The ultimate Guide to
Buy Here Pay Here
Table of contents
If you’re reading this, then the chances are high that you’ve been turned down for an auto loan through a traditional lending institution. Thankfully, there is help for you to get a car loan without breaking the bank. A buy here pay here dealership affords you the opportunity to not only get a car loan quickly and easily, but rebuild your credit in the process.
If you have bad credit or no credit at all, these dealerships exist to help you get a reliable vehicle directly through the dealership’s in-house financing. You won’t have to go through another disappointing rejection because the representatives at these dealers will work hard to get you approved for financing based on your employment status and residency.
Featured
Locations
Other
Locations
1
Definition of Buy Here Pay Here
Buy here pay here dealers extend financing to consumers directly through the dealership – as a one-stop, all inclusive solution. If you have bad credit and have gotten turned down, the reps at a buy here pay here dealer will not refuse you based on your credit past. They will put forth every effort to analyze your financial situation as a whole and try to get you approved for an auto loan. If you don’t want to withstand another rejection from a bank or lending institution because of your poor credit history, it’s time to find out what a buy here pay here dealership can do for you.
With other lenders, you obtain financing through a bank and pay them, but with a buy here pay here dealership, the process is smooth and easy. You simply test drive a car that you like, apply for financing and then make your payments at the dealership directly. These dealerships want to see you in a car so that you can continue working and making your payments while building up your credit. In order to approve financing, dealerships who offer in-house financing don’t typically look at your credit in making a determination on whether or not to extend credit to you. They listen to you and look at the entire picture before making any credit decisions and you can get approval the same day if you meet their conditions.
It is basically a one-stop solution for purchasing a used car. If you have a stable job with steady income and a residence, then obtaining dealer financing is nearly guaranteed. These dealers will work with you to get you in a reliable car with an affordable payment plan that is geared to your financial situation. You may be requested to make weekly, bi-weekly or monthly payments, but all of the information will be included in the loan contract that you’ll sign.
2
History of Buy Here Pay Here
In the 1970s, the savings and loan crisis erupted, causing the need for the emergence of buy here pay here dealerships. During the crisis, credit was harder to get for consumers and the number of unemployed people hit a record high. While the economy began transforming from production based to service based, there was a need for people to get back and forth to work. Unfortunately, with credit harder to obtain, it presented a problem for unemployed people. To combat the need to help hard working people get into cars so they could work, the buy here pay here industry was born. During this time, no one had the means to walk into a car dealership and pay out cash for a car, so dealerships had to find a way to get good people in their vehicles.
As a solution, dealerships offered financing through a Related Finance Company (RFC) that would approve customers whose credit wasn’t excellent. With this model, the dealerships could make sales and approve loans themselves.
In 2008, many other lending companies have offered financing options, thus decreasing the down payment needed for buy here pay here dealerships. In order to remain competitive in the market, these dealerships have lowered their requirements for down payments, thus giving them the opportunity to open up dealer financing to even more consumers.
Reference:
3
4 Huge Benefits You Didn’t Think Of
4
How It Works
If you’ve been turned down for a car loan by a traditional lender, then you know that your credit history is less than perfect. Fortunately, there is help for consumers like you who find themselves in need of a vehicle and have a low credit score.
When seeking approval for a car loan through a buy here pay here dealership, you will need to come prepared.
The dealer representative will run your credit report and determine how much credit they are willing to extend to you based on your entire financial picture. At that time, you are free to peruse the selection of reliable vehicles on the lot and select one that meets your needs. Afterward, driving off of the lot is easy and pain free as soon as you sign the loan documents.
Your job is your credit with dealerships that offer in-house financing and these dealers are very familiar with dealing with subprime consumers. So, they know the best avenues in getting you approved if your credit situation is lacking. When you pay your payments on time every month, your good payment history gets reported to the credit reporting agencies, so that you are working toward rebuilding your credit.
Buy here pay here dealerships will take your weekly, bi-weekly or monthly payments directly at the dealership, in person. When you obtain financing using this method, you can discuss the financial aspect of the car buying experience right when you walk in the door of the dealership. The reps working at these dealers are familiar with helping those who are in similar situations and will work their hardest to get you financed for the vehicle you want.
