For those with no car or those in need of a new car, using your tax return to get a new or new-to-you vehicle is one of the best investments you can make. While it might be tempting to spend it on something unnecessary, like a whole new wardrobe, nothing quite beats the feeling of not having to stress about how you are going to get to work or whether or not your current car is going to break down on the highway. Sure, a tax return likely won’t get most people a brand new car, or even pay off a whole used reliable car, but with a tax return and the right car deals, it can make a difference.
Here are some of the things to ask yourself before you start shopping for a car with your tax return money.
Many people want a new car and turned to the latest models as an answer to their prayers. They’re looking for speed, reliability, and potentially some of the more modern features that new models have on cars. But for those on a budget, it is entirely possible to find all of the attributes that they are looking for in an older version of a car, and even possible to get a newer version of a car for less and get the features added on to that version, saving them thousands of dollars. Unless you make your entire income as an Uber or Lyft driver and need a car built within the past ten years, there’s not usually any need to consider an entirely new car.
Buy here pay here dealerships, like AutoBank of Kansas City, have an array of well-maintained, newer models of used cars that please most car buyers. These dealerships must maintain used cars to federal standards and must remain transparent about the car’s issues.
Coming to a car dealership with a general idea of what you are looking for in a car will help dealers find you the vehicle you’d like. Typically, the more general you are, the better. A difference between big name car dealerships and buy here pay here dealerships is that most buy here pay here dealerships will not always have a particular type of car on hand. Therefore, if you come to one of these dealerships saying “I want a fuel-efficient hatchback” rather than “I want a 2012 Subaru Outback” you will most likely leave more satisfied. After all, car dealerships want to make you their customers, so they will go out of their way to find you a car that meets your needs and wants, but used car dealerships don’t always have the inventory to get you the exact car of your dreams.
Another issue that many car buyers run into when looking for a vehicle - used or new - is trying to purchase a vehicle that is out of their price range. If you are looking to put a down payment on a car using your tax return, the financial consideration doesn’t stop there. How much do you make a month? A year? What are your other monthly financial obligations? How much do you anticipate you will pay on insurance each year? All of these things will help you figure out what type of monthly payment you can afford.
With this knowledge, and with a general idea of what you are looking for in a car, a buy here pay here auto salesman can pick out a number of cars on the buy here pay here lot that fit your description.
There are many reasons you might consider a buy here pay here dealership over a traditional brand dealership. First of all, these types of dealerships have many different vehicles on their lot, and you may find a vehicle that you like that you weren’t expecting to like. This could, ultimately, save you money and time over the long run. Next, buy here pay here offers in-house financing, which has many different benefits. Rather than waiting weeks to obtain a loan through a national or local bank, buy here pay here cars are a one-stop shop, allowing you to look, find, and purchase a car usually in the same day.
For people with low or no credit, this allows them to purchase a nice quality car within their budget without having to pay for it outright or settle for a junker car. Finally, for those with bad credit, buying and making consistent payments through buy here pay here shops help rebuild your credit. Therefore, if you have issues with your credit and don’t know how to remedy them, this is one potential way to do so.
AutoBank of Kansas City is one of the top-rated buy here pay here car dealerships in the Midwest. Our inventory of used cars is diverse and affordable, and we have striven to find the best car offers for our customers since the day we opened. For help with buying a car with your tax return, stop by one of our Kansas City locations -- located on East Truman Road and East Front Street in Kansas City. For specific information about our hours and phone numbers, visit our website.