Classic and vintage car loans

Classic & Vintage Car Loans, From Lenders Who Get It

Restorations, imports, weekend cars and investment-grade classics. Most mainstream lenders stop dead at a vehicle age limit. We go to the ones that will lend against an agreed value and understand what modifications do to it.

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What we sort out for you

Secured against the car, unsecured, or secured against something else you own. We line the options up side by side, including what each one means for valuation and insurance.

Past the usual age caps
Most lenders stop at a vehicle age limit. We know the ones that will still lend on something forty years old.
Agreed value, not market value
Classics need a valuation the lender will accept. We sort out what they'll want before you apply.
Restorations and projects
A car that isn't finished is a harder ask. There are lenders that do it. It just takes the right one.
Imports and compliance
If it's coming in from overseas, compliance and rego timing affect settlement. We plan the loan around it.
Secured or unsecured
If the car's too old to secure, an unsecured loan may be the cleaner path. We price both so you can decide.
The real cost, not the headline
Fees, term and early payout costs folded in, so you can see what each option actually costs you.

See what you'd actually pay

One quick application, over 80 lenders, and a real broker on the phone. Takes about 3 minutes, with no credit check to get a quote.

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Why classic car finance is different

Most car lenders have an age limit, often somewhere between 12 and 20 years at the end of the loan. That rules out the very cars classic buyers are after.

A small group of specialist lenders, plus unsecured options, fill the gap. They look at what the car is worth and how it's been kept, not just the year it was built. Knowing which lender fits which car is most of the job.

Who classic car finance suits

Collectors

Buying a known, well documented classic where the value is clear. The best fit for a specialist secured loan.

Weekend and club drivers

A car for runs and shows rather than the daily commute. How often it is driven, and how it is registered, both come up.

Modern classics

Performance and enthusiast cars from the last few decades that have outlived a mainstream lender's age limit but still hold their value.

Restorers

Project cars and the parts and labour to finish them. Usually unsecured until the car is done and can be valued.

Importers

Cars brought in from overseas. Funding usually waits until import approval and compliance are sorted.

Older daily drivers

Simply an old car rather than a collectable. An unsecured personal loan is often the simplest path.

Your finance options

Specialist secured loan

Some lenders will secure a loan against a classic based on an agreed value from a valuation. Usually the sharpest rate for a collectable car.

Unsecured personal loan

Not tied to the car, so its age doesn't matter. A higher rate, but simple, and it suits project cars and restorations.

Other security

If you own another vehicle or property, it can sometimes secure the loan instead of the classic itself.

Unsecured options are covered on our personal loans page, and the trade-off between the two is explained in secured vs unsecured loans.

Typical terms

Common ranges, not promises. Specialist lenders each set their own policy.

  • Term: commonly one to seven years. Unsecured loans often top out at a shorter term than secured ones.
  • Loan size: a specialist lender usually lends against the agreed value, often less than all of it, so a deposit is common on higher value cars.
  • Rate: a specialist secured loan is usually cheaper than unsecured, though often not as sharp as a new car loan.
  • Balloon: offered by some specialist lenders, because a well kept classic can hold or grow its value. It is still a lump sum you have to pay.
  • Insurance: agreed value cover is usually a condition of a secured loan, for the whole term.

An example repayment

Illustrative only. A classic bought for $60,000, over five years, fees not included.

SetupRepaymentTotal repaid
$60,000 secured at 10.00% p.a.$1,275 a month$76,489
$60,000 unsecured at 13.00% p.a.$1,365 a month$81,911
$45,000 secured at 10.00% p.a. after a $15,000 deposit$956 a month$57,367

On these numbers the secured loan saves about $90 a month and around $5,400 over the term compared with unsecured. A deposit cuts the interest bill by about $4,100 and leaves you owing less than the car is worth from day one.

These figures are illustrative only. They are not a quote, a current rate or an offer of credit. Your rate, fees and terms depend on the lender, the car and your circumstances. Repayments are calculated in arrears and rounded.

What lenders look at

An agreed valuation

A valuation from a recognised classic car valuer shows the lender what the car is actually worth.

Condition and originality

Matching numbers, documentation and restoration records all support the value.

Insurance

Agreed value cover from a classic car insurer is usually a condition of a secured loan.

How the car is registered and used

If the car will be on a club or historic registration scheme, tell the lender up front. The schemes vary by state and limit how the car can be used, and some lenders want to know that before they approve.

You

Your income and credit history still matter, like any other loan.

Agreed value, market value and what gets funded

Market value is what the car would sell for today. Agreed value is a figure you and an insurer settle on up front, usually backed by a valuation, and it is what the insurer pays if the car is written off. Lenders like agreed value cover on a classic because it means the payout on a total loss is known in advance and can clear the loan.

The amount a lender will fund is set against that value, not the asking price. If the seller wants more than the valuation supports, the gap usually comes from your deposit.

Imports, restorations and modified cars

Imports

An imported classic needs the right import approval and compliance before it can be registered, and some lenders won't fund until it is.

Restorations

Funding the work is usually unsecured, because the car isn't finished. A personal loan can cover parts and labour.

Modified cars

Modifications can affect value and insurance. Lenders prefer engineering sign-off wherever it's required.

What to have ready

  • Photo ID, your licence and proof of address
  • Payslips, or tax returns if you are self employed
  • Recent bank statements
  • The listing, contract or auction details, and the seller's details
  • A valuation, or the name of the valuer you plan to use
  • History, restoration records and any engineering certificates
  • An agreed value insurance quote

Classic car finance questions

How old can the car be?

With a specialist lender, age matters less than value and condition. With an unsecured loan, age doesn't matter at all.

Can I finance a private sale or an auction?

Yes. Most classics change hands privately or at auction. Get approved before auction day, and allow time for the lender's ownership checks.

Do I need a deposit?

Not always, but a deposit helps, particularly on higher value cars and with specialist lenders.

Can I get a balloon on a classic car loan?

Some specialist lenders offer one. It lowers the repayment, but you still owe the lump sum at the end, so plan how you would pay it if the car's value moved the wrong way.

Is a car on club registration OK?

Often, but tell the lender. Club and historic schemes limit how the car can be used and differ by state, and some lenders factor that in.

Can I finance the car and its restoration together?

Sometimes, usually as an unsecured loan, because an unfinished car is hard to value. Another option is funding the purchase now and the work separately.

Can I finance a car I'm importing?

Often, once it has its import approval and is ready to register. Talk to us early, because the timing matters.

What about an older daily driver?

If it's simply an older car rather than a collectable, an unsecured personal loan is often the simplest path.

Buying privately? Read what a lender checks on a private sale, or compare regular car loans.

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