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2026 Golden 1 Credit Union Auto Loan Review

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Best for people who live or work in California: If you’re a Californian or an immediate family member of one, you may be eligible for a Golden 1 Credit Union auto loan. If you’re already a Golden 1 Credit Union member, you can also qualify for an APR discount as long as you meet the lender’s eligibility requirements.

Golden 1 Credit Union auto loan rates and terms

golden-1-CU
Starting annual percentage rate (APR)Loan termsLoan amountsFees Minimum credit score
New auto loans5.24% (with discounts)12 to 84 monthsUp to $120,000Not specifiedNot specified
Used auto loans5.49% (with discounts)12 to 84 monthsUp to $120,000Not specifiedNot specified
Refinance auto loans5.24% (with discounts)12 to 84 monthsUp to $120,000Not specifiedNot specified

Golden 1 Credit Union pros and cons

Pros

  • Same-day preapproval possible
  • Car-buying program Enterprise Car Sales comes with discounted rates
  • Offers loans for motorcycles, boats and RVs
  • Can skip payments twice over the course of the loan
  • 0.25% rate discount for loyal members

Cons

  • Must become a member to close on your loan
  • Membership limited to those with connections to California and certain employee groups
  • Credit requirements aren’t disclosed

What you need to get a car loan with Golden 1 Credit Union

  • Minimum credit score: Golden 1 does not share its minimum credit score or income requirements. Apply for preapproval to see your car loan offer.
  • Membership: You don’t have to be a member to apply, but you must become a member to get an auto loan from Golden 1.
  • Membership qualifications: Open a Golden 1 savings account with a minimum of $1 and meet one of the following requirements:
    • Live or work in California
    • Be an immediate family member or registered domestic partner of a current Golden 1 member
    • Work for one of the select employee groups
  • Vehicle requirements: 84-month term available for 2021-2026 model years with under 60,000 miles.

How Golden 1 Credit Union’s starting rates compare to LendingTree’s lowest offers

Golden 1 Credit Union’s new car auto loans start at 5.24%, and used car rates start at 5.49%. If you have a Golden 1 offer through your dealership or online, use the table below to see if it’s competitive. 

Just compare your rate with the lowest offers through the LendingTree marketplace for your credit band. Your final APR will be based on your creditworthiness and other factors.

Credit rangeAverage lowest APR for new auto loan offersAverage lowest APR for used auto loan offersAverage lowest APR for auto refi loan offers
Excellent (800+)7.16%9.34%5.06%
Very good (740 – 799)8.07%8.47%5.29%
Good (670 – 739)11.34%13.30%6.13%
Fair (580 – 669)20.51%22.36%9.02%
Poor (under 580)22.85%24.35%13.70%
Source: Figures represent the average lowest offered APRs received on the LendingTree platform in Q3 2025. Borrowers may receive multiple offers from up to five lenders. Refinance offers apply only to used vehicles.

Estimate your monthly payment

About 5% of people with an auto loan are behind on payments, according to a LendingTree study. Using an auto loan calculator before signing on the dotted line can help you avoid taking on more than you can handle.

Types of Golden 1 Credit Union auto loans

The credit union offers multiple options for new, used and specialty vehicles.

Golden 1 also offers financing with no money down for loans up to 135% of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), as long as you meet the lender’s requirements.  

Golden 1 Credit Union’s up to 135% financing applies to new used and specialty vehicles, maxing out at $100,000. Some borrowers may even be approved to borrow up to $120,000, but then can only borrow up to 120% of their car’s MSRP.

When banks compete, you win

Customers who used LendingTree to shop for car loans in July 2025 saved an average of $2,346 by choosing the offer with the lowest APR. Here’s how it works.

Tell us what you need

Take two minutes to tell us who you are and how much money you need for your vehicle — we’ll take care of the rest. It’s free, simple and secure.

Shop your offers

We’ll send you offers from up to five trusted lenders. Compare your offers side by side to see which one will save you the most money.

Get your money

It’s smooth sailing once you finalize your loan with your lender — you could see money in your account in as soon as 24 hours.

Is a Golden 1 Credit Union auto loan right for you?

If you live or work in California or otherwise meet Golden 1’s membership requirements, it’s worth your time to check your rates with Golden 1.

Just make sure to shop around and compare your Golden 1 offer with offers from other car loan lenders — shopping around for a lower auto loan rate could save hundreds or thousands of dollars over the loan term.

Don’t forget to budget for car insurance

Shop around for car insurance on the LendingTree marketplace to find affordable rates. Among consumers who switched providers, 92% said they saved money and nearly two-thirds saved at least $100 on their annual car insurance rate, according to a LendingTree survey.

How Golden 1 Credit Union auto loans compare

You should shop around to find low rates on auto loans from a variety of lenders. You may choose a different credit union from Golden 1, but becoming a member to get a loan will be an issue regardless of which credit union you choose.

Here’s a comparison of new car loan rates at three credit unions.

Golden 1 Credit UnionAlliant Credit UnionConsumers Credit Union
Starting APR5.24% (with discounts)5.09% (with discounts)4.49% (with autopay)
Loan terms12 to 84 months12 to 84 monthsUp to 84 months
Loan amountsUp to $120,000Starting at $4,000Not specified
Fees Not specifiedNot specifiedNot specified
Minimum credit scoreNot specifiedNot specifiedNot specified

Similar to Golden 1 Credit Union’s offering, at Alliant Credit Union and Consumers Credit Union, you can get a 0.50% rate discount when you use the credit union’s car-buying service.

Read our full reviews of Alliant Credit Union auto loans and Consumers Credit Union auto loans to see how they compare.

Frequently asked questions

Golden 1 Credit Union does not publicly disclose the credit score required for an auto loan. Loan decisions are based on your credit score, debt-to-income (DTI) ratio and other factors. If you think you have a low credit score, you may be able to qualify for a bad credit auto loan.

Yes, Golden 1 will perform a hard pull during the loan application process. This will temporarily lower your credit score. If you shop around for car loans, all applications submitted within 14 days count as one hard inquiry, so make sure to do your loan shopping within two weeks.

Membership to Golden 1 Credit Union is restricted to people who work and live in California. Non-residents may join if they’re an immediate family member or registered domestic partner of a current Golden 1 member, or they work for one of nearly 1,000 select employee groups.

If you’re in the market for a used car, Golden 1 has a partnership with Enterprise Car Sales, with 22 dealerships across California. 

You can choose from more than 250 makes and models and receive a free CarFax vehicle history report on the car you choose. You may also qualify for a 1.00% APR discount on your Golden 1 Auto Loan rate for more savings.

Get auto loan offers from up to 5 lenders in minutes