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Caribou Review

Reviews 646
Caribou
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Caribou
Caribou
Excellent
Reviews 646
Michael Graw
Sep. 29, 2024
3 min read
Michael Graw
Caribou Summary
Caribou is a secure, digital platform that makes it easy to refinance your auto loan. The company works with many national and local lenders to help you find a suitable rate and does all the work of coordinating your refinance. It doesn’t impact your credit score to check your rate³, and you can complete the application process online. Caribou refinances most cars, trucks, and SUVs but does not offer loans for motorcycles or commercial vehicles.

Pros

  • Check your pre-qualified rate in minutes
  • Save an average of 4.7 percentage points on your APR²
  • A+ BBB Rating

Cons

  • $499 origination fee
  • Late fees vary by lender

Caribou at a glance

8.4
Editorial score

Online experience

Has learning resources, access to rates, mobile app
10.0

Customer services and support

Multiple ways of reaching lender but limited hours
8.0

Loan Types

Offers multiple loan types
8.0

Repayment Flexibility

Offers multiple repayment plans- but no special repayment programs
8.0

Eligibility (credit score)

Doesn't cover bad credit
8.0

Caribou Caribou Visit Site

Suitable For?

Caribou is most suitable for car owners who are looking to refinance with the lowest possible rates. It partners with dozens of local and national lenders to bring you competitive rate offers and loans up to $125,000. While the most suitable rates are reserved for borrowers with excellent credit, Caribou allows you to add a co-borrower to improve your offers. Caribou is available in 46 states. 

Features

Caribou only offers auto refinance loans, not loans for vehicle purchases. Too many people ended up with a rough deal on their initial car loans, and have felt powerless to change that. At Caribou, refinancing your auto loan is a simple, transparent process. Their dedicated customer support and partnerships with top local and community lenders, bring customers great rates to lower monthly payments. This ultimately saves customers an average of $115 per month¹ on their car payments with interest rates as low as 5.48%*. 

You can easily prequalify for multiple offers to compare from different lenders before deciding on a loan. In addition, when you refinance through Caribou you can save an average of 4.7 percentage points on your APR of your car loan.

  • See rates without a credit check or social security number³
  • Compare offers from multiple lenders
  • Fully online application
  • Customers save an average of $115 per month¹
  • Customers save an average of 4.7 percentage points on your APR of their car loan

Application Process

To get started with Caribou, enter information about yourself, your vehicle (including the VIN), and your credit score in the online pre-application. You don’t need to enter a social security number or agree to a credit check. Caribou will find offers from multiple lenders and allow you to easily compare loan options.³

If you find an offer you like, you can complete the application process online. Caribou allows you to easily upload supporting documents like paystubs. And, depending on your offer, you may have the option to add an extended vehicle protection policy to your loan.

Loan Types and Terms

Caribou offers auto refinance loans up to $125,000 with rates as low as 5.48%* interest. Note that all loans carry a processing fee of $499, regardless of the size of your loan, but is more than made up for by the savings generated.

  • Minimum credit score of 580
  • Minimum annual income of $24,000
  • Allows co-borrowers
  • Not available for motorcycles or commercial vehicles

Repayment Options

Caribou loans come with terms from 24-84 months You can compare loan offers to choose the term that’s right for you.

How Safe Is It?

Caribou partners with Equifax and Carfax to ensure the loan offer process is as straightforward as possible. In addition, the company uses DocuSign for document processing, and the online application is secured with SSL encryption. Caribou is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating.

Help & Support

If you need help with your auto refinance, Caribou offers support by phone and email from Monday - Friday 9am - 8pm EST
Saturday - Sunday 9am-4pm EST. Keep in mind that your loan is arranged through a third-party servicer, so you will need to contact your loan provider directly for questions about payment.

Phone: 1-877-445-0070

Email: contact@gocaribou.com

How Caribou Compares


CaribouRateGeniusMyAutoLoan
APR5.48%*Varies
4.93%-18.99%
Minimum credit score580550575
Loan amounts$5,000–$125,000$12,000–$100,000$5,000–$99,000
Loan term24–84 months24–84 months24–84 months
Suitable forAuto refinancing with low ratesBorrowers with poor creditLower monthly payments

Summary

Caribou streamlines the process of refinancing your auto loan and makes it easy to get the lowest possible rate. You can compare offers from multiple lenders without a credit check and without submitting your social security number.³ If you want to go ahead with an offer, you can complete the application process easily online. Caribou offers loans up to $125,000 and saves customers an average of over $115 per month¹ on car payments.

Physical Address

Caribou, 1717 Rhode Island Ave, NW Suite 500, Washington DC 20036 

Caribou Caribou Visit Site

Disclaimer

* APR is the Annual Percentage Rate. Your actual APR may be different. Your APR is based on multiple factors including your credit profile and the loan to value of the vehicle. APR ranges from 5.48% to 28.55% and is determined at the time of application. Lowest APR is available for a 36 month term, to borrowers with excellent credit. Conditions apply. Advertised rates and fees are valid as of 9/11/24 and are subject to change without notice.

This information is estimated based on consumers whose auto refinance loan funded through Caribou between 3/1/2023 and 3/1/2024, and had an existing auto loan on their credit report. These borrowers saved an average of 3.66% on their APR. There is no guarantee of savings. Your actual savings, if any, may vary.

This information is estimated based on consumers whose auto refinance loan funded through Caribou between 3/1/2023 and 3/1/2024, and had an existing auto loan on their credit report. These borrowers saved an average of $115.72 per month, with annualized savings of $1,388.64 per year. Refinance savings may result from a lower interest rate, longer term, or both. There is no guarantee of savings. Your actual savings, if any, may vary based on interest rates, the repayment term, the amount financed, and other factors.

Michael Graw
Written by
Michael Graw
Michael Graw is a Bellingham, Washington-based writer focusing on finance, tech, and science. His work has been featured in print magazines and high-impact websites. He writes for BestMoney and enjoys helping readers make sense of the options on the market.‎
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