Fresh Start
Life happens. We make it easy to get back on track.
Turned down elsewhere, carrying old collections or stuck in a high-interest loan? The main program page starts there.
Fresh Start Finance Program
No Credit Isn't Bad Credit. It's a Starting Point.
Living on cash, new to Cowlitz County or simply never needed a loan? An empty credit file isn't a black mark. Here's how a first car loan works at Bud Clary Chevrolet, for buyers from Kelso to Rainier.
No history is different from bad history
A file full of late payments, collections or a repossession tells a lender something worrying. A file with almost nothing in it tells a lender very little, good or bad, and that's where most people start the first time they finance.
With less history to go on, lenders lean on the rest of the CFPB's list: income, debts you already carry, the amount you borrow, the money you put down set against what the vehicle is worth, and new versus used.
From no credit to a first car loan
- Pull your free credit reportsGo to AnnualCreditReport.com. If a report exists under your name, scan it for accounts you don't recognize.
- Line up insuranceEvery driver in Washington needs liability coverage (RCW 46.30.020), and lenders commonly require coverage on the car itself. A quote up front keeps the budget honest.
- Let us know it's your firstSay so in the quiz or on the phone, and finance will explain what lenders typically want from someone financing for the first time.
- Apply online or at the storeOur credit application runs five short steps: contact, residence, details, income and co-applicant. Enter your full legal name exactly as your license shows it.
- Lenders weigh inOnly with your OK, the application heads to outside lenders that consider buyers new to credit. Each one sets its own answer and terms.
- Choose within the budgetIf a lender approves, pick a vehicle that fits. Browsing our used vehicles under $20,000 is a good way to see what's possible.
No approval is guaranteed, and the lender owns every credit decision.
What helps when your file is thin
- Pay you can document: stubs, a benefits letter, or tax returns and bank statements for self-employment. Regulation B stops a lender from discounting income just for being part-time or a pension, and the lender decides what share of it to count.
- Steady time at your job and your address
- Cash or a trade-in toward the price
- A co-signer with established credit. Our online application has a co-applicant step, and the FTC notes that co-signers take on equal responsibility for the contract.
- A car that still fits once insurance is added in
First-loan vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Credit file | Everything the bureaus hold on how you've borrowed and paid. Check yours free at AnnualCreditReport.com. |
| Co-applicant | A second person on the application whose credit and income are reviewed along with yours. It's the last step of our online form. |
| Hard inquiry | A lender's credit check after you apply. Checks from auto lenders that fall within 14 to 45 days of each other generally count once (CFPB). |
| Retail installment contract | The contract you sign at the dealership. The FTC explains that the dealer typically sells it to a bank, finance company or credit union, which then collects your payments. |
| Down payment | Cash, trade-in value or both, paid at the start so the loan is smaller. |
First cars from Bud Clary Chevrolet
★★★★★1,100+ five-star Google reviewsRead our Google reviews for Bud Clary Chevrolet
“As a first time car buyer, Bud Clary made the process efficient and easy! I worked with Jake and he guided me through every step, answered all my questions with a positive smile every step of the way!”
Miya K., Google review, March 2024
“Bought my first time car from. Bud clary this weekend. Seller Trenten was very polite, courteous, patient with us no pressure.”
lynda t., Google review, May 2025
“...Bradley helped me out with the purchase of my first vehicle at a dealership several months ago and made the process nearly stress free and the finance department was great to work with too.”
Tiffany B., Google review, November 2021
Excerpts from 5-star Google reviews, quoted as written. Every buyer's credit is different, and lenders make every credit decision.
Will this loan appear on your credit report?
Yes, as long as your lender sends its records to the credit bureaus, and then every payment goes on the record, on time or late. Ask the lender before you sign whether it reports. Autopay is a simple way to keep a busy week from becoming a late payment.
Before you sign, and the costs after
Washington puts a clock on deals that hinge on financing that isn't final yet: the dealer has four days, not counting weekends or legal holidays, to accept or reject the contract, and on a rejection it must offer back your down payment and trade (RCW 46.70.180). The Washington Attorney General suggests waiting to take the car home until financing is final, so ask us if your paperwork says subject to financing.
Then plan for the extras: insurance, tabs, fuel and upkeep. A used car from Commerce Avenue also comes with two oil changes and two tire rotations we cover (rotations only, if it's electric), along with a 137-point inspection, its CARFAX report, a limited warranty good for 3 months or 3,000 miles, and a 3-day / 300-mile exchange.
More in the Fresh Start Finance Program
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy doesn't have to mean no car.
Chapter 7 or 13, including a note for Oregon filers whose cases sit with a different court.
Checklist for your visit
Every lender's list differs a little. Phone ahead and finance can confirm what your lender will want.
- Driver's license (any state)
- Social Security number or ITIN
- Income records: stubs, a benefits letter, or returns plus bank statements
- Proof of your current address (Oregon residents: your Oregon address)
- Insurance card or agent's contact information
- Your co-applicant's details, if you have one
Your first car starts here
Answer the quiz above, start the five-step application, or call (360) 423-1700 and ask for finance.
Visit Bud Clary Chevrolet
Bud Clary Chevrolet1030 Commerce Ave.
Longview, WA 98632
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 - 5:30 PM
- Saturday
- 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- Sunday
- Closed
Frequently asked questions
No credit history at all. Can I still get a car loan?
You can apply. When there's little to read, lenders look harder at your pay, how long you've worked and lived where you are now, any cash down, and whether someone will co-sign. The decision is each lender's, and approval isn't guaranteed.
What's worse, bad credit or no credit?
They're different problems. Bad credit is a record of trouble; no credit is a record that has barely started. Lenders treat each one their own way.
Do first-time buyers need a co-signer?
Not always. A lender may find your income and the car you choose are enough, or it may ask for a co-signer. Anyone who co-signs shares responsibility for the contract (FTC).
What documents do I need for my first car?
Bring a driver's license, something that shows your income and a bill or lease with your address, and have insurance lined up before you drive away. Oregon residents should bring proof of their Oregon address.
Does applying hurt my credit if I've never had a loan?
A lender's check can move a score a little, if you have one. The CFPB says auto loan checks made inside a 14 to 45 day window are usually scored together as one.
Can Oregon residents buy their first car here?
Yes. Put your Oregon address on the application. Our Oregon buyers guide explains the paperwork for Oregon residents buying in Washington.
Does Bud Clary Chevrolet have a first-time buyer program?
First-time buyers apply through the Fresh Start Finance Program. Our finance office passes the application on to lenders that consider people new to credit, and each one decides.
Related pages
The Fresh Start Finance Program is Bud Clary Chevrolet'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. A negotiable documentary service fee of up to $200 may be added to the sale price.