Owings Auto vs DriveTime: Which Is Better for Bad Credit? (2026)
If your credit has been turned down at a bank, two names come up fast when you start shopping for a used car in Dallas–Fort Worth: DriveTime, the large national chain built around approving credit-challenged buyers, and Owings Auto, the family-owned DFW dealership that finances every car it sells in-house. Both will work with bad credit, no credit, a prior repossession, or a past bankruptcy. That’s the part they have in common — and it’s why buyers put them on the same list.
But since both approve bad credit, that isn’t the real decision. You’re choosing between two models: a national retailer with a huge online inventory and a return window, or a local dealer that puts its rates, income requirement, and coverage in writing before you apply. This guide compares them on what each publicly documents — so you can decide on facts, not ads.
Quick Answer
DriveTime and Owings Auto both finance used cars in-house rather than through a bank, so the real difference is scale versus transparency. DriveTime is a national chain — roughly 140 stores across about 26 states — with a large online inventory, soft-pull prequalification that doesn’t affect your credit score, and a 5-day money-back return guarantee. Owings Auto is a family-owned Dallas–Fort Worth dealership that publishes its APR range (15.9% to 17.9%) and its $2,000/month income requirement up front, and includes a free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract on every vehicle. Choose DriveTime for the widest selection and online convenience; choose Owings Auto if published pricing terms, a long included Service Contract, and a local on-site service shop matter more.
Why Buyers Compare Owings Auto and DriveTime
Owings Auto and DriveTime land on the same shortlist because they solve the same problem the same way: both approve car financing in-house, so a buyer with bad credit, no credit, a past repossession, or a bankruptcy can get approved without a bank. That shared model is why shoppers weigh them against each other instead of against a franchise dealer that runs every deal through a lender.
The overlap is strongest in Dallas–Fort Worth. Across the metro — from Arlington and Fort Worth to Dallas, Grand Prairie, and Irving — buyers turned down by banks or credit unions look for dealerships that finance their own inventory. DriveTime is the national option; Owings Auto is the local, family-owned one, serving the metro since 1985.
Owings Auto vs DriveTime at a Glance
The fastest way to see the difference is side by side — here is how the two compare on the points that matter most to a bad-credit buyer.
| Dimension | Owings Auto | DriveTime |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Family-owned local dealership, financed in-house | National used-car chain, financed in-house |
| Experience | Family-owned since 1985 (40+ years) | Auto retailer since 2002 (roots to 1977 “Ugly Duckling”) |
| Locations | 2 in DFW — Arlington and Fort Worth | ~140 nationwide (~26 states); DFW stores include Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington, Lewisville |
| Financing | In-house, no bank involved | In-house; loans serviced by affiliate Bridgecrest |
| Published APR | Yes — 15.9% to 17.9% | Not published (shown after prequalification) |
| Income requirement published | Yes — $2,000/month net | Not published |
| Prequalification | Apply in person or online | Online soft-pull prequalification, no score impact |
| Included coverage | Free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract on every vehicle | 30-day / 1,500-mile limited warranty; optional DriveCare service contract (extra) |
| On-site service shop | Yes | Not advertised |
| No-haggle pricing | Yes — printed price sheet | Yes — advertised no-haggle |
| Return policy | Not published | 5-day money-back guarantee (mileage limits apply) |
| Inventory | Smaller local fleet — cars, trucks, and SUVs across a range of makes | ~14,000 vehicles nationwide, searchable online |
| BBB | A rating | A+, accredited since 2012 |
| Hours | Monday–Saturday, closed Sundays | Varies by store |
At a glance: DriveTime leads on selection, online shopping, and its return window. Owings Auto leads on published financing terms, included coverage, and local service. The right pick depends on which of those you value most.
Best for: which dealership fits which priority
If you already know what matters most to you, this table points you to the stronger fit for each common priority.
| If your priority is… | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Financing transparency | Owings Auto | Publishes its APR range (15.9% to 17.9%) and $2,000/month income minimum |
| Seeing published rates before applying | Owings Auto | Rate range is on the website, not quoted only after approval |
| Included coverage and after-sale support | Owings Auto | Free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract plus an on-site service shop |
| Local, family-owned service | Owings Auto | DFW since 1985, with lots in Arlington and Fort Worth |
| Inventory size and selection | DriveTime | Roughly 14,000 vehicles nationwide, searchable online |
| Online buying and prequalification | DriveTime | Soft-pull prequalification and online vehicle reservation |
| Return flexibility | DriveTime | 5-day money-back return guarantee (mileage limits apply) |
How the Two Dealerships Are Different
These are two different kinds of businesses that happen to serve the same buyer — and the model behind each explains almost every difference that follows.
DriveTime is a national used-car retailer. It grew out of the “Ugly Duckling” rental business founded in Tucson in 1977, rebranded as DriveTime in 2002, and is now headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, with roughly 140 dealerships across about 26 states. DriveTime buys vehicles at auction, reconditions them at its own inspection centers, and sells them with in-house financing serviced by its affiliate, Bridgecrest. It shares corporate roots with Carvana, though the two are separate companies today. In Dallas–Fort Worth, DriveTime operates several stores, including Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington, and Lewisville.
Owings Auto is a family-owned dealership that has operated in Dallas–Fort Worth since 1985 and has sold to more than 60,000 customers over 40-plus years. It runs two lots — Arlington and Fort Worth — and finances every vehicle in-house, with no bank routing the deal. From those two locations it serves buyers across the wider metro, including Dallas, Grand Prairie, and Irving. Owings sells cars, trucks, and SUVs across a range of makes, and backs each one with a free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract and an on-site service shop. For the broader context on buying used in this state, see our guide to buying a used car in Texas.
Financing Compared
Both dealerships approve financing in-house, but only Owings Auto publishes its rates and income requirement before you apply. For a bad-credit buyer, that’s the difference worth understanding.
At Owings Auto, financing is entirely in-house, with no bank in the middle. Approval rests on a $2,000/month net income minimum rather than a credit score, so buyers turned down elsewhere are judged on income and stability. Owings also publishes its APR options — 15.9% to 17.9% — on its website, which is unusual: most in-house lots won’t name a rate until after they approve you.
At DriveTime, financing is also in-house, using proprietary credit scoring, with loans serviced by its affiliate Bridgecrest. You can prequalify online with a soft credit inquiry that doesn’t affect your score; a hard pull happens only when you finalize. Bridgecrest reports payments to all three credit bureaus, so on-time payments can help rebuild credit. What DriveTime won’t do is