submit a loan request form, which serves as an initial loan application. Applications can also be made by phone at 855-439-0814. ACE also provides a Spanish-language website and application.
ACE typically attempts to pair applicants with a single dealership first, but it may share information with more than one dealer to find a financing match. When you submit your request, the fine print says you’re agreeing to be contacted by up to five dealerships, so don’t be surprised to have multiple dealers contacting you. Also, consent is given for lenders to pull a credit report. While some may initially use a soft credit check, others may run a hard credit inquiry, which will temporarily lower your credit scores.
If ACE finds a dealer that may be able to provide a loan, it sends the applicant an email confirmation with a “check application status” login and contact information for the dealership. Typically dealers call the applicant — sometimes immediately, but usually within 24-48 hours.
Car buyers then must visit that dealer and provide additional information to determine if the loan is approved, at what rate and if a down payment is required. Some dealers in the ACE network require no or a low down payment, but it’s best to make a down payment if possible to reduce the amount you borrow and lower your car payment.
» MORE: Compare bad-credit auto loans
Note: As with all auto loan providers that we review, NerdWallet sent Auto Credit Express a survey requesting information about the company and its products. We also followed up with a company representative, as needed. However, because ACE’s relationship for purchase loans is with the auto dealer and not the lender, ACE is not able to answer many of the loan questions we ask. For that reason, it has not received a star rating for purchase loans, and we have not provided an interest rate range. Here is our typical process for reviewing auto loan aggregators.
How do we review auto loan aggregators?
NerdWallet's editorial team surveys companies that offer any combination of new car purchase loans, used car purchase loans, auto refinance loans (traditional and/or cash-out) and lease buyout loans. These companies include direct lenders and aggregators; the latter group doesn't have in-house loan products but matches borrowers to third-party providers within a network. Our aim is to provide an independent assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgements on which ones will best meet your needs. We adhere to strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Because aggregators are not the actual lender and servicing of the loan passes to the lender in most cases, NerdWallet focuses most heavily on the front end of the loan process. This includes level of service/support and transparency, with less focus on the actual loan product. In all, our survey for aggregators includes more than 90 data points. NerdWallet independently confirms product details and, when necessary, follows up with company representatives. A writer and an editor verify the facts for every lender review to ensure data are accurate.
To receive a star rating, an aggregator must respond to NerdWallet’s requests for updated information, including regular surveys. Star ratings are then assessed or updated from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars).
For more details about the categories considered when rating aggregators and our process, read our full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Auto Credit Express has been in existence since 1999 and provides a service to connect car buyers to dealerships that offer subprime financing. It does not make auto loans directly.
Auto Credit Express is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating. Most online complaints pertain to consumers not realizing they agreed to credit inquiries when submitting the loan request form or thinking their loan is already approved before they visit the dealership.
Personal information from applicants is shared with partner dealerships and lenders as part of the application process.
Auto Credit Express is part of the Internet Brands company and is covered by the Internet Brands privacy policy. This policy states that personal information may be shared with Internet Brands' subsidiaries and affiliates to market “products and services in which you may be interested.” To opt out of such marketing communication, you can can email privacy@internetbrands.com.
