Bridgecrest Login: Access Your Account and Avoid Repossession

Call 800-967-8526. That's the fastest way to reset your Bridgecrest login credentials if you've been locked out. You can also text customer service at 602-223-1449, but phone support typically resolves account access issues in under 10 minutes.

If you're new to Bridgecrest, you financed a used car through a dealership like DriveTime or Carvana and got matched with Bridgecrest's subprime auto lending program. Your interest rate probably sits between 18% and 24%, and missing even one payment triggers a cascade of fees and repossession risk. Protecting your login access keeps you in control.

How to log in to your Bridgecrest account

Bridgecrest offers three ways to access your account:

• Website: Visit bridgecrest.com and click the login button in the upper right corner. You'll need your registered email or account number plus your password.
• Mobile app: Download the Bridgecrest Account Manager from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Login credentials match your web account.
• Phone: Call 800-967-8526 to make a payment over the phone. Automated systems handle basic transactions; press 0 to reach a live agent.

First-time users need to create an account before logging in. Have your VIN, vehicle make and model, and loan account number ready. The setup process takes about five minutes.

What to do when you forget your password

On the Bridgecrest login screen, click "Forgot Password." You'll receive a reset link at your registered email address. If you no longer have access to that email, call customer service at 800-967-8526. Representatives verify your identity using the last four digits of your Social Security number and your current address.

If you've moved recently or changed phone numbers, update your contact information immediately after regaining access. Bridgecrest sends payment reminders and late notices to the contact info on file. Missing those alerts accelerates repossession timelines.

Setting up autopay to protect your vehicle

Autopay withdraws your monthly payment automatically from a checking account or debit card. To enroll, log in and navigate to Payment Options, then select Automatic Payments. Choose your payment date (Bridgecrest allows you to pick any date between the 1st and 28th of the month) and link your bank account.

Autopay reduces your risk of repossession, but it creates a new problem: overdraft fees. If your account balance dips below your car payment on withdrawal day, you'll pay $35 to $40 in overdraft charges. That's on top of Bridgecrest's late fee if the payment bounces.

One workaround: Schedule autopay for the day after your paycheck deposits. If your pay schedule changes, log in and adjust the payment date at least three business days before the next withdrawal.

What Bridgecrest can do if you miss payments

Bridgecrest charges a late fee of $15 to $25 (depending on your state) if your payment arrives more than 10 days past the due date. That fee compounds your principal balance, which means you're now paying interest on the late fee itself.

After 30 days without payment, Bridgecrest reports the delinquency to all three credit bureaus. Your credit score drops 60 to 110 points on average. At 60 days past due, repossession becomes likely. Bridgecrest contracts with local tow companies who can seize your vehicle from your driveway, workplace, or any public location.

Once repossessed, Bridgecrest sells your car at auction—usually for 40% to 60% of its retail value. You remain liable for the "deficiency balance," which is the difference between what you owed and what the auction generated. If you owed $12,000 and the car sold for $5,000, you now owe $7,000 plus repossession fees, storage costs, and auction expenses. That total often exceeds $10,000.

Bridgecrest or a debt collector will sue you for the deficiency. If you ignore the lawsuit, they win a default judgment and can garnish your wages or freeze your bank account. The garnishment continues until the full judgment is paid.

How to negotiate with Bridgecrest before repossession

If you're behind on payments, call 800-967-8526 and ask about payment arrangements. Bridgecrest sometimes agrees to defer one payment to the end of your loan term or split a missed payment across two months. These modifications aren't guaranteed, but they're more likely if you call before your account hits 60 days past due.

What Bridgecrest won't do: reduce your principal balance or lower your interest rate. Multiple customers on the Better Business Bureau site report requesting loan modifications after their vehicles lost value. Bridgecrest denied every request. Their business model depends on high-interest income from subprime borrowers, and they have no financial incentive to renegotiate terms.

If you owe more than your car is worth (called being "underwater" or "upside down" on the loan), your options are limited. You can't refinance an underwater loan through most credit unions or banks. You're locked in until you either pay down the principal or surrender the vehicle.

What happens after Bridgecrest files a lawsuit

Bridgecrest files deficiency lawsuits in state courts, usually within 90 to 180 days after repossession. You'll receive a summons and complaint by certified mail or process server. The complaint lists the deficiency amount, repossession costs, and legal fees.

