Financing for Columbia Basin paychecks
Bad Credit Car Loans in Moses Lake for Seasonal and Farm Income
Harvest, orchard, dairy and food-processing paychecks in the Columbia Basin rarely look the same in March as they do in September, and a lender who sees only your slowest month can underestimate what you earn. At Bud Clary Moses Lake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, our finance team helps you show a full year of income, sends your credit application to lenders and explains what comes back. The decision on credit belongs to the lenders; our job is to arrange the financing, and we take applications from every credit type.
- Full yearThe income window to document, not one slow month
- Lenders decideWe arrange the financing and send the application
- SundaysSales is open 11 to 5
- Off I-9012174 N Frontage Rd, Moses Lake
Why uneven pay is the real hurdle
Lenders weigh your income and debts along with your credit history, the size of your down payment, the loan length and the vehicle itself, according to the CFPB. For someone paid by the season, income is where an application tends to stall. A February pay stub from a packing line can make a steady earner look thin, while a stub from the busiest week of harvest can promise more than the year delivers.
Federal rules help here. Under Regulation B, a lender may not discount income just because it comes from part-time work or a pension, but it may consider how much you earn and how likely that income is to continue. That is why paperwork covering a full year or two tells your story better than any single check.
- Field and harvest crews who earn most of the year's pay in a few busy months
- Orchard jobs that swing with the picking season
- Dairy work with steady base hours and overtime that comes and goes
- Food-processing lines that add shifts when the crop comes in
- Farm owners whose income arrives when the crop or the cattle sell
Putting a season of pay on paper
Bring what fits your situation. Each lender sets its own document rules, so our finance office will tell you if one asks for more.
| If your income comes from | Paperwork that may help |
|---|---|
| Seasonal W-2 jobs | W-2s from every employer for the last two years, plus your latest pay stubs |
| Your own farm or ranch | Your last two federal returns, including Schedule F, the IRS form for farm income and expenses |
| Contract or custom work paid on a 1099 | Your 1099 forms, the tax returns that report them and several months of bank statements |
| Unemployment benefits between seasons | Your benefit statements and the Form 1099-G that reports unemployment compensation |
| Social Security or SSI | A benefit verification letter, which Social Security also calls a proof of income letter |
Missing an old return? The IRS lets you view and download transcripts in your online account, or mails them to you. In the CFPB's official interpretation of Regulation B, Social Security, SSI and unemployment compensation all count as public assistance, which a lender cannot hold against you, though it may still weigh how long the payments will last. Self-employment, part-time and benefit income may count toward a loan; the lender decides.
Timing your purchase around the season
When you buy can matter almost as much as what you buy. These habits help when the money comes in waves:
- Size the payment to your slowest month, not your best one.
- Build the down payment while the checks are big. Putting more down means borrowing less, and lenders compare it with the value of the vehicle.
- If you can, apply while you are still on the payroll, so a current employer can confirm your job if a lender checks.
- Ask the lender, before you sign, whether you can pick a due date that lands after your usual paydays.
- Park the off-season payments in a separate account during the busy months.
- Keep your loan shopping inside a few weeks. The CFPB says auto loan credit checks made within 14 to 45 days of each other generally count as a single inquiry.
How dealer financing works here
Bud Clary Moses Lake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram arranges the loan. A lender makes the credit decision and sets the terms.
- You apply onceFill out our online credit application or apply in the finance office. Read its consent language before you send it, because it explains who may review your credit.
- We send it to lendersOur finance office submits your application, with the income paperwork you bring, to the banks, finance companies and credit unions we work with.
- Lenders decideEach lender decides whether to offer credit and on what terms. The FTC notes that a dealer-arranged rate usually includes an amount that pays the dealer for handling the financing, and that you can negotiate it.
- You compare and signIf your own bank or credit union has made you an offer, bring it and compare the two side by side. Read the whole contract before you sign it.
A negotiable documentary service fee of up to $200 may be added to the sale price. Washington's rules for that fee are in RCW 46.70.180.
What to bring to the finance office
Lenders may ask for some or all of these, and having them on the first visit saves a second drive in from Othello, Quincy or Royal City.
- A valid driver's license
- Income paperwork for the full year, from the table above
- A recent utility bill, lease or other proof of your address
- Proof of insurance or your agent's phone number, since Washington requires liability coverage to drive (RCW 46.30.020)
- The money you plan to put down, plus the title or payoff statement for a trade-in
- If someone is co-signing, their license and income paperwork as well
Used trucks and cars that fit the budget
Browse our used inventory or go straight to the cars under $20,000 list, which changes as vehicles sell. Each used vehicle we sell has passed a 117-point inspection, comes with a free CARFAX report, and carries a 3-month / 3,000-mile limited warranty plus a 3-day / 300-mile exchange.
Have something to trade? Value your trade online before you come in. If the truck you want will work on your own farm, our Section 179 guide covers the business deduction, and your tax preparer has the final word on it.
Start your application
Send it from home, then call (509) 765-4517 with questions. We're open for sales seven days: 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Saturday and 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday.
Visit Bud Clary Moses Lake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Bud Clary Moses Lake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram12174 N Frontage Rd
Moses Lake, WA 98837
Sales
- Mon - Fri
- 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM
- Saturday
- 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- Sunday
- 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Service
- Mon - Fri
- 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Sat - Sun
- Closed
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a car loan with seasonal work income?
Seasonal pay may count toward a car loan when W-2s, tax returns or bank statements show it across a full year or more. Each lender decides how much of it to use, so bring paperwork that covers both your busy and your slow months.
Can I get a car loan with no job in the off-season?
Income other than a paycheck, such as unemployment benefits or Social Security, may count. Under Regulation B a lender can't discount that income because it is public assistance, but it can weigh how long the payments will continue. The lender makes the call.
What are the car loan requirements for self-employed farmers?
Requirements vary from lender to lender. Expect to be asked for recent federal tax returns, including Schedule F if you report farm income, along with bank statements. Our finance office will tell you what a lender requests.
What is the lowest credit score that can get a car loan?
There is no one cutoff. Lenders look at your score and history alongside your income, debts, down payment, loan length and the vehicle. We take applications from all credit types and pass them to lenders, who decide.
Does a car loan application hurt your credit score?
Applying lets lenders look at your credit, and the check can appear on your report as an inquiry. Per the CFPB, auto loan inquiries that fall within a 14- to 45-day span are generally treated as one, which is a good reason to do your comparing in a short stretch.
Can a family member co-sign my car loan?
If the lender allows a co-signer, yes. The FTC warns that a co-signer has to pay the debt if you don't, and the lender can report the loan on the co-signer's credit.