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LightStream, the online lending arm of Truist, is the odd one out in auto refinancing in the best way: its refinance is an unsecured personal loan. No lien goes on your car, no title changes hands, and because there is no collateral, there are no vehicle age or mileage restrictions at all. A 20 year old classic, a 200,000 mile work truck, a car most secured lenders would decline on sight: LightStream does not care what you drive, only how you borrow.
The trade-off is priced in. Unsecured credit costs more than secured credit, so LightStream's rates start higher than the best secured refi offers, with advertised pricing from about 7.49 percent with autopay as of 2026, and the product is squarely aimed at good to excellent credit. If your credit is strong and your vehicle is the problem, LightStream can be the cleanest answer in the market. If your vehicle is ordinary and your credit is merely decent, a secured refinance will usually beat it on rate, which is exactly what a comparison check settles.
What it does well
- Unsecured structure means no lien, no title work, and a fast close
- No vehicle age or mileage limits, ideal for classics and high-mileage cars
- Backed by Truist with a long-running online lending operation
Where it gives ground
- Rates start higher than the best secured refinance offers
- Good to excellent credit required, thin or rebuilding files need not apply
- No prequalification path with a soft pull for firm pricing, so comparison shopping takes more care
Yes. LightStream offers auto refinancing as an unsecured loan: you borrow the payoff amount on your signature, pay off your current lender, and repay LightStream with no lien on the vehicle. LightStream is Truist's online lending arm, which occasionally confuses shoppers because Truist also offers its own secured auto refinance in its branch footprint. They are separate products from separate arms of the same bank.
The unsecured structure is the whole story. Because LightStream never takes the car as collateral, it never has to care about the car. There are no vehicle age limits, no mileage caps, and no appraisal friction, which makes it one of the very few refinance answers for vehicles outside every other lender's box.
Price the secured market before you go unsecured
Compare my rate nowCollateral is what makes secured auto loans cheap. Remove it and the lender prices in the extra risk, so LightStream's advertised rates start around 7.49 percent with autopay as of 2026, above the floor of the best secured refi offers for the same borrower. For a mainstream car and a strong credit file, a secured refinance will usually win on pure rate.
Where the math flips is when the vehicle disqualifies you from secured offers entirely. A 15 year old truck or a six-figure-mileage commuter often cannot get a secured refi at any price, and against the alternative of keeping a high original rate, LightStream's unsecured pricing can be the best real offer on the table.
Start with two questions. Is your credit good to excellent? If not, LightStream is not built for you, and refinance specialists that work across the credit spectrum are the better hunt. Second, would a secured lender take your vehicle? If yes, price the secured market first, because collateral-backed rates start lower.
If you clear the credit bar and your vehicle is the obstacle, LightStream moves to the top of the list. Even then, run a comparison across the market first: it takes two minutes with a soft pull, and it either confirms LightStream is the play or surfaces a secured offer you did not expect. Either way you sign with evidence instead of hope.
LightStream makes sense if
- Strong-credit borrowers with vehicles secured lenders decline
- Classic, exotic, or very high mileage vehicle owners
- People who value skipping the lien and title process entirely
Look elsewhere if
- Borrowers with fair or rebuilding credit
- Anyone with a mainstream vehicle who can take a cheaper secured rate
- Payment-focused shoppers chasing the absolute lowest APR
Frequently asked questions
Does LightStream refinance car loans?
Yes. LightStream refinances auto loans using an unsecured loan: no lien on the vehicle and no vehicle age or mileage limits. It is aimed at good to excellent credit, with advertised rates starting around 7.49 percent with autopay as of 2026.
What does an unsecured auto refinance mean?
The loan is backed by your signature, not the car. LightStream pays off your current lender, no lien is placed on the vehicle, and there is no title work. The trade-off is a higher starting rate than secured refinancing, because the lender has no collateral.
Is LightStream part of Truist?
Yes. LightStream is Truist's online lending arm. Truist separately offers its own secured auto refinance in its branch footprint, so the two products are different despite sharing a parent bank.
Can I refinance an old or high-mileage car with LightStream?
Yes, that is its signature strength. Because the loan is unsecured, LightStream has no vehicle age or mileage restrictions, which makes it an option for classics and high-mileage vehicles that secured lenders decline.
Should I choose LightStream or a secured refinance?
If a secured lender will accept your vehicle and credit, secured rates usually start lower, so price that market first. If your vehicle falls outside secured lenders' rules and your credit is strong, LightStream is often the best available answer.