You have 20 to 30 days (depending on your state) to file a written response called an Answer. If you miss that deadline, Bridgecrest wins by default. Filing an Answer forces them to prove their case. You can challenge the deficiency calculation, the auction price, or the repossession fees.

Most deficiency balances include inflated costs. Bridgecrest might claim $2,500 in repossession and storage fees when the actual cost was $800. If they can't produce itemized receipts, a judge may reduce the judgment amount.

If you're facing a Bridgecrest lawsuit, our bankruptcy screener can tell you in 3 minutes whether Chapter 7 will eliminate the debt. Deficiency balances are unsecured debts,they're discharged in bankruptcy just like credit cards.

Whether bankruptcy stops a Bridgecrest lawsuit

Yes. Filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharges deficiency balances, late fees, and any lawsuit Bridgecrest filed. Once you file, the court issues an automatic stay that halts all collection activity, including wage garnishment and bank levies.

Chapter 7 takes about 4 months from filing to discharge. You'll lose any non-exempt assets (property beyond basic exemptions), but most filers have no non-exempt property. The median Chapter 7 filer keeps their car, furniture, retirement accounts, and personal belongings.

If you're still making payments on the Bridgecrest loan and want to keep the car, Chapter 13 bankruptcy might work better. Chapter 13 lets you catch up on missed payments over 3 to 5 years. Your car can't be repossessed during the repayment plan as long as you make your monthly plan payments.

Some borrowers use Chapter 13 to "cram down" an underwater car loan. If you've had the loan for more than 910 days (about 2.5 years), you can reduce the principal balance to the car's current market value. If you owe $15,000 on a car worth $8,000, the court resets your balance to $8,000. The remaining $7,000 gets treated as unsecured debt and usually receives $0 to $0.10 on the dollar.

Our bankruptcy filing service walks you through every form and document. You'll know exactly what you'll lose, what you'll keep, and how much your monthly payment will be before you file.

Why Bridgecrest customers end up in trouble

Bridgecrest partners with "buy here, pay here" dealerships that target subprime borrowers. If your credit score sits below 600, traditional lenders (banks, credit unions) reject your application. The dealership connects you with Bridgecrest on the spot.

These loans carry interest rates between 18% and 24%, compared to 4% to 8% for prime borrowers. A $15,000 car loan at 22% interest with a 5-year term costs $411 per month. You'll pay $24,660 total,$9,660 in interest alone.

That same car probably depreciates to $8,000 after three years. You've paid $14,796 and still owe $10,200. You're $2,200 underwater even after paying $14,796.

Most Bridgecrest borrowers bought the car because they needed transportation to keep a job. When hours get cut or medical bills pile up, the car payment gets skipped first. Bridgecrest doesn't offer hardship programs or payment deferrals beyond one or two months. Their collections department moves fast.

What the Better Business Bureau complaints reveal

As of 2023, Bridgecrest had 1,608 complaints filed with the BBB. The most common issues:

• Holding titles after payoff: Customers who refinanced with credit unions report waiting 30 to 60 days for Bridgecrest to release the title. Late title transfers cause the new loan to default, triggering penalties from the new lender.
• Refusing loan modifications: Borrowers underwater on their loans asked Bridgecrest to reduce the principal to match the car's current value. Bridgecrest denied every request.
• Repossession without notice: Some customers claim their car was repossessed after one missed payment, despite making partial payments or requesting a payment plan.

Bridgecrest maintains an A+ BBB rating, which measures complaint resolution, not customer satisfaction. The company responds to complaints within 30 days, but responses typically restate company policy rather than offer solutions.

How to avoid subprime auto loans in the future

Before you visit a dealership, apply for financing through your bank or credit union. Even with a 580 credit score, some credit unions offer auto loans at 12% to 15%,still high, but 40% cheaper than Bridgecrest's rates.

If every lender rejects you, wait. Use public transportation, carpool, or buy a $2,000 cash car while you rebuild credit. Six months of on-time payments on a secured credit card can boost your score enough to qualify for better loan terms.

Dealerships make more money when they arrange financing. They get a kickback from lenders like Bridgecrest. That's why the salesperson pushes you toward in-house financing even if you mention having your own. Bring a pre-approval letter from your bank and refuse dealer financing.