With 4×4 holidays becoming more popular and the choice of many Aussies, Finance for 4WD has become a huge market. What has become equally as common is people who have just financed a new 4×4 looking for an additional loan to fund accessories. Most people don’t realise that when looking to finance a 4WD, whether new or used you can also finance the touring build and accessories that go with it. Meaning you can realise your dream touring build and hit the track sooner than you probably thought. Here are a few key takeaways when considering 4×4 and accessory finance:
A weekend away used to mean flights, a hotel, a hire car and eating out every meal. You’d get home, open the credit card bill, and watch the shine come off the trip pretty fast.
Money’s tighter now, and a lot of families, couples and business owners want a different kind of escape. They still want the beach, the bush, the campfire and a proper break from work. They just don’t want every long weekend to turn into a major expense. That’s why so many Australians are looking at 4×4 finance, and not only for the car. They want to fund the whole setup.
A 4×4 weekend is appealing because it can be whatever you need, without the cost of flights or resort rooms. You’re not tied to airport schedules or booking months ahead. You can pack the car on a Friday afternoon and be sitting by a fire that night.
Australians have always loved a road trip, and the pull has only got stronger lately. For one family it’s two nights at a cheap beachside campground with a rooftop tent, an awning, a fridge and a camp kitchen. For another it’s a farm stay a few hours from home, where the kids run wild and the adults switch off. For a tradie it might be a dual-cab ute that earns its keep all week and tours on the weekend. Same vehicle, very different jobs.
A 4×4 earns its place because it does several jobs at once: the family car during the week, the tow vehicle for the caravan, the camping base on long weekends, and the work ute when it needs to be. One vehicle, plenty of roles.
Dual-cab utes, 4WD wagons and touring vehicles suit people who want practicality and lifestyle in one. Models like the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux/Land Cruiser/Prado, Ford Everest, Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X, Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan Patrol stay popular because they adapt to whatever you throw at them.
The vehicle is usually just the starting point though. Once you’ve got the 4×4, the next thought is the build. Suspension, wheels and tyres, a bull bar, a winch, tray or canopy, rooftop tent, roof rack, dual-battery system, fridge, lighting, towing gear, UHF radio, storage drawers, and maybe even a GVM upgrade. It all adds up quickly. A solid build can pass $20,000, and a big touring setup with a tray, canopy and full electrical system runs well beyond that. This is why finance can be incredibly useful, because you can get the set-up you want without skimping, and without outlaying large amounts of cash.
For regular weekends away, yes, touring and camping usually cost far less than hotels, holiday units and resorts. You can stay somewhere unique and close to nature for a fraction of the price, which is exactly why a lot of families are rethinking how they travel.
Apps that connect travellers with private campsites, farm stays and glamping spots have made it even easier. A cheap campsite doesn’t have to feel like a compromise. Plenty of the time it beats a hotel. You wake up near the water, cook outside, bring the dog, let the kids explore, and the whole pace slows down.
If you watch your money but still want a good quality of life, a 4×4 gives you more chances to get away without a long list of ever-growing expenses. For a quick check on what your dream 4×4 set up might look like when it comes to repayments, check out our handy car loan repayment calculator, where you can change the amounts, rate and term to get a feel for what options suit you best.
You can finance it all! Depending on the lender and your situation, you can finance the 4×4 on it’s own, or with the build in one loan rather than taking out two. Since most people looking to getaway rarely want to do this in a stock 4×4, sorting the full setup upfront is often much more convenient, as well as simpler and cheaper than staging it across multiple seperate loans.
When we explain it can happen at the same time, in one loan, most are surprised, and pretty excited that the whole vision can come together faster, and without financial guilt.
Here’s how it works. Instead of one loan for the car and a second for the build, we can structure it as a single facility. This can be achieved unsecured as a personal loan, or secured using the vehicle as security, which often means a lower rate and better terms. By funding the car and the build together as one loan, you avoid paying fee’s for two seperate loans, and preserve your credit score as only one enquiry on your file is made.
Depending on the lender, your profile and how you plan to use the vehicle, finance can cover:
One from our own books: a customer wanted an older Land Cruiser and a touring build to match. Most lenders would have hit the vehicle’s age with a high rate or a short term, which pushes repayments up. We arranged a secured personal loan, with the car as security, so the lender could sharpen the rate and the age mattered less. We also built in funds on top of the purchase price for the accessories. The result was a rate close to what dealers were offering on much newer cars, an older Land Cruiser financed without an age penalty, and the build money included. They bought the 4×4 and had it kitted out, ready to travel, in the same week.
A deposit is not a requirement when it comes to 4×4 finance. There are many benefits that a deposit can offer though. If you are conscious of repayments and sticking to a budget, a deposit is a great way to keep the costs lower, as a smaller amount borrowed means lower repayments. Deposits also are a good way to show additional strength in an application, and either get a better deal from the lender, or increase the chances of approval if the application is close to not matching the lenders criteria.
This is where a broker is invaluable. Our team works with a wide panel of over 50 lenders and can compare 100’s of 4×4 and build finance options against your individual circumstances. The goal is a loan and setup that genuinely fits your budget and your needs, not just an approval on paper or the first offer that comes across the table.
For tradies, contractors and small business owners, a 4×4 is often a work tool as much as a lifestyle vehicle. The handy part is that low doc and lite doc options are built for exactly this, which keeps the process simple, fast, and light on paperwork.
