Despite being the fastest growing segment in the auto sales industry, there's not an official definition for Buy Here Pay Here in the dictionary. Buy Here Pay Here (BHPH) financing means that you arrange a loan and make payments on it at the dealership. You purchase the car through what's referred to as in-house financing versus through a third party, such as a bank. Instead of making monthly payments to a traditional lender, you make weekly or bi-weekly payments at the dealership. You therefore "buy" the car at the dealership and "pay" on the loan at the dealership.


Depending on the dealerships you visit, very little. In fact, many traditional new and used car dealerships have started saying they offer BHPH financing as an option. You might not see "Buy Here Pay Here" written across the windshields of their cars, but phrases such as "We Finance" normally indicate the same.  Do not be fooled by those saying “We Finance” and “Buy Here Pay Here” only to find out differently once you get inside.  The key difference between a traditional dealership and AutoMax lies in the shopping experience. At a traditional dealership, your approval is solely based on credit score and what some computer system based in another state says. At AutoMax the process is much easier. The salesman will ask you a series of questions, possibly run a credit report and invest in understanding your credit experience before showing you available cars. Then, with your desired monthly payment and down payment information factored in, they'll show you cars that fit your needs and financial situation


Bad credit shouldn't prevent you from getting a good vehicle. In fact, AutoMax is extremely focused on offering reliable vehicles. We understand that to ensure your faithfulness to the payment plan, we need to offer you a dependable vehicle.  Ask your salesman about our reconditioning processes that we use to prepare vehicles for purchase.  A reliable vehicle serves the interests of both parties.


BHPH dealerships are primarily designed for car or truck shoppers who may have experienced a few financial bumps and bruises.  If your credit score is on the lower end of the scale or if you've ever had trouble getting an auto loan, a BHPH dealership should be one of the places you visit during a car search.


Bringing the correct documents to a BHPH dealership can dramatically speed up your purchase process. Although the list of items can differ depending on your unique credit situation and each dealership, we suggest you take:

Driver's License Proof of Auto Insurance
Financial Info (bank and credit card account info to fill out credit application)
Social Security Number
References (with complete contact info)
Proof of Employment and Salary (paycheck stubs, with one less than 30 days old)
Proof of Residence (mortgage document or rental lease agreement)
Current Phone Bill (or other utility bill such as gas, electric or water)
Down Payment Money

To find out exactly what to bring, call the dealership before you visit.  They'll help you pull together everything you need.


Without a doubt, the most important benefit of AutoMax’s Buy Here Pay Here (BHPH) financing is that it gives credit-challenged people the opportunity to get much-needed transportation. The chance to choose from a wide variety of available cars, make affordable monthly payments and enjoy the freedom a car offers can't be overstated.  BHPH financing also allows you to rebuild your credit history if timely payments are made on an installment loan. If you consistently make on-time payments on a BHPH car loan, AutoMax will report that positive behavior to the credit reporting agencies. Over time, your credit score can improve.


This is a very important question.  The short answer is YES we do.  AutoMax regularly reports both positive and negative payment information to the credit reporting agencies.  If you have a good payment record and the dealership reports this information, this can help you start or rebuild a credit history if that is important to you.  97% of all BHPH lots do not report good credit; before you buy anywhere else make sure that they report.


Instead of making monthly payments to a traditional lender, you make weekly or bi-weekly payments at a BHPH dealership.  We require you to physically bring payment into the office.  All of the following are acceptable methods of payment: cash, check, debit card or money order.  AutoMax is currently exploring ACH or automatic drafts but this is not currently available.


No one ever intends to make a late payment on a car loan, but sometimes it happens. It's critical that you understand our dealership's late payment policy. We normally do not repossess the car the day after you fail to make a payment, but understand there is no grace period.  As a courtesy we will make contact immediately after you fail to make a payment on time.  If your contact information is incorrect then your account can be put in the pending repossession status.  More than likely, this will never be an issue, but it's good to know what to expect if an emergency temporarily delays your payment.  It is always best to call us and to keep us informed about any payments that will not be on time.


Make sure you pick the AutoMax that is close to where you live or work so that it's convenient to come in to make your payment. BHPH dealers prefer to work with customers who live close to the dealership so that it's simple to geographically maintain the financial agreement.  Click Here to find the list of AutoMax locations.


AutoMax loves to take in good clean trade-ins.  We also tend to be more forgiving when it comes to accepting trade-ins on older model cars. That's because we understand the value and benefit of getting long-term use out of cars that many traditional dealerships would not accept.  We are more likely to find a buyer for your car and thus more likely to take it as part of your down payment.


There are several different ways to answer that question. One easy way to figure out the cost is to multiply your monthly payment by the number of payments you'll make to complete the loan.  For example, let's say you took out a $6,000 loan on an car. Your monthly payment is $260 per month. The term of your loan, which is the length of time you have to pay it off, is 30 months. If you fulfill the requirements of the loan by making equal payments over 2 ½ years, you will pay $7,800 for the opportunity to borrow $6,000. The additional $1800 reflects the interest you paid.  What happens if I put cash down or if I trade in my Car?  How do you figure out my payment then?  To find those answers click here to contact us.


The short answer is “No”.  The good news is that all of our cars priced at $4000 and above are eligible for a Vehicle Service Contract.  This coverage can range from 6 months, 6,000 miles to 24 months, 24,000 miles.  See your local AutoMax sales professional for a list of available Vehicle Service Contracts.


We finance customers who have filed bankruptcy all the time.  If you have filed bankruptcy and recently been discharged or dismissed then getting to approval is as easy as you filling out the application.  If you are still in Bankruptcy we can work with you in buying a vehicle but a face-to-face meeting with your local AutoMax sales consultant is required.  Click Here to find the location nearest to you.


Although job history is important it is not the primary reason why customers are approved at AutoMax.  If you have a current pay stub bring it in with the other required items and we will be able to get your credit approved in a matter of minutes.