Harrisburg, PA Auto Loans

We help people with all types of credit find local dealers near them. If you're in Harrisburg and you need a car - enter your zipcode below to get started. We have a network of dealers who have worked with past bankruptcies, bad credit, no credit, and even special finance situations.


Harrisburg, PA can be a tough place to own a car. Vehicle ownership is difficult enough given the cost of used cars in south central Pennsylvania, but when that coincides with the short life most cars suffer at the hands of those cold Pennsylvania winters it can really add up. Harsh winter salt and pothole-filled roads make maintaining that car in one piece a difficult challenge. Yet the prospect of spending the afternoon sitting along the Pennsylvania Turnpike waiting for a tow means having a reliable car a necessity.

But needing a car and being able to afford a car are two different things. What do you do if you need a used car in Harrisburg, but your bank or credit union turn you down for an auto loan? Simply foregoing a vehicle is hardly an option, especially if you have a family or live outside the city. So how do you go about financing a car in Harrisburg with bad credit if you can't take out a loan? Here at Auto Credit Express we've been helping people with this problem for over twenty years, and we'd like to outline some of your options.

1
Qualified Dealers
Near Harrisburg, Pa
970
Total Bankruptcies
Near Harrisburg in the Past 12 Months

Bad Credit Auto Loans Around Harrisburg

One of the big problems people with bad credit tend to have when it comes to vehicle shopping is actually finding a lender that's willing to work with them. Generally, banks or credit unions around Harrisburg won't give you an auto loan unless your credit score is above 620, and some require a score even higher than that. Likewise all those 0% financing offers you see dealerships advertise on TV and in newspapers only apply to people with really good credit.

So who will work with you? There are many dealerships east of Harrisburg that are able to help, including several near Paxtang, Paxtonia, Rutherford, and near Colonial Park that specialize in bad credit. Your auto loan options west of Harrisburg may be fewer, but you should find some if you travel down Route 11 and the Camp Hill area.

However, terms and requirements for bad credit auto loans near Harrisburg can vary from dealer to dealer, so using a free service like Auto Credit Express will locate a dealer for you and so you can complete our loan request form right away: financing that matches your credit situation without wasting your time in Route 322 traffic while trying to find a dealership.

Dealing With Bankruptcy And Auto Financing

A personal bankruptcy on your credit report can create additional headaches, depending on where you are in the bankruptcy process and the type of bankruptcy you've filed. In the case of buying a car following a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, once the Middle District Court has issued the discharge order, most dealers will be willing to work with you knowing that you won't be able to file again for at least 4 years. However, expect to pay a higher interest rate and/or come up with a larger down payment.

Buying a car in a Chapter 13 is not quite as simple as that of a Chapter 7. Since a Chapter 13 can take five to seven years to complete before it can be discharged, if you need to finance a car during this time, you'll need permission from the court. Once you have that, then you can seek out dealerships that work with bankruptcy to get a car. You can also let us help you through our network of dealerships to find one near you that can help. If you're looking to buy a car after a Chapter 13 discharge, be sure to select a Harrisburg dealership that will report your loan and payments. Of course Bankruptcy is a very difficult process, so consult our follow up article for details on Harrisburg auto loans after Bankruptcy.

Harrisburg Buy and Pay Here Car Lots

While everyone's preference is to work a deal from a big name brand dealership that understands the problems you face with bad credit and is willing to work with you, if your credit is just flat out very bad you may not get your wish. However that doesn't mean you're out of options. There are Buy Here Pay Here dealerships from Carlisle to Middletown that would be happy to put you in a car despite what your credit report contains.

There are advantages and disadvantages to BHPH car lots in Harrisburg, and it can be helpful to know about them before you drive the length of I-76 looking for the best deal. The first is that these dealers, as the name suggest, often require you to make payments at the car lot you purchased from. That means if your BHPH dealer is in Mechanicsburg, and you live east of Harrisburg in a town such as Lawnton, then you could have a very long drive bi-monthly or even weekly, depending on your payment plan.

There are other disadvantages, but they can vary by dealer. Some may track your car so they can recover it if you fail to make a payment on time, others may have an automatic kill switch installed. So be sure you understand the payment schedule so that you make your payments on time. For example, if a dealership closes at four and only takes checks in person then you may have a hard time making timely payments if you work till after five. Finally all these types of car lots will charge you a higher interest rate based on your credit score. But the rate can still vary from dealer to dealer, so be sure to do your homework and not just take the first deal offered.

Of course if this is still too much to take in, you can start with us and we'll walk you through the process while being there with you every step of the way.

Rent to Own Car Lots

One form of car finance program that's not widely known, but gaining popularity, is Rent to Own. While you're not likely to find many dealerships offering Rent to Own in Harrisburg, there are some advantages and disadvantages that separate these types of dealers from BHPH and tote the note car lots.

The advantages to this type of financing include the fact that your credit standing is not a factor, you can stop renting and turn in the car whenever you want, and, finally, if you make all your payments on time, at the end of the rental term you'll receive the title to your vehicle. All of this gives you a lot of flexibility if you don't know what your future looks like.

The biggest downside to this type of financing is the big down payment, which may be large enough to just simply buy a junker car outright. Not only that, the cars are older and, like most rental property, haven't been treated gently. If you plan on eventually owning the car you're renting, be sure to have a mechanic inspect it to be sure it's sound. In addition, many of the negatives of BHPH car lots also apply, including such things as tracking devices and payments at the dealership.

While here at Auto Credit Express we only work with dealerships we trust, buyers who wish to shop at small, independent car lots should beware, as the rules of one RTO car lot may not apply at another. Read your contract carefully and understand it before you sign up.

Leasing a Car with Poor Credit

Leasing is an option you normally didn't see in the past, but now with more and more people with bad credit, it is something some of the more mainstream lenders are more open to. Most of the dealerships that do poor credit car leases near Harrisburg are those dealerships that also offer extensive bad credit options.

These are dealerships that are comfortable with high-risk buyers, and work with lenders that have developed programs that give these dealers greater flexibility than those that haven't adapted to the market since the great recession. These programs are typically designed for people within a slim credit profile, which means if your credit is simply poor, and not bad, these dealers may be able to find a lender that can offer you a lease.

These leases typically work like a traditional lease, but with higher interest rates to offset the greater risk. Since these deals often don't qualify for the low lease rates automakers offer to get the most qualified customers to finance with them, your best option is to find a vehicle with a good cash rebate to help lessen your financial burden.

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Finding Your Best Financial Fit

At Auto Credit Express, we realize that while there are plenty of options for people in Harrisburg to find auto financing even with bad credit, many of these options aren't always the best fit for everyone. It's important to remember that inhouse car dealers near Harrisburg also frequently roll over their inventories so if you cannot find a vehicle that is a good fit, it's important to keep trying.

Lastly, it's important to remember that we are here to help. If you need help finding a dealer in Harrisburg that will put you in a car but you keep coming up short, fill out our free online loan request form at any time and we can help you get started rebuilding your credit and getting you back on the road where you belong. Even if that road has been full of potholes.