A dual-cab ute with a tray, canopy, tool storage, towing capacity and upgraded suspension covers day-to-day work and weekend trips. For a new 4×4 or ute, low doc and lite doc options can lend $100,000 or more, and in some cases, approve within a few hours based off the strength of your business and its cash flow alone. That means no complicated business financials and tax returns or notices of assessment.
Requirements vary by lender, but they often look like this: a credit score that’s around average rather than perfect, an ABN held for at least 12 months (can be shorter depending on the rest of the application), GST registration not always required, and some evidence of turnover. Even if something’s gone wrong in the past, there are lite and low doc options that use your bank statements to prove income instead of full financials. Our low doc car loans guide walks through how this type of low doc finance can work and the requirements.
Financing your vehicle through your business can also yield potential tax benefits. It’s always worth confirming the specific details with your accountant and the Australian Taxation Office before committing to any purchases factoring in potential tax benefits. Our team work with accountants all the time, and can work alongside your accountant where needed, so the structure of your 4×4 finance supports your business and cash flow, while you get the vehicle and fit-out you need.
A cheap weekend away is only enjoyable if the vehicle and setup are reliable. The right build makes travelling easier, safer and more comfortable, which is the real reason people end up using the car far more often than they expected.
Good suspension improves handling and load carrying. Quality tyres give you confidence on sand, gravel and tracks. A canopy keeps your gear secure and organised. A dual-battery system keeps the fridge running. A rooftop tent or awning makes a quick overnighter simple. When the setup works, the hassle disappears, and you travel more.
That’s the payoff. The 4×4 stops being a driveway ornament waiting for one big trip a year, and becomes part of normal life: beach weekends, camping trips, fishing missions, school-holiday escapes and the odd spontaneous night away.
A 4×4 won’t suit everyone, and finance always needs to be approached responsibly. A well-planned, custom-built 4WD can give you years of use across work, family, travel and weekends, and cut how often you reach for pricey accommodation. For a lot of people that maths stacks up. For others it won’t, and that’s worth being honest about before you commit.
The part that matters most is structuring the finance properly. That requires knowing the details of the 4×4, the full cost of the vehicle and the build including all accessories, understanding what your budget looks like, comparing suitable lenders, loan options and loan structures, all to ensuring everything fits your budget, and that the vehicle can do what you need it to do. Done the right way, you’ll be able to end up with a vehicle that can make a long weekend feel like a real holiday without costing like one.
If you’re thinking about buying a 4×4, upgrading your current 4WD, or building a touring setup for beach camping, weekends away or work, we can help. There’s no cost to start the conversation, and getting a clear picture early puts you in control of the build instead of the other way around.
We can look at your 4WD car loan options, compare suitable lenders, and work out whether the vehicle, the build or the accessories can be wrapped into the right finance structure. Whether it’s a simple weekend rig or a full touring build with suspension, canopy, rooftop tent and electrical upgrades, it pays to get on the front foot with your finance situation. You can even see how other people all over Australia have found our process by checking out our over 1,100 5-star customer reviews on Google.
Want to know more? You can head to our 4×4 and accessory page to understand all the ins and outs.
Or, if you’re ready to start looking at your options now, you can give our friendly team a ring on 1300 665 906 or click here to get the process started using our quick and simple online form.
 Rowdie Lang |
Rowdie has been a part of our Team since 2020. He has witnessed firsthand the ongoing evolution of the finance industry as technology continues to change the way customers' access financial services. He has a passion for helping people and relishes the opportunity to work alongside our teams every day as they help our customers financial dreams come true.
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Reviewed by: Nathan Drew ✅ Fact checked 📅 Last updated: Jul 02, 2026 |
4WD Car finance is when a vehicle finance company lends you the money to buy an off-road vehicle and they will hold security over that vehicle for the duration of the loan. 4WD Car finance can be used for personal use (a consumer car loan) or commercial use (business vehicle loan). We’ve assisted thousands of customers with 4WD finance approvals, this is what we do all day every day. Give us a call for an obligation free chat on 1300 665 906.
Yes, we are finding more people are now preferring to find their next off-roader from a private seller. We can also help with dealer and auction purchases as well. Some used 4-wheel drive vehicles may require a vehicle inspection prior to payment – please discuss with our team prior to purchase. Speak with one of our private sale car finance specialists on 1300 665 906 or apply now – it’s obligation free.
No! Our interest rates will only vary based on the assessment of your individual credit history, income, and banking conduct. It’s our mission to find you the best 4WD finance deal available for your personal circumstances. Speak with one of our 4WD finance specialists today, obligation free on 1300 665 906.
The good news is that some of our financiers don’t have any early termination fees. Fox Finance Group can arrange many different loans with many different financiers. However, some lenders do have an early payout penalty so it’s best to talk to one of our team about all your options. As part of our process, your 4WD Lending Specialist will explain these and all other terms with you prior to you accepting our loan offer. Speak with one of our 4WD car loan specialists on 1300 665 906 or apply now – its obligation free.
Our pre-approval process costs you nothing and commits you to nothing. You are in control of the process the whole way. It is important to note that there is No Fee if Fox Finance Group isn’t able get a suitable approval for you or you decide not to proceed with our loan approval offer. Once approved, there is a once off brokerage fee to cover the costs involved with our services including the set-up, approval and/or establishment of your loan. Most clients opt to have this cost financed as part of their overall loan, which means that you have no initial cost prior to your first repayment. This fee varies based on the complexity and amount of the loan so please feel free to contact us to get an exact quote for your scenario. Many of our loans have no monthly or ongoing account keeping fees.
There is No Fee if Fox Finance Group isn’t able get an approval for you, or you decide not to proceed with our 4×4 finance approval. Apply now.
