Navy Federal Credit Union has been in business since 1933 where they started with only seven members and now they have reached over five million members. Navy Federal is focused on military membership and their vision statement is, "Be the most preferred and trusted financial institution serving the military and their families." They focus military members, but you can change employers, move, retire, get married, and leave the military without leaving the bank. Their motto is "once a member, always a member". Navy Federal offers everything you need from checking accounts, IRAs, student loans, money market plans, mortgages, and auto loans.

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The Good

Low APR
Customer service options
No application fees

Services

Navy Federal Credit Union has a lot of products and services that they offer exclusively to their members. They offer several types of loans and banking options. Not only do they have a wide variety of services, but they also offer a helpful customer service system where you can call in or easily chat online.

Advantages

Low APR (1.79 percent)
100 percent financing
Extended terms for new vehicles (up to 96 months)
No early pay off fee
No application fees
Options to protect your loan
Payment protection plans available
Links to third party free credit score website
Auto buying program so you can car shop
25 year member discounts
Auto loan calculator
Save on MetLife insurance through Navy Federal Credit Union

With so many options and loan add-ons, its clear that Navy Federal Credit Union cares a lot about the status of your loan. Plus, it will be hard to beat the interest rate prices at Navy Federal

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The Bad

Exclusive to military members
No free credit checks
Lack of transparency

Exclusive Membership

Keep in mind that Navy Federal Credit Union is membership based. Only people who have served in the military, or those related to a person serving in the military can qualify for a loan. This greatly limits who can use Navy Federal's services. Navy Federal also does not provide free credit checks, but uses a third party service to provide the scores.

Lack of Transparency

While Navy Federal Credit Union has a lot to offer, they are also missing a great deal of pertinent information. It is important to have information available for potential customers who are shopping around for the right auto loan provider. This makes it easier for customers to compare auto loans and find the right fit for their needs. It also makes it easier for our team to rank the services of companies in the industry. We would like to see more information regarding loan amounts, mileage limits, and bad credit loan options.

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The Bottom Line

We can only recommend the Navy Federal Credit Union if you are involved in the military and you qualify for a low APR loan. If you qualify for membership and for the lowest APR, then an auto loan from Navy Federal Credit Union would be an excellent option. However, if you don't qualify for the low interest rate there might be a better company out there to fit your needs.

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User Reviews

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5 Reviews

Review Breakdown

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80%

4 grade

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2 grade

20%

1 grade

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Lethia Johnson Tallahassee, FL

So, I reached out to my bank, Navy Federal, with a need of getting a pre-approved car loan. I was able to get it approved and ready within a week! I did not end up using the car loan, but the process was one I would recommend to anyone.

4 years ago

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Amber C Frey San Diego, CA

I've been with Navy Federal going on 3 years now and I am very happy with them. When I went in to get my car loan it was super quick and easy. I was able to go in, get approved for the amount I was looking for and with a great interest rate, and got my new car all within the same day. I've had my car for a little over a year now and it's already almost paid off.

6 years ago

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James B Elmore Alexandria, VA

I am disappointed that NFCU charges its new military members, i.e., new sailors, over 17 percent simply because these sailors haven't a history yet of credit so their credit scores are low. Its lowest rate is around 13 percent I think, and yet it only pays interest on savings/checking at less than 2 percent. So the sailors pay 8 times the rate they would get for savings when they have an overdraft that might get them through until their bi-weekly paychecks are electronically deposited in their accounts. Really NFCU...smh! Alll about our sailors, right!

7 years ago

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Randi

Easiest time I ever had buying a car. Once approved, a blank check was sent to me to use to pay for my car.

6 years ago

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Madi Thompson Ogden, UT

I've had great experiences banking with Navy federal. Their customer service is stellar and they're so willing to help you in whatever way they can.

6 years ago