Fresh Start
Life happens. We make it easy to get back on track.
Bad credit and pay that changes with the seasons: how our finance office puts a Fresh Start application together.
Fresh Start Finance Program
Bankruptcy Doesn't Have to Mean No Car.
Looking for a Chapter 13 car loan in Moses Lake, or ready to buy after a Chapter 7 discharge? Your options are open. The case just decides which papers come first, and our finance office will help you gather them.
Find your case, then your documents
| Case status | Documents lenders commonly ask for | Check with |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter 7 with a discharge | Your case number and a copy of the discharge. U.S. Courts says the court generally grants it 60 to 90 days after the date originally set for the creditors' meeting. | Our finance office |
| Chapter 7, waiting on discharge | Lenders generally want to see the discharge. Don't sign for new credit until your attorney has weighed in. | Your bankruptcy attorney |
| Chapter 13, plan in effect | Your attorney's confirmation that the Eastern District notice for the new debt went through. New debt mid-plan calls for a talk with the trustee first, says U.S. Courts. | Your attorney and trustee |
| Chapter 13 with a discharge | The discharge order from your completed plan | Our finance office |
Background only, not legal advice. Your bankruptcy attorney or trustee should confirm anything that applies to your own case.
Chapter 13 in Grant County: the notice and the budget
Grant County belongs to the Eastern District of Washington, one of the state's two federal bankruptcy districts (28 U.S.C. 128). Chapter 13 cases filed from Moses Lake, Othello, Royal City or Quincy follow that court's local rules.
Under Local Bankruptcy Rule 2083-1, taking on debt during a plan starts with the debtor's Notice of Intent to Incur Post Petition Debt, filed alongside an amended statement of income and expenses. When nobody objects, the matter can move forward; an objection sends the question to the court.
If your income follows the harvest, that amended budget is where a full year of pay records earns its keep: W-2s from each seasonal employer, Schedule F for farm income, a 1099-G for unemployment between seasons. Your attorney prepares the filing. If they need vehicle details, we'll give you a written price on the specific vehicle, and the retail contract waits until your attorney says go.
Getting your file ready
Your attorney leads on the case. These steps simply give a lender a clearer picture.
- Assemble the court documentsThe discharge order for a finished case; for a Chapter 13 still running, what your attorney provides once the notice process ends. Can't find the order? Ask your attorney's office.
- Review your credit reportsPull all three, free, from AnnualCreditReport.com and see how the debts in your case now appear. Federal law (15 U.S.C. 1681c) caps how long a bankruptcy may be reported at 10 years, measured from the filing in most cases.
- Show the whole year of incomeSeasonal wages, farm income, benefits, part-time work and a pension can all be listed. Regulation B bars a lender from writing down part-time wages, pension checks or public assistance just for their source, but the amount it actually counts is up to the lender.
- Aim for a smaller loanA lower-priced vehicle, cash saved from the busy season or a trade-in all reduce the balance. In Chapter 13, the trustee and court will look at whether the payment fits your plan.
- Apply when the vehicle is pickedAuto loan credit checks that all fall within a 14 to 45 day window generally register as one inquiry, per the CFPB, so keep your comparing short.
How lenders weigh a bankruptcy
A lender reads the bankruptcy as part of a whole file. The CFPB says it also considers income and debts, the amount and term of the loan, your down payment as a share of the vehicle's value, and whether the vehicle is new or used.
There isn't one required waiting period after a discharge, because lenders each set their own. Our finance office asks where your case stands before anything else, so your application goes only to lenders open to a bankruptcy in the file. Approval isn't guaranteed.
Terms from your case, defined
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Discharge | A court order that cancels what you personally owe on most debts the case covered (U.S. Courts); lenders will typically ask for a copy. |
| Trustee | The court-appointed administrator of your case. In Chapter 13, plan payments go through the trustee, who should hear about any new debt. |
| Chapter 7 | A case in which most debts are discharged, often within a few months. |
| Chapter 13 | A plan to repay creditors over three to five years while keeping your property (U.S. Courts). |
| LBR 2083-1 | The Eastern District local rule covering new debt during a Chapter 13 plan, by notice plus an amended budget (local rules). |
| Reaffirmation agreement | An agreement to remain responsible for a debt, frequently a vehicle loan, that would otherwise be discharged. Talk it through with your attorney before signing. |
Words from customers
★★★★★700+ five-star Google reviewsRead our Google reviews for Bud Clary CDJR of Moses Lake
“...First purchase 2 years into bankruptcy and they really came through for me. Leo is the best.”
