Auto Finance Direct
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Auto Finance Direct firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Auto Finance Direct
- Legal name
- Auto Finance Direct Limited
- Website
- https://autofinancedirect.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Auto Finance Direct industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Vehicle Finance
- NAICS
- Sales Financing (52222), Sales Financing (522220)
- SIC
- Finance Lessors (6172)
- akta.pro primary industry
- New & Used Auto Purchase Loans (FSAKADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Auto Loan Servicing & Collections (FSAKADAK), Auto & Vehicle Loan Brokerage (FSAEAEAK)
Keywords
Where Auto Finance Direct is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Auto Finance Direct business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Vehicle Loan Interest: Primary revenue from interest charged on vehicle finance loans. Interest rates range from 7.20% p.a to 18.00% p.a and are fixed for the loan term. Interest is calculated daily and charged monthly.
- Loan Fees: Various fees including establishment fees ($195), PPSR registration ($9.20), monthly administration ($5/month), early settlement fees ($35), loan variation fees ($30), and third party dealer/broker fees (up to $395).
- Insurance and Waiver Products: Optional add-on products including Lifestyle Waiver (protection against death, terminal illness, accident, sickness, redundancy, bankruptcy) and Retail Waiver (GAP insurance covering vehicle write-off shortfalls).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard Vehicle Finance |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Loan Establishment Fees |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Account Fees |
| Other | Monthly | Optional Insurance Products |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Auto Finance Direct product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Auto Finance Direct is a New Zealand vehicle finance provider offering secured car loans of NZD 5,000 to NZD 75,000 over 1–5 year terms at fixed interest rates of 7.20% to 18.00% p.a. Customers apply online or by phone and are typically approved within 24 hours; the loan book is supported by optional add-on insurance and waiver products (Lifestyle Waiver, GAP/Retail Waiver, Mechanical Breakdown Insurance).
Product overview
Auto Finance Direct is a New Zealand vehicle finance company offering a unified lending platform centred on secured car loans, complemented by a suite of optional insurance and waiver add-on products. The core product is its vehicle finance/car loan programme, which allows customers to borrow between $5,000 and $75,000 for vehicle purchases with terms of 1 to 5 years and fixed interest rates. This core loan product is supported by an online Vehicle Finance Calculator for affordability assessment, and two digital portals — the AFD Dealer Portal (Connect) for dealer partners and the AFD Customer Portal for borrowers. On top of the loan, customers can purchase five optional add-on products: AFD Lifestyle Waiver (repayment protection for death, illness, redundancy), AFD Retail Waiver (GAP insurance), Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI), Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) Insurance, Lifestyle Protection Insurance, and Credit Contract Indemnity/Payment Protection Insurance. The company has partnered with more than 500 New Zealand vehicle dealers since 2009.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Vehicle Finance / Car Loans Secured vehicle finance product enabling New Zealand residents (citizens, work/resident visa holders, 18+ with a valid driver's license) to borrow NZD 5,000–NZD 75,000 over 1–5 year terms at fixed interest rates of 7.20%–18.00% p.a. to purchase cars, utes, 4WDs, or vans. Customers can apply online in under five minutes or by phone and receive approval within 24 hours.
- AFD Lifestyle Waiver (Payment Protection) Optional add-on protection product that covers the customer's loan repayments in the event of death, terminal illness, accident, sickness, redundancy, or bankruptcy. Benefits include full loan repayment on death or terminal illness, redundancy cover up to 12 months or NZD 10,000 maximum, and accident/sickness cover up to NZD 5,000 maximum. Sourced and administered alongside Auto Finance Direct vehicle loans.
- GAP Insurance (AFD Retail Waiver) Optional Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) add-on product that pays the shortfall between a comprehensive insurance write-off payout and the outstanding loan balance when a financed vehicle is confirmed as a total loss, helping customers clear the loan and replace the vehicle.
- Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI) Optional insurance product that protects customers against the cost of repairing unexpected mechanical faults on used vehicles, covering repair or replacement of covered vehicle parts.
