Car repair loans in South Africa
A car that has to run for you to earn makes a repair loan one of the more defensible reasons to borrow — the loan protects the income. What makes it go wrong is borrowing against the first quote, for a repair that costs a meaningful fraction of what the vehicle is worth.
If you do need credit — NCR-registered lenders
ordered by what each discloses · how we rank| Lender · NCR registration | Amount | Term | Interest | Basis | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boodle NCRCP5361 | R500 – R8 000 | 1–6 months | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Atlas Finance NCRCP3994 | R500 – R20 000 | 1–9 months | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Letsatsi Finance NCRCP895 | R500 – R7 000 | 1–6 months | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| DirectAxis NCRCP20 | R5 000 – R350 000 | 24–72 months | Annual, risk-based | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Wonga NCRCP12875 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Lime24 NCRCP8077 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| FinChoice NCRCP8162 / NCRCP23514 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Barko NCRCP1764 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| African Bank Not disclosed | R2 000 – R350 000 | 7–72 months | Annual, risk-based | Snapshot only | View details |
| Nedbank Not disclosed | R2 000 – R400 000 | 6–84 months | Annual, risk-based | Snapshot only | View details |
| Sanlam Not disclosed | R5 000 – R350 000 | 12–84 months | Annual, risk-based | Snapshot only | View details |
- Boodle✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP5361
- Amount
- R500 – R8 000
- Term
- 1–6 months
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Boodle (Pty) Ltd
- Atlas Finance✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP3994
- Amount
- R500 – R20 000
- Term
- 1–9 months
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Atlas Finance
- Letsatsi Finance✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP895
- Amount
- R500 – R7 000
- Term
- 1–6 months
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Letsatsi Finance and Loan (Pty) Ltd
- DirectAxis✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP20
- Amount
- R5 000 – R350 000
- Term
- 24–72 months
- Interest
- Annual, risk-based
- Provider
- FirstRand Bank Limited
- Wonga✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP12875
- Amount
- Not disclosed
- Term
- Not disclosed
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Wonga Online (Pty) Ltd
- Lime24✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP8077
- Amount
- Not disclosed
- Term
- Not disclosed
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Lime Loans South Africa (Pty) Ltd
- FinChoice✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP8162 / NCRCP23514
- Amount
- Not disclosed
- Term
- Not disclosed
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- FinChoice Africa Ltd / FinChoice Finance (Pty) Ltd
- Barko✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP1764
- Amount
- Not disclosed
- Term
- Not disclosed
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Barko Financial Services (Pty) Ltd
- African BankSnapshot onlyNot disclosed
- Amount
- R2 000 – R350 000
- Term
- 7–72 months
- Interest
- Annual, risk-based
- Provider
- African Bank Limited
- NedbankSnapshot onlyNot disclosed
- Amount
- R2 000 – R400 000
- Term
- 6–84 months
- Interest
- Annual, risk-based
- Provider
- Nedbank Limited
- SanlamSnapshot onlyNot disclosed
- Amount
- R5 000 – R350 000
- Term
- 12–84 months
- Interest
- Annual, risk-based
- Provider
- Sanlam group entity
Every figure is transcribed from the provider’s own published material. Where a provider does not disclose something, this table says so rather than estimating it. Last checked 10 August 2026. ZarCash may earn a commission when you apply through a partner — it never changes this order. Affiliate disclosure
What it costs — work it out
Set the amount and the term and see the instalment and the total repayable, with every fee the National Credit Act allows and VAT included. An estimate at the legal maximum — not a quote, and not an offer.
Rates and fees use the NCA caps for short-term credit agreements: interest 5%/month (3% repeat), initiation fee R165 + 10% of the amount over R1 000 (max R1 050), service fee R60/month, VAT 15% on fees.
| Principal — what you receive | R3 000 |
|---|---|
| Interest (5%/mo × 3 months) | R450 |
| Initiation fee | R365 |
| Service fee (3 × R60) | R180 |
| VAT on fees (15%) | R82 |
| Total cost of credit | R1 077 |
Check these before you borrow — each can cost less
- Your manufacturer warranty or service plan, if still in force.
- Mechanical breakdown cover attached to some insurance policies.
- An insurance claim, where the damage came from an incident.
- An independent workshop quote, often materially lower for the same work.
Check these three things before you sign — here or anywhere
- The lender’s NCRCP number is published on its own site, and it checks out in the National Credit Regulator’s register.
- The pre-agreement quote breaks out the total cost of credit: interest, initiation fee, service fee and VAT — as one figure you can compare.
- Nobody asks you for an upfront “release fee”. A registered credit provider never charges you before it pays out.
What R8 000 over 4 months actually costs
At the NCA maximum for a first short-term loan (5% a month). An illustration, not a quote.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Amount borrowed | R8 000 |
| Interest (5% × 4 months) | R1 600 |
| Initiation fee | R865 |
| Service fee (R60 × 4) | R240 |
| VAT on fees (15%) | R166 |
| Total you repay | R10 871 |
| Monthly instalment | R2 718 |
Cost of credit: R2 871 on R8 000 borrowed. Figures are calculated at the statutory maximum — your own quote may be cheaper, and must be shown to you in full before you sign.
What makes this different from ordinary borrowing
Check your cover before anything else. A manufacturer warranty, service plan, extended warranty or the mechanical breakdown cover attached to some insurance policies may cover the repair entirely. So might an insurance claim where the damage came from an incident rather than wear.
Get a second quote. Independent workshops routinely quote well below franchised dealers for the same work, and the difference on a major repair is often larger than the entire cost of the credit you were about to take.
Then weigh the repair against the vehicle. Borrowing R15 000 to repair a car worth R25 000 with more failures likely is a decision worth pausing on. Where the vehicle is genuinely at the end of its life, the repair loan funds a problem that will return.
Related
Sources and last checked
- National Credit Act 34 of 2005 and its regulations — Government, as at 10 August 2026.
- National Credit Regulator — register of credit providers — Regulator, as at 10 August 2026.
Page last checked 10 August 2026. Statutory caps and lender terms change — confirm anything you intend to rely on with the provider or the National Credit Regulator. Found something wrong? Tell us and we will correct it.