Car-Mart is a Buy Here Pay Here dealership. We often get asked what that means, so we recently asked several of our General Managers – our associates who run our dealerships – to explain and simplify what Buy Here Pay Here is all about.
Q. What is a Buy Here Pay Here dealership?
A. A Buy Here Pay Here dealership is where a customer can purchase a used vehicle from the company that finances the loan. The customer makes his or her car payment at the dealership. At Car-Mart, we like to say it’s a one-stop shopping process. Customers can shop, finance, purchase and make payments all in one spot.
We believe this is good for customers because we can sell a customer a vehicle, as well as continue to offer great customer service until they pay off their loan. And, we are also able to assist our customers during the length of their loan contract if they have questions regarding their payments or optional service contract.
Cleveland Sanders, Car-Mart of Sapulpa, OK.
Q. What’s the difference between a Buy Here Pay Here dealership (Car-Mart) and a traditional dealership?
A. The first thought that crosses my mind is the customer service experience that we practice at Car-Mart is much better than a traditional dealership.
A Buy Here Pay Here is more convenient because a customer has more interactions with Car-Mart associates and assistance is available to customers when needed. At Car-Mart, we will work with customers on making payments – we’re more flexible – where a traditional dealership only gives customers so many days in their system to make their payment.
Pat Stutsy-Waldrep, Car-Mart of Oxford, MS.
Q. What are the benefits of Buy Here Pay Here?
A. Car-Mart is an advantage because of how we treat people. We get to know our customers and work with them to select the best vehicle that fits their needs and their budget. We will tailor their payment plans based on their individual situations.
We also offer a limited service contract on the vehicles we sell. We report customers’ on-time payments to the credit bureaus. We have shorter contracts, lower interest rates, and fewer payments. In fact, we encourage our customers to compare what Car-Mart offers compared to other dealerships. Customers can go to our online calculator to estimate their cost savings over the life of their loan.
All these benefits demonstrate that Car-Mart is the right choice when it comes to Buy Here Pay Here dealerships.
Steve Allen, Car-Mart of Fort Smith, AR.
Q. How does Buy Here Pay Here help a customer with building or establishing his/her credit?
A. Car-Mart is not a typical Buy Here Pay Here company. A good credit score is not required to purchase a vehicle. Plus, we report to credit bureaus each time a customer makes his or her payments.
Customers ask us all the time if they must have credit to finance a used car at Car-Mart. This is where Car-Mart sets the bar. Car-Mart customers can purchase a vehicle with no credit, bad credit, previous repossession or even a previous bankruptcy. It depends on the individual situation of the customer. Car-Mart looks more at an individual’s income and employment situation and whether or not the person can truly afford the vehicle.
This is the first step in establishing or building your credit. Get financed, make payments on time and keep an open line of communication with your Car-Mart representative. Then sit back and watch your credit score begin to rise.
Also, with Car-Mart’s easy payment options it’s even easier to make on-time payments and, in return, you can easily rebuild or establish your credit.
April Renfro, Car-Mart of Enterprise, AL.
Q. Why is Car-Mart the right choice when it comes to Buy Here Pay Here dealerships?
A. At Car-Mart, customers can get so much more than a vehicle. Customers get a car buying experience that lasts until they pay off the vehicle, or if they are a repeat customer, a lifetime.
When a customer buys a vehicle from Car-Mart, he or she gets adopted into a family that knows them on a first-name basis. They get counsel when needed, and in more ways than just financial.
And, because they’re part of our family, we care about them. They get hospital visits. They get flowers when a loved one passes away. They just get way more than just a car. And, finally, we’re thrilled to have our customers as part of our Car-Mart family.
Travis Howard, Franchise Manager at Car-Mart of Covington and Milledgeville, GA.
Q. How and where does a customer make their Car-Mart vehicle payment?
A. We offer several different and convenient ways in which customers can make their payments – auto pay, online, by phone or in person.
For starters, customers can simply go to the Car-Mart where they purchased their vehicle. Or they can go to any of Car-Mart’s locations.
Additionally, customers can pay online at Car-Mart.com. Just click payment and follow the prompts. This method has a few different payment options available to customers. They can make a one-time payment, or they can set up multiple payments through the ACH (electronic payment) option on the website.
Customers can also call our Car-Mart payment line at 1-800-253-8087. They can also have their payment auto drafted from their checking account by bringing in a blank-voided check and filling out a form. Or customers can go to a Walmart Money Center. They just need to bring their account number.
Bottom line, we make it easy for customers to make their vehicle payments.
Tracey Bruce, Car-Mart of Henderson, KY.
Thanks to all our General Managers for sharing how they explain Buy Here Pay Here to their customers. We’ve been in business since 1981, and we’ve sold affordable, quality, used vehicles to hundreds of thousands of hard-working customers. Our commitment to our customers, communities, and associates has not wavered since our beginning – our customers can get a great value for their money at Car-Mart. That’s why we like to say we’re the smart choice for our customers.
