Buying a car for the first time can be nerve jolting but it doesn't have to be. If you don't have credit or want to repair your credit then a "buy here pay here" car lot is the place for you. My husband doesn't have any credit and mine is not so good due to doctor bills from a 2003 surgery. New car lots don't like to finance anyone with less than perfect credit and we found that to buy a new car wasn't practical for us because we didn't have a big down payment. We found a "buy here pay here" car lot and they helped us get a car. We had to pay $500.00 down and worked out weekly payments (which is easier on us to make). You can make monthly or bi-weekly payments also. Making payments weekly helps us keep it paid by not having a big payment to come up with at once.

The less appealing side to this concept is that most cars are used cars, which for us was no big deal. We looked until we found one to our liking and checked out the mechanics and the body. My husband, luckily for us is a mechanic, who checked out the motor and I, who has to put my two cents in, checked out the in and exterior. We then took the car for a test drive. Back in the office they took our personal information and checked our references. We then had to pay our down payment and sign our purchase and loan agreement. There is one thing they did we had not seen before: they took the car an affixed a coded computer to the started of the car. When we pay our payment they give us a code that we put in and it resets the computer. This computer assures that they get their payment for if they don't, the car is shut off. From start to finish in about three to four hours we were on our way home with our "new" used car.Make go car shopping when you have to time to look and go with in mind what you want and how you want to get it. Planning is the key to making sure your first time auto loan won't be your last. Remember you are making credit history with this purchase and you don't want to regret your choice of vehicle or how you pay for it. If you choose to take it back it goes against your credit and if you choose to keep it you will be unhappy for at least 2 1/2 years. So go with time, an open mind and the mental attitude that what you drive off the lot with is your baby to keep and nurture for a long time.

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