Help & Advice
Read on below for answers to questions we get asked all the time.
About the application process
About the approval process
About the settlement process
Getting Started
At Fido Finance, we partner with an amazing network of lenders across Australia. What does this mean? We can find the perfect loan for whatever’s calling your name:
- Your dream car (new or beautifully loved)
- That caravan for weekend escapes
- A boat for summer adventures
- Business equipment to grow your empire
- Personal loans for life’s moments
Whether you’re dreaming of weekend getaways or epic family road trips, we’ve got the finance sorted so you can focus on the fun stuff.
Think of us as your personal finance shopping buddy! We do all the legwork, comparing rates and terms across multiple lenders, so you don’t have to fill out dozens of applications and deal with the paperwork headaches.
Here’s what makes Fido Finance different: we’re award-winning brokers who’ve been voted best in ‘Car Loans’ on ProductReview.com.au for 3 years running. We’ve built genuine relationships with over 30 lenders, which means we can fetch you deals that aren’t available to the general public.
Your broker becomes your finance champion – handling the paperwork, navigating the approval process, and celebrating with you when it all comes together. We’re genuinely on your side throughout the entire journey.
Not necessarily! We have no-deposit options available, so you can get behind the wheel without tying up all your cash or waiting months to save up first.
If you do have a deposit, great! It can help with your interest rate and loan terms. We’ll chat through what works best for your budget and what feels right for you.
This depends on your unique financial picture. Lenders consider your income, household expenses, existing debts, plus your employment and living situation.
As part of your pre-approval, we’ll chat through all this with you and work out your borrowing capacity based on your individual situation. You might be surprised. Sometimes your budget allows for a much better vehicle than you initially thought!
We’ll crunch the numbers and give you a clear picture of what you can comfortably afford.
The Application Process
After our initial chat we’ll let you know exactly what’s required. Most of our clients only need to provide their driver’s licence and 2 most recent payslips to secure pre-approval.
We aim to get you funded within 24 hours because we know you’re excited to get moving! Sometimes we need a little extra time to get everything perfect, but once you’re approved, you can go car shopping knowing the finance is all sorted.
Absolutely! It’s actually the smartest move you can make. Get pre-approved first, then you’ll know exactly what you can spend and can take your sweet time finding the perfect ride without any “will the finance work?” stress.
Pre-approval is like having a secret weapon! You get stronger negotiating power, complete budget clarity, and often discover you can afford something much nicer than you originally thought. You’re walking in as a serious buyer, not someone crossing their fingers and hoping for finance.
No worries at all! We love helping self-employed legends get the vehicles they deserve. We might need slightly different paperwork, but we’ve got specific loan options designed just for you, including no-doc, low-doc or self-declaration loans. Being your own boss definitely doesn’t mean missing out.
Yes, we partner with lenders who understand that everyone deserves reliable transport. Each case is different, so we’ll assess your circumstances and connect you with lenders who genuinely get your position.
Your credit score matters, but it’s not the whole story. We work with lenders who look at the bigger picture, so even if your credit has seen better days, we can often work magic. Better scores open more doors and usually mean better rates, but honestly? We love the challenge of finding solutions.
Loan Details and Options
Your rate is based entirely on your financial profile, including your credit history, income, employment type, and what you’re looking to finance. We don’t believe in advertising headline rates that most people can’t actually get.
Instead, we access wholesale rates through our lender panel and match you with the best rate you actually qualify for.
We offer loans up to 7 years, which gives us loads of flexibility to craft repayments that actually work with your life. Want to pay it off quickly and save on interest? Perfect. Need smaller monthly payments to fit your budget? We’ve got you covered.
A balloon payment is a larger lump sum you pay at the end of your loan term instead of during your regular repayments. It keeps your monthly payments nice and manageable, but you’ll need to have a plan for that final payment.
LVR stands for Loan-to-Value Ratio, basically how much you’re borrowing versus what your car is worth.
Say you’re buying a $30,000 car and borrowing $24,000, that’s an 80% LVR. The lower this number, the happier lenders are, which usually translates to better rates and terms for you.
With a secured loan, your car acts as the safety net for the lender. If things go sideways and you can’t make payments, they can take the car back. The upside? Lower interest rates because it’s less risky for them.
Unsecured loans don’t tie up your car, but you’ll typically pay higher rates. We’ll look at both options and see what fits your comfort level.
These are perfect for self-employed individuals and contractors who don’t have the typical pile of payslips and tax returns.
Low doc means you provide some paperwork (but not the usual amount). No doc means we keep paperwork to an absolute minimum. You’ll usually pay slightly higher rates, but they’re a great option if traditional loans just don’t suit.
Non-bank lenders are specialist finance companies that often offer more flexible lending criteria and faster approvals.
As a non-bank lender, Fido Finance can make decisions based on your actual circumstances rather than rigid computer algorithms. We can usually get things moving much faster than traditional banks and take a proper look at your individual story.
After Approval
This is where the fun really begins! Once you’re pre-approved, you can go car shopping with complete confidence knowing your budget is locked and loaded. Found the perfect ride? Just give us a shout and we’ll take care of all the behind-the-scenes magic.
Your broker becomes your personal coordinator, handling all the paperwork between you, the seller, and the lender. You get to focus on the exciting stuff, like planning your first road trip!
If you’re taking out a secured loan, yes, you’ll need comprehensive insurance to protect your shiny new wheels (and keep the lender happy too).
But here’s the good news: we can roll the insurance cost right into your loan repayments, so instead of juggling multiple bills, you’ve got one simple payment to manage each month.
Absolutely! Most of our lenders totally get that some of the best deals are found in someone’s driveway rather than a dealership lot.
When you’re buying privately, we’ll walk you through all the paperwork and do the important checks to make sure there’s no nasty financial surprises hiding in that car’s history.
Of course! At Fido Finance, we love all cars, from fresh-off-the-lot beauties to classic gems with character, and absolutely everything in between. Age is just a number when it comes to finding your perfect match!
Managing Your Loan
You bet! Give us a call on 13 34 36 and we’ll show you exactly how much you could save by giving your current loan a makeover.
Refinancing might snag you a better interest rate, change your loan terms to something more comfortable, or even free up some extra cash if your car’s gained some equity. It’s like giving your finances a fresh start!
Great question! It depends on your specific loan agreement. Some loans are totally fine for early repayment, while others might have exit fees attached.
We’ll help you dig through your loan terms and crunch the numbers to see if paying it off early actually puts money back in your pocket.
You can! You’ll just need to pay out the remaining loan balance first, which usually happens seamlessly as part of the sale.
Selling privately? You’ll typically need to clear the loan before handing over the keys. Going through a dealer? They can often handle the loan payout as part of the whole transaction.
Yes, when you trade in a financed car, the dealer will typically handle paying out your existing loan as part of the new purchase.
If your car is worth more than what you owe, that extra money can go towards your new ride. If you owe more than it’s worth, you might need to roll that difference into your new loan.
We’d love to give you exact numbers right now, but your repayments depend on so many factors, including the loan amount, term, interest rate, and whether you choose any additional features.
Once we’ve matched your situation with the right lender and loan product, we’ll give you your exact repayment figures so you know exactly what to expect each week, fortnight, or month.