Rustel K., Bud Clary Subaru, Longview, Google review, January 2023
“My salesman Travis Anderson was amazing! I was uneasy because I had a small budget and had a bankruptcy a few years ago, Travis was very optimistic and calmed my nerves!”
Charisse W., Bud Clary Ford, Longview, Google review, May 2025
“...Nate Jackson did a fantastic job finding me a car that fit my budget and lifestyle. ... They treated me fairly and kind.”
Gariane L., Bud Clary Auburn Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Google review, December 2017
Excerpts from 5-star Google reviews, quoted as written. Every buyer's situation is different, and lenders make every credit decision.
Choosing a vehicle your plan can handle
A used vehicle generally keeps the balance down. Ours are inspected on 137 points and come with a CARFAX report at no cost, limited warranty protection for 3 months / 3,000 miles, an exchange option within 3 days or 300 miles, and two oil changes and two tire rotations to start, free (rotations only for an electric car).
Browse the used inventory or the cars under $20,000. When the right one is sitting at another Bud Clary store, we'll bring it to Moses Lake at no cost, sometimes the same day.
More in the Fresh Start series
First-time buyers
No credit isn't bad credit. It's a starting point.
Years after a discharge, a credit file can be nearly blank. See how lenders read a short history.
Bankruptcy paperwork for 12174 N Frontage Rd
- The discharge order, or for an active Chapter 13, the notice paperwork your attorney gives you
- Your case number and your attorney's phone
- A valid driver's license
- A year or more of income records: W-2s, stubs, Schedule F, 1099s or a benefits letter
- A lease or current bill showing your address
- Your insurance company and policy number, or your agent's contact
Case papers together?
Take the quiz above, go to the credit application, or reach our finance office at (509) 765-4517. In an open Chapter 13, your attorney is the first call.
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 during Chapter 13 in Moses Lake?
It's possible, but not without your attorney and trustee. The federal courts' Chapter 13 guide says to talk to the trustee before borrowing, and in the Eastern District of Washington the route is the notice and amended budget under Local Bankruptcy Rule 2083-1, which your attorney files.
Can I buy a used car while in Chapter 13?
The same steps apply whether the vehicle is new or used. A lower-priced used vehicle keeps the new payment smaller, which matters when the court and trustee look at your budget.
What if I want to pay cash for a car during Chapter 13?
Check with your bankruptcy attorney before you spend it. Questions about money during an open case are theirs to answer, not ours.
Can I get a car loan after my Chapter 13 discharge?
Yes, you can apply once the discharge is entered; bring the order. Each lender sets its own policy on how long it wants to see after a bankruptcy.
How soon after filing bankruptcy can I buy a car?
During an open case, talk with your attorney before signing anything. After a discharge, lenders each decide how much time they want to see, and a bankruptcy can stay on credit reports as long as 10 years.
Should I sign a reaffirmation agreement on my vehicle?
That's a legal decision with lasting consequences, since it keeps you liable for the loan after the discharge. Make it with your bankruptcy attorney.
Will a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram dealer work with me after bankruptcy?
This one will. Bud Clary Moses Lake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram takes applications from buyers in an open Chapter 13 and from buyers whose case is closed, and sends them to lenders that consider a bankruptcy. The lender decides; approval isn't guaranteed.
Is the Fresh Start Finance Program part of my case?
No. Bankruptcy is often described as a fresh start, but our program is only Bud Clary Moses Lake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram's name for working with buyers whose credit has taken a hit. It has no part in your case and is no substitute for your attorney.
Related pages
The Fresh Start Finance Program is Bud Clary Moses Lake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram's name for how our finance team handles applications from buyers with bad credit, no credit or a past bankruptcy. Financing comes from outside lenders, which decide approval and terms, and approval isn't guaranteed. This page is general information, not legal advice. A negotiable documentary service fee of up to $200 may be added to the sale price.