Companies that use Auto Finance Direct
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Auto Finance Direct technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Auto Finance Direct partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Vehicle Dealerships NetworkcoreAuto Finance Direct partners with independent dealerships, franchise operations, and finance brokers across New Zealand to provide vehicle financing. As of the contact page, AFD has established relationships with more than 500 vehicle dealers since founding in 2009. Dealership partners gain access to competitive finance solutions, an online Dealer Portal (connect.autofinancedirect.co.nz), and dedicated Business Development Managers (Liam Mulrooney and Rebecca Irvine-Loan).
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Auto Finance Direct competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- UDC Finance: UDC Finance is one of New Zealand's largest non-bank asset finance providers, offering vehicle and equipment finance to consumers and businesses. Directly comparable to AFD in product mix (secured auto loans), target borrower, and dealer-distribution model across NZ.
- Heartland Group Holdings: Heartland is an NZ-listed reverse-mortgage and asset finance group that includes a vehicle finance division. Comparable to AFD on consumer auto lending product, distribution via dealers, and regulatory framework in New Zealand.
- MTF Finance: MTF Finance is a New Zealand-based vehicle finance originator that funds loans through a wholesale-backed model and works with a nationwide dealer network. Highly comparable to AFD on vehicle-only loan product, dealer channel, and NZ consumer target market.
- Finance Now: Finance Now is an NZ non-bank lender offering personal and vehicle loans directly to consumers. Comparable to AFD on consumer installment lending, NZ-only geographic scope, and direct-to-consumer origination.
- Avanti Finance: Avanti Finance is a New Zealand non-bank lender providing consumer and asset finance products including vehicle loans. Overlaps with AFD in NZ consumer auto lending, online application, and broker/dealer distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Latitude Financial Services: Latitude Financial is a major Australasian consumer finance provider offering personal loans, auto loans, and credit cards. Broader incumbent with overlapping vehicle finance product but a much larger scale and Australian-led footprint.
- Toyota Financial Services New Zealand: Toyota Financial Services NZ provides captive auto finance for Toyota and selected used vehicles through the Toyota dealer network in New Zealand. Comparable on vehicle loan product and dealer channel, though narrower in brand scope.
- ANZ Bank New Zealand: ANZ NZ is one of the largest banks in New Zealand offering consumer auto loans alongside mortgages and other credit. Broad incumbent with overlapping vehicle lending product and substantially larger balance sheet.
Emerging players
- Firstmac: Firstmac is an Australian non-bank lender with a growing auto finance book in addition to its mortgage franchise. Comparable on consumer auto lending product and non-bank distribution model, though primarily Australian in geographic focus.
- Plenti Group: Plenti operates an Australian marketplace lending platform that includes an automotive finance vertical. Comparable in consumer auto loan product and digital origination model, though operating in Australia rather than New Zealand.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Auto Finance Direct financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Auto Finance Direct leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Auto Finance Direct funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Auto Finance Direct M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Auto Finance Direct
What does Auto Finance Direct do?
Auto Finance Direct is a New Zealand vehicle finance provider offering secured car loans of NZD 5,000 to NZD 75,000 over 1–5 year terms at fixed interest rates of 7.20% to 18.00% p.a. Customers apply online or by phone and are typically approved within 24 hours; the loan book is supported by optional add-on insurance and waiver products (Lifestyle Waiver, GAP/Retail Waiver, Mechanical Breakdown Insurance).
Is Auto Finance Direct a public or private company?
Auto Finance Direct is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Auto Finance Direct founded?
Auto Finance Direct was founded in 2009.
Where is Auto Finance Direct based?
Auto Finance Direct is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Auto Finance Direct make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Vehicle Loan Interest is the primary driver. The others are loan Fees and insurance and Waiver Products.
Who are Auto Finance Direct's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are UDC Finance, Heartland Group Holdings, MTF Finance, Finance Now and Avanti Finance. Broad incumbents are Latitude Financial Services, Toyota Financial Services New Zealand and ANZ Bank New Zealand. Emerging players are Firstmac and Plenti Group.
Does Auto Finance Direct have an API?
No public API is recorded for Auto Finance Direct.
What industry is Auto Finance Direct in?
Auto Finance Direct's product category is Consumer Vehicle Finance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKADAA, New & Used Auto Purchase Loans, with a secondary code of FSAKADAK, Auto Loan Servicing & Collections. Its NAICS code is 52222 and its SIC code is 6172.