Wells Fargo

Author: Kaitlyn Short

For over 65 years, Wells Fargo Auto Finance Services has been helping customers finance or refinance their vehicles. With loan options for purchasing new and used cars, as well as a plethora of refinance options, Wells Fargo offers a loan option for almost any borrower. In addition, Wells Fargo is one of the few companies we reviewed that provides loans and refinancing for specialty vehicles like motorcycles, boats, and RVs. They also offer extended term lengths up to 72 months.

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The Good

• Co-signer options
• Online application
• Speciality vehicle financing

Co-signer Options

Wells Fargo allows all car loan applicants the option of having a co-applicant if desired. In many cases, a co-signer is beneficial in achieving a better loan rate, and is also a helpful option for individuals hoping to build or establish credit. Wells Fargo offers the option to complete an application online, which is extremely convenient for customers who do not have the time to come in person. Borrowers can also apply at a local Wells Fargo location if they prefer to go through the process in person with a Wells Fargo representative.

Speciality Vehicles

Wells Fargo offers specialty vehicle financing, which covers motorcycles, power sport vehicles, recreational vehicles, boats, yachts, and even aircrafts. This is very uncommon in the industry, and great for customers who are looking to purchase speciality vehicles. There are no fees to apply for these loans, and once approved, customers will usually be financed within one to two business days.

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The Bad

• APR may be higher
• Must read the fine print
• Lack of transparency

APR

The interest rate examples displayed on the Wells Fargo website won't apply to many applicants. The fine print listed with the APRs shown on the site state that the rates are based on the assumption that an applicant has excellent credit, is applying for a loan larger than $22,000, and has a loan-to-value ratio of less than 115 percent. Based on the website's information, these rates will only apply to a small percentage of applicants, so it's likely that the average borrower will have a higher APR. Well's Fargo beginning rates are higher than most in the industry at 3.13 percent. Other companies in the auto loan industry have a starting APR of 1.75 percent.

Lack of Transparency

Well's Fargo is also lacking a great deal of information that should be on their website. This lack of information can make it difficult for potential customers to compare services and find the company that best fits their needs. It also makes it difficult for our team to rank their services with other companies in the industry. We would like to see more information regarding application fees, loan amount, mileage limits, early-pay penalty fees, and bad credit loan options.

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The Bottom Line

Wells Fargo is one of the few lenders we reviewed who offers loans for specialty vehicles. The APR could be slightly higher than advertised for most borrowers, and is higher than other companies in the industry. However, Wells Fargo offers a range of terms and the ability to have a co-applicant, which may give borrowers more loan options to choose from. Because of the higher APRs and the lack of information, we cannot recommend working with Well's Fargo for your auto loan needs at this time.