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Financing · Updated October 24, 2026

Financing a JDM Car That’s Still in Japan

We don’t lend money ourselves, but most of our buyers finance. A car sitting in Japan has no US title yet, so a normal auto loan won’t work. An unsecured personal loan will. Here are the lenders to start with, what they offer, and how to borrow the right amount.

Why a personal loan, not an auto loan

Auto loans and collector-car loans are secured by the car, so the lender needs a US title to put its lien on. Until the car clears customs and is titled here, it only has Japanese export paperwork. Collector-car lenders say so directly: a JDM import must have a US title and must have cleared customs. A personal loan is approved on your credit and income instead, so the car’s age, location and paperwork don’t matter.

You only need the personal loan until the car has a US title. After that, you can refinance into a regular auto loan or a collector-car loan, usually at a lower rate.

  1. 1

    Get your quote

    We price the car landed: the car, freight, duty, customs and title, itemized. That total is what you borrow.

  2. 2

    Get a personal loan

    An unsecured loan isn't tied to the car's VIN, title, age or location. The lender sends the money to your bank account.

  3. 3

    Pay us, and we import it

    You pay us from the loan. We buy the car, ship it, clear US customs and handle the title.

  4. 4

    Refinance into an auto loan

    Optional. Once the car is titled, you can take out an auto loan on it to pay off the personal loan.

    Where to refinance ↓

Lenders to Start With

Unsecured personal loans that can pay for a car that’s still in Japan. Rates and limits are the latest published, checked October 24, 2026; your offer depends on your credit and income.

Large loans, same-day funding

SoFi

Loan amount
$5,000 – $100,000
APR
6.99% – 35.49%
Fees
Optional 0% – 7% origination fee; no late or prepayment fees
Funding
Same day

No published minimum score; NerdWallet says borrowers usually need about 690 or higher. Joint applications are allowed.

  • Same-day funding needs the loan signed by 5:30 p.m. ET on a business day.
  • The origination fee is optional: paying it lowers your rate, and it comes out of the loan.
  • Its terms allow any personal use except college costs, so a vehicle purchase is fine.
  • Soft-pull rate check. Terms of 2 to 7 years.
Check rates at SoFi ↗
Best overall for good credit

PenFed Credit Union

Loan amount
$600 – $50,000
APR
6.09% – 17.99%
Fees
No origination fee
Funding
Next day

Anyone can join with a $5 savings deposit, opened as part of the application. No published minimum score; reviewers put it from the mid-600s to about 700.

  • Check your rate with a soft credit pull.
  • Terms up to 60 months.
Check rates at PenFed Credit Union ↗
Best for $50,000 – $100,000

Alliant Credit Union

Loan amount
$1,000 – $100,000
APR
From 8.74%
Fees
No origination fee
Funding
Same day possible

Anyone can join through the Alliant Credit Union Foundation (Alliant pays the $5 donation), but you must be a member for 90 days before you apply.

  • Join now if you may need more than $50,000. The 90-day clock starts when you join.
  • Applying is a hard credit pull; there is no soft-pull rate check.
  • Pick a vehicle-purchase purpose and confirm with Alliant that it is allowed.
Check rates at Alliant Credit Union ↗
Fastest funding

Rocket Loans

Loan amount
$2,000 – $45,000
Up to $75,000 for returning clients and Rocket Mortgage or Mr. Cooper mortgage holders
APR
7.99% – 29.99%
Fees
Origination fee varies; check your offer
Funding
Same business day

Credit around 640 or higher and at least $24,000 income. Not offered in Iowa, Nevada, West Virginia or Maryland.

  • Its terms explicitly allow buying a used vehicle.
  • Soft-pull rate check.
  • 36- or 60-month terms only.
Check rates at Rocket Loans ↗
No fees, longest terms

U.S. Bank

Loan amount
$1,000 – $50,000
$25,000 max if you don't bank with U.S. Bank; State Farm customers get the $50,000 limit
APR
9.24% – 24.99%
Fees
No origination or prepayment fee
Funding
As soon as 1 day

Reviewers cite about 660+ for U.S. Bank customers and 680+ for everyone else. Available in all 50 states.

  • Terms up to 84 months for customers (60 for non-customers), for a lower monthly payment.
  • Funding is slower if you are not already a customer.
Check rates at U.S. Bank ↗
Best for fair credit

Prosper

Loan amount
$2,000 – $50,000
APR
8.99% – 35.99%
Fees
1% – 9.99% origination fee, taken from the loan
Funding
A few days

Credit around 640 or higher. A co-borrower is allowed. Not available in Iowa or West Virginia.

  • Lists vehicle purchases and classic project vehicles as uses.
  • Soft-pull rate check.
  • Terms of 2 to 5 years.
Check rates at Prosper ↗
Northern Virginia buyers

Apple Federal Credit Union

Signature Loan–Auto

Loan amount
Up to $50,000
APR
From 8.49%
Fees
No early-payoff penalty
Funding
Paid to us directly

Membership is open to people who live or work in Fairfax County, among other ways to join, with branches across Northern Virginia.

  • Apple pays the seller directly. You need a purchase order or bill of sale when you apply, so ask us for one.
  • The lowest rate needs a $500/month direct deposit to Apple; without it the rate is a fixed 15.99%.
  • 60-month terms.
Check rates at Apple Federal Credit Union ↗
Delaying your first payment

First Tech Federal Credit Union

Loan amount
$500 – $50,000
$50,000 needs a 72- or 84-month term; shorter terms cap at $35,000
APR
11.99% – 18.00%
Fees
No application, origination or prepayment fee
Funding
As soon as same day

Join through a Financial Fitness Association membership (about $8, which First Tech may cover).

  • Your first payment can wait up to 45 days, which helps while the car is on the water.
  • Soft-pull rate check.
Check rates at First Tech Federal Credit Union ↗
Existing Citi customers

Citi

Loan amount
$2,000 – $30,000
Up to $50,000 if you have a Citi card or deposit account
APR
10.24% – 18.49%
Fees
No origination or late fees
Funding
Same day for Citi deposit customers

Reviewers suggest a credit score around 740 or higher.

  • Only education and business uses are excluded, so a vehicle purchase is fine.
  • Applying is a hard credit pull. Terms of 12 to 60 months.
Check rates at Citi ↗
Amex cardholders with an offer

American Express

Loan amount
$3,500 – $50,000
APR
6.99% – 19.99%
Fees
No origination fee
Funding
Fast

Invite-only: if you're pre-approved, the offer shows up in your Amex account.

  • Log in and look for an offer before you apply anywhere else.
Check rates at American Express ↗

Which Lender Fits You

Credit of 720 or higher

Start with PenFed, Alliant, U.S. Bank or SoFi. If you already have a Citi account or an Amex loan offer, check those too: both have no fees and APRs that top out under 20%.

Fair credit (about 620 – 680)

Prosper, Rocket Loans (640+), Achieve, Upgrade, Upstart and Best Egg. Expect an origination fee and an APR above 20%.

Borrowing $50,000 or more

Alliant lends up to $100,000 after 90 days of membership; SoFi and Wells Fargo (for its customers) also go to $100,000. Rocket Loans goes to $75,000 for returning clients. Past that, plan on a bigger down payment or a co-borrower.

You need the money this week

Rocket Loans funds the same business day, SoFi the same day if you sign by 5:30 p.m. ET, Alliant can fund the same day, and Citi does for its deposit customers. Prosper can take up to a week, so apply before we bid.

You live in Northern Virginia

Apple Federal Credit Union's Signature Loan–Auto lends up to $50,000 from 8.49% and pays us directly against our bill of sale.

Military and their families

Navy Federal, USAA and PenFed personal loans work the same as any other here. Navy Federal's auto loan also accepts a foreign registration or bill of sale for cars bought overseas; it is built for members stationed abroad, so call and ask whether it covers an import like this.

More Lenders Worth Checking

Also unsecured, so they work the same way for a car in Japan. Check each lender’s current rates and state availability.

Wells Fargo ↗Up to $100,000 for existing Wells Fargo customers.
Happen Bank ↗Another option for larger loans.
Navy Federal Credit Union ↗Service members, veterans, DoD civilians and their families.
USAA ↗Military members, veterans and their families.
Achieve ↗$5,000 – $50,000 at 6.25% – 35.99% APR with a 1.99% – 9.99% origination fee. Minimum score 560 (660 for $35,000+). Not offered in CO, CT, HI, KS, ME, ND, VT, WV, WI or WY.
Axos Bank ↗$7,000 – $50,000 at 11.79% – 20.84% APR. Minimum score 730; same-day funding.
Upgrade ↗Fair-credit lender; expect an origination fee.
Upstart ↗Fair-credit lender; expect an origination fee.
Best Egg ↗Fair-credit lender; expect an origination fee.

Before You Apply

  1. 1

    Get your landed-cost quote first

    Borrow for the whole import, not just the car: Japan-side fees, ocean freight, US import duty (12.5% for most passenger cars, confirmed on your quote), port fees, title and your state's sales tax. We itemize every line before you commit.

    See what an import costs →
  2. 2

    Add the origination fee on top

    Prosper, Achieve and some others take their fee out of the loan before you get it. If you need $30,000 and the fee is 5%, ask for $31,579 ($30,000 ÷ 0.95).

  3. 3

    Check rates with soft pulls first

    PenFed, SoFi, Rocket Loans, Prosper and First Tech show your rate without affecting your credit score. Alliant and Citi need a hard pull for a firm offer, so apply to them last.

  4. 4

    Have the money ready before we bid

    The balance is due soon after a win. Same-day lenders suit auction timing; slower ones should be approved before the auction, not after.

  5. 5

    Choose “vehicle purchase” as the loan purpose

    Or “major purchase.” Several lenders require you to use the money for the purpose you state, so don't pick debt consolidation.

Once the Car Is Titled in the US

A car that has cleared customs and has a US title can secure a loan of its own, and a secured loan usually costs less than a personal loan. That works for a car in our US inventory once it’s titled, and for refinancing the personal loan you used to import yours.

Collector-car lenders

Specialists in classic and enthusiast cars. They need a US title and a car that has cleared customs, so they come in after the import, not before.

Credit union auto loans

Your own credit union may finance or refinance a titled car with a standard auto loan. Ask about age and mileage limits before you apply: many auto loans won't cover an older car.

Refinancing your import

Used a personal loan to import your car? Once it's titled, a secured loan from either of these may beat your rate. Check your personal loan for a prepayment penalty first; most lenders on this page don't charge one.

FAQs

Rates, loan limits and terms are the latest published by each lender or by review sites such as Bankrate, NerdWallet, U.S. News and Credible, checked October 24, 2026. They change often and depend on your credit, so confirm them with the lender before you apply. Magic Motorsports is not a lender and does not arrange or broker loans. This page is general information, not financial advice. Lender names are trademarks of their owners.

Know your number before you apply

Tell us the car you want and we’ll give you an itemized, landed price to take to your lender. No cost, no commitment. 703-249-9922 · sales@magicmotorsports.xyz