Tresl Auto Loan Review
Why use LendingTree?
Along with “I’m fine” and “I got stuck in traffic,” a common little lie is, “One size fits all.” That’s not really true with t-shirts, hats or auto financing.
If you want to refinance a car, buy out your car lease or purchase your company car, a Tresl loan could be right for you. Tresl is not a traditional auto lender. Instead, it’s an online platform that matches borrowers with lenders and provides a financial advisor to help you through the process.
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Tresl loans at a glance
Before you decide on an auto loan, it’s important to shop around. Tresl says it will take care of that homework for you by partnering with numerous lenders to bring you offers.
Tresl doesn’t lend money directly. Instead, it works with lenders to help customers get financing that fits their needs. Because of this, Tresl doesn’t publish loan terms or interest rates on its website. If you’re interested in rate shopping, you can also see the best auto loan rates on the market here.
Tresl specializes in three types of loans:
Auto refinancing: Use Tresl refinance to get a new loan with better terms that will help lower your monthly payment. Use our auto refinance calculator to get a sense of how refinancing could help improve your loan terms.
Car lease buyout: If your lease is ending, you may decide to buy the car rather than turn it in to the dealer. Tresl can assist with the process, including handling all the paperwork.
Company car purchase. If you drive a company-owned vehicle and want to buy it for yourself, Tresl could help you find financing. Tresl can handle the details of financing and title transfers with your company’s fleet management service.
Tresl also offers a range of supplementary protection services similar to what might be offered at a dealer. If you’re interested in these options, remember you can shop around for a range of prices and coverages:
- Vehicle service contract (VSC). Commonly called an extended warranty, a VSC covers the cost of labor and repairs for a set amount of time and miles beyond the original warranty. Here’s how to find the best one.
- GAP insurance. Also known as Guaranteed Asset Protection, this will pay the difference between what you owe on your car loan and what your auto insurance pays if your car is totaled.
- Road hazard protection. This pays for repairing or replacing parts of your car damaged due to road hazards, including your wheels, tires, windshield and body panels that aren’t covered by insurance.
Tresl auto loans pros and cons
Tresl auto loans are designed for specific purposes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Easy to pre-qualify with multiple lenders without a hard credit inquiry Salesperson assigned to guide you through each step and assist you with paperwork | Limited to certain types of car loans; doesn’t offer regular new and used car purchasing. Terms, fees and requirements vary by lender and aren’t published on the Tresl website |
A closer look at Tresl auto loans
Tresl was founded in 2007 as the Innovative Funding Services Corporation, headquartered in Austin, Texas. The company changed its name to Tresl in 2020, and in April 2022, it became a part of The Savings Group. Since it began operations, Tresl has facilitated more than 100,000 auto transactions.
Tresl promises prequalified offers just a few minutes after you complete the application. Tresl’s prequalification offers use a soft credit inquiry, which won’t impact your credit score.
- Refinancing: Tresl says users achieved a 5.57% average interest reduction and saved $1,150 per year with lower rates. Here are the best auto refinance rates.
- Lease purchase: Tresl says that 75% of applicants prequalify in seconds, with full loan approval taking 24 hours on average.
- Company car purchase: Tresl says 74% of applicants prequalify in seconds and most approvals take an average of 24 hours.
While interest rate information for Tresl auto loans isn’t available, the rate you receive will depend on your credit score and the information you provide during the application process.
How to apply for a Tresl auto loan
The Tresl auto loan application process starts with a simple online form. Enter basic personal information and information about the vehicle you want to finance. Tresl says most lenders it partners with require a minimum of $24,000 annual income. Your Social Security number is not required, but according to Tresl, providing it will expedite the prequalification process and help you get the most accurate rates.
Information Tresl asks for includes:
- Full name
- All contact information
- Vehicle info (make, model, year, mileage)
- Current car loan info
- Residence info (own or rent)
- Employment info
- Income
- Social Security number (voluntary)
When you select a pre-qualified financing offer, Tresl assigns an advisor to guide you through the rest of the process. You’ll use Tresl’s online portal to manage documents and the lender you selected will perform a hard credit pull before giving you a firm auto loan offer.
How Tresl auto loans compare
If you receive an offer from Tresl, compare the interest rate to other offers you may receive. Here are three popular auto lenders.
| LightStream | PenFed | OpenRoad Lending | |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 8.99%* w/autopay and excellent credit | 5.24% | 4.49% |
| Terms | 24 to 84 months | 36 to 84 months | 36 to 84 months |
| Amount | $5,000 - $100,000 | $500 - $150,000 | $10,000-$100,000 |
| Min. Credit Score | Unspecified | 620 | 460 |
*Your loan terms, including APR, may differ based on loan purpose, amount, term length, and your credit profile. Excellent credit is required to qualify for lowest rates. Rate is quoted with AutoPay discount. AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. Subject to credit approval. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 5.99% APR with a term of 3 years would result in 36 monthly payments of $304.17. © 2023 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, LightStream, and the LightStream logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.
Is a Tresl loan right for you?
It’s vital to note in this Tresl review that the company has limited loan options. It may be useful to you if your auto loan needs fall into one of three categories:
- Auto refinancing. If you want to change or reduce your interest rate, the length of the loan, or add or remove a cosigner to the loan, refinancing is the best option.
- Lease buyouts. If you don’t want to turn the car in at the end of the lease, buy it. Buying the car lets you avoid paying end-of-lease fees, such as a disposition fee and extra wear-and-tear fees. Or, perhaps you really like the car and want to keep it. If the buy-out price is lower than the market value, you could buy the car and flip it.
- Company car buyouts. If you work for a company that operates a fleet of business vehicles, you may have the opportunity to buy one. Some companies offer their fleet vehicles to employees at or below wholesale prices. Fleet vehicles are usually well maintained, and if it’s a vehicle you’ve been driving, you know what condition it’s in.
You also may be able to qualify for rates with other banks, credit unions and online lenders for auto refinancing and lease and company car buyouts. With LendingTree, you can prequalify for up to five lenders to see what interest rates you may be eligible for and compare them with what Tresl has to offer.