Reference:
5
The Application Process
Through many dealer-controlled financing solutions, you may be able to apply for preapproval before you even leave the house. Sign up on the dealer’s website and you could be contacted by a specialist who is assigned to help you get financing. At this time, you will be scheduled for a test drive if you meet the conditions for approval.
Just because your credit situation isn’t excellent, it doesn’t mean that you deserve to be treated differently than someone with great credit. The dealerships that offer in-house financing want to help you get into a reliable vehicle with a payment that you can afford. Walk into a dealership today and discuss your situation so that you can obtain approval on a well maintained vehicle.
Your poor credit situation no longer has to keep you from being able to own a quality vehicle. Applying is easy and you could be driving off of the lot with a great car the same day.
If you have a good job and have proof of residence, then there isn’t anything holding you back from being on your way to buying a nice car that will fit right into your budget. You can’t be turned down because of your credit, so begin the process today. Applying is as easy as going into the dealership and talking with one of their qualified representatives. The representative will ask to see your proof of residence (usually a utility bill will do), pay stubs, driver’s license, insurance information and references before making a loan decision.
Reference:
6
Down Payments and How They Are Calculated
After making the decision to seek financing through a dealership, you should take all of the necessary documentation with you to the lot. More than likely, you will need a sizeable down payment in order to get the ball rolling with financing. This is not uncommon and a higher down payment can lessen the amount of payments throughout the course of the loan.
In order to get a good idea of what the terms of your bad credit car loan will be, you can use an auto loan calculator to gauge payment amounts.
Using a down payment calculator, you can see how putting more money down will help you during the longer term course of the loan.
If you can afford a higher down payment, it is in your best interests to do so in order to lower your weekly, bi-weekly or monthly payments. Subprime dealerships will also take into account the amount of any trade-ins toward your down payment if you’re considering selling your old vehicle. If you have poor credit, you should consider placing a larger down payment up front in order to get the best deal possible.
7
States’ Laws
A common misconception is that the buy here pay here industry as a whole is not subject to rules and regulations that provide protections to consumers. Buy here pay here dealers aren’t subject to the same regulations as banks by the Federal Reserve, but rather by state. These rules offer the consumer protections with reference to maximum interest rates, late fee charges and grace periods.
Dealerships that fall under the buy here pay here umbrella have a plethora of laws in which they are required to comply. These consist of State and Federal Unfair & Deceptive Practices, State Usury laws, the Truth in Lending Act, the Fair & Accurate Credit Transaction Act, the Used Car Rule, the Privacy Rule, the Safeguards Rule, the Disposal Rule, the Red Flags Rule, the Risk Based Pricing Rule and the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.
These rules and laws work to prevent identity theft, provide buyer’s guides for used vehicles that offer warranty information and give consumers full disclosure on the terms of any loan agreements. Many of these laws are governed by the Federal Trade Commission and offer extended protections to consumers.
The bottom line is that you are protected by a great deal of laws when you go into a dealership to secure financing for a car loan.
8
Obtaining Financing with a Bankruptcy
Chances are, if you’ve filed for bankruptcy, then you were probably at the end of your financial rope. If you were overwhelmed by debts, then you felt it was the only way out of a tight spot that seemed hopeless. Many traditional lenders view consumers who have filed for bankruptcy as a risk that they don’t wish to take on. What they don’t understand is that even if you’ve filed for bankruptcy, you still need to be able to get back and forth to your place of employment. If you have a steady source of income, even a bankruptcy filing should not keep you from being able to get a car loan. You can still get financing despite any negative marks on your credit history.
A bankruptcy filing is an indication of your poor credit past, but you want to look toward the future with a car loan. In doing so, you need to connect with a dealership that won’t take any negative marks on your credit report against you.
While dealerships that offer in-house financing will usually run your credit report, they will usually guarantee approval if you’re working and can prove it. Your job is your credit and these dealerships will work hard to get you into a reliable vehicle as long as their conditions are met.
Your best chance for obtaining auto loan financing with a bankruptcy on your record is to apply following your bankruptcy discharge date. To be completely sure that you are able to obtain auto loan financing while involved in a bankruptcy petition, consult with your attorney. If your bankruptcy has been discharged, bring proof of this with you to the dealership. Many dealers don’t have access to PACER (an online bankruptcy checking system) and cannot verify discharges without proper documentation.
