It can be tough to afford things in this day and age. The average American salary is just under $55,000 before taxes according to the census bureau - and as an average, that means there are people all over the United States that make much less than that.
Even at the average, it’s easy to see how more significant purchases are hard for U.S. citizens to make. Last year, the median rent average across the country was $1,216, which adds up to just under $15,000 in rent alone each year. This does not take other factors into account. The average person spends $2,641 a year on groceries for each person in their family, nearly $4,000 a year on health insurance, and almost $2,000 a year on gas expenses. There are many more expenses that pop up each year, and a new car costs, on average, around $25,000. If a person were not to spend a single dime on themselves, they might be able to afford a new car outright.
But, let’s face it, it’s not likely that you’d be able to afford a new car outright and still be able to live comfortably. That’s why buy here pay here dealerships like Auto Bank try so hard to keep our inventory and loans so affordable for our customers.
It can be hard to find the right used car online or at a traditional dealership. Online, you are subject to weeding through a pile of junk cars, as well as having to negotiate new dealer sales posed as used car sales. Even when you do find a vehicle you like, there’s no guarantee that it will be a reliable car. On the other hand, traditional dealerships do offer used cars for sale, but the selection isn’t always as good. Additionally, many salespeople at brand dealerships will try and talk you into purchasing a new car because they will make a more significant commission off of the vehicle.
Auto Bank, on the other hand, has hundreds of used cars from most popular brands - and we’ll never pressure you into buying a car you’re not 100% excited about.
If you’ve been avoiding dealerships because of your credit, you’re in luck!
Auto Bank is committed to finding cars for everyone, even those with credit issues. We believe that credit doesn’t show the bigger picture of a person’s financial health. Instead, we look at how much a person can afford. We ask applicants for in-house credit to tell us about their monthly income, how much money they pay toward bills every month, and how long they’ve been employed. From there, we work with them to determine a comfortable loan amount that will help them get a car they can enjoy without breaking the bank.
To qualify for credit, you don’t need to have a particular credit score. You simply need to make more than $1200 a month after taxes, have a valid license, and be 18 years of age or older. If you meet these requirements, you qualify for in-house credit! Additionally, we offer competitive interest rates that allow you to repay your loan amount comfortably. Best of all, we report to credit agencies, which means if you continue to make on-time payments and if you pay more than the amount owed once in a while, you can expect to rebuild your credit for future purposes.
No one wants to use their hard-earned off time to go through a process like buying a car. At traditional dealerships, the car purchase process can take hours.
A representative at a brand dealership will likely try to talk you into trying out several cars you may or may not like based solely on a few descriptors. Then, they will walk you through an application for a loan, often without explaining how much needs to be put down as a payment. Finally, you will either have to wait a few weeks to sign the paperwork, or you have the chance of getting denied credit based on your credit score alone.
At Auto Bank of Kansas City, we understand that your time off is valuable. That’s why we have made the process as easy as possible. The guidelines for applying for in-house credit are online and are not based on credit. If you meet the guidelines online, you will be approved, regardless of your credit. From there, you will be notified within 24 business hours about the state of your credit application. Once you are notified, you can come down at your convenience, browse our cars, and make a choice on the same day.
One of the worst things about traditional lenders is that loan terms are rarely ever flexible. They offer fixed-term loans, which means the amounts you pay are based on how long you will take to pay the loan back. Longer loan terms can often mean that you end up spending more over time in interest, and sometimes you even end up paying a lot more than you expected over the lifetime of a loan.
With Auto Bank, our payment terms are flexible. You can choose a shorter repayment term if you are confident you can afford it, or you can draw out your loan and repay a little bit more over time in interest. We believe in giving the customer as much agency as possible so that their car buying experience is the best it can be.
Auto Bank wants to help you get a car you can afford. Meet with our friendly staff and view our diverse collection of quality used cars in Kansas City, Missouri. We’re proud to serve the citizens of North Kansas City, Parkville, Liberty, Gladstone, and more. Click here to get started with an application for affordable in-house financing.