9
Who Should Use Buy Here Pay Here Financing
If you have attempted to apply for financing through traditional lenders and dealerships, then you should look into receiving financing through a subprime lender. Because these dealerships arrange for the loan and finance it for you, you are almost always guaranteed to receive approval.
If you’re like most people, you can’t afford to walk into a dealership and pay cash outright for the vehicle of your choosing. That’s why financing was invented – to help good people like you who work hard get into cars.
If your credit history is lacking or poor, then this avenue is a great way to obtain financing for a well maintained vehicle. Why not work with a company that is on your side? Your credit report only tells part of the story of your credit history, but when you sit down with a qualified professional, they will listen to your side of the story and work with you to get you financed for a car loan.
If you’ve had trouble getting financing through conventional means, your only option may be to seek financing through a buy here pay here dealership. These dealerships are used to working with consumers in bad credit situations and will work to get you approved for a vehicle that is reliable and affordable based on your financial situation.
10
Differences between BHPH vs. Traditional Financing
Traditional lending institutions cater to consumers with excellent credit and will provide lower interest rates based on a person’s credit score. These institutions will reject your application for credit if your credit score is considered subprime (below 550). They only want the cream of the crop when it comes to selling new and used vehicles and will send you a letter within 30 days telling you exactly why they turned you down. Instead of waiting around for that letter, you could be walking in the doors of a buy here pay here lender that will take your entire financial situation into account before working with you to get a car loan. These dealers finance your vehicle purchase themselves, so they are more invested in getting you approved for financing.
Dealerships that want to provide you with financing are used to the risk involved in dealing with subprime borrowers and they have tailor made programs that can work for you.
When you talk with a dealer representative, you can rest assured that they are on your side when it comes to helping you get behind the wheel of a reliable car. You are able to peruse the selection of vehicles and choose a car to test drive. When you’re all done, you can sign the loan documents and take pride in the fact that you are working to rebuild your credit situation.
In more recent times, some dealerships offer auto loan solutions for both excellent and poor credit situations. When at a dealership, look for signs that say “we offer financing” or something similar for a cue if they can provide financing if your credit situation is less than perfect.
11
Dealer Add-ons
Warranties
At many buy here pay here dealerships, you won’t be left to your own devices should something happen to your car during the term of your auto loan. If you’ve chosen to get a warranty on the car, then you need to be sure of what it covers and how much the deductible is. More and more dealers these days are offering some kind of warranty along with an extended service contract for the vehicle you’ve financed through them.
If you have a warranty on your vehicle, you may take it back to the dealership in order to have repairs done on the covered parts. In order to remain competitive in a sea of subprime dealers, many buy here pay here lots offer warranties to protect their customers in the event something should break down in the car.
In this industry, it is a common belief that when the vehicle stops running for any reason, the customer stops paying their payments. No one wants to continue paying for a car that doesn’t work, so it’s best to ensure your car has some sort of coverage before signing the final paper work [6].
No matter how reliable your car is, there is a good chance that at some point or another, something will happen to cause it to break down. This is unpredictable, but with a warranty, you don’t have to pay for hefty repair bills. An extended warranty can lessen the costs of the repairs and have you paying a small deductible instead
Reference:
VIN Etching
GAP Insurance
Car Alarms
Lo-Jack
When buying a used car, it is recommended to have a warranty or extended warranty in place so that you will only have to pay a small deductible. Auto repairs can be expensive and it is worth it to take care of problems as they arise. If your financial situation is tight, you may not be able to afford repairs on your vehicle, making it a great move to have a warranty in place.
12
Why You Might Get Rejected At a Buy Here Pay Here
You may get rejected at a buy here pay here dealership if you are unable to provide proof of your working situation, residential requirements or references. These dealerships may look at your credit report, but they don’t usually use the information contained therein when making a credit approval decision.
Buy here pay here dealerships are used to working with consumers who have poor credit histories, so they are well versed in how to aid you in obtaining a used car loan.
You may be rejected for an auto loan if you aren’t working or cannot provide proof that you’re able to repay the proposed payments for the term of the loan.
In addition, if you do not possess insurance, your application for a loan through a dealer-financed company will be rejected. You must be able to bind coverage on a vehicle before you are able to legally drive it off of the lot. Insurance is a requirement in case anything happens to the vehicle, so that both you and the dealership are protected. In the event of an accident, your liability is reduced with full coverage on the car. Most financing companies, whether traditional or not, require you to have full coverage on any vehicle that you wish to finance.
Lastly, you can be rejected if you do not provide proof that you are a licensed driver. Dealerships will do their best to provide you with a quality used car if all of the conditions are met, but will not bend or break the law in order to provide you with auto financing.
13
What You Don’t Know About Grace Periods
Some dealerships offer a window of dates in which you are able to make your payments. However, others will want your payment on the due date with no questions asked. It is best to refer to the original contract in order to determine the dealership’s leniency with regard to past due payments.
In reality, no one wants to be late in making their payments, but things do come up. It is a good practice to inform the dealership ahead of time if you think you might end up being late on your payments.
In addition, late or missed payments can also lead to the repossession of the vehicle. The practice of adding late fees and placing cars out for repossession is not limited to buy here pay here dealerships. Most, if not all, traditional lenders have provisions in place within your loan contract if you fall into default. It is always a good practice to read over your contractual obligations before signing the loan documents. This helps you avoid confusion in the long run if a late payment occurs.
14
Repossessions
Believe it or not, it is a lot of trouble for any lender to place a vehicle out for repossession. No matter if you’ve financed your vehicle through a traditional lender or a subprime dealership; these companies make money when you make your payments before their due dates.
With traditional and subprime auto loans, there is always a provision within the contract stating the consequences you face if you default on the terms of the loan contract. These companies want to keep you in a car and don’t want to repossess it for any reason. However, to be sure of the dealership’s policy with regard to when they will put your vehicle out for repossession, you should refer to the terms of the loan contract.
If your car does end up getting repossessed, the dealer may choose to put it back on the lot for sale again. Dealerships don’t set out to resell the same vehicle over and over and they have an end goal of keeping you in the car for the entire length of the loan.
As a last result, dealerships will commission the use of a recovery or towing company to retake possession of the vehicle with or without notice to you. As such, lenders who seek repossession as a legal remedy must inform local police of their intent to repossess within a specific time frame.
15
Frequently Asked Questions
16
Questions to Ask the Dealership
Hopefully this will never be an issue, but in the event of an emergency, you should know what your options are and if the dealership is open to negotiations before repossessing the car.
Reference:
In the event that your vehicle is repossessed, the dealer is not obligated to allow you to resume your contract. In effect, you will still remain liable under the terms of the loan contract even if the vehicle is no longer in your possession.
Glossary of Terms
Annual Percentage Rate (APR): The interest rate charged for an entire year’s time.
Bad Credit: A credit score of under 550 which is the direct result of late payments, chargeoffs, repossessions or a bankruptcy filing by a consumer.
Bankruptcy: A legal status referring to a consumer’s inability to repay debts to creditors.
Credit Score: A number between 350 and 850 that is a numerical representation of the consumer’s ability to repay debts according to the information contained in their credit history. This number tells future creditors about whether or not the consumer is likely (or unlikely) to repay debts based on past payment behaviors.
Creditor: An entity or institution that provides financing for a car loan, mortgage or credit card.
Default: If the consumer fails to meet his or her contractual obligations to repay a loan agreement, the account goes into a past due status. It is also the failure to abide by the terms of the contractual agreement and can lead to repossession or added fees.
Down Payment: An initial payment put down toward the entire cost of the vehicle and is typically a percentage of the total cost of the vehicle being financed.
Interest Rate: An annual percentage based on the total amount of the loan, usually charged annually.
Late Fee: Additional charges that are applied to the loan when the consumer is unable to make timely payments.
Repossession: If the consumer fails to pay the payments according to the terms of the agreement, the dealer may seek to remedy the situation by seizing control of the vehicle.
Term: The length of the loan agreement.
Title: An official document issued by the government which proves ownership over the vehicle.
Warranty: A guarantee that repairs will be made if anything breaks down on the vehicle, preventing it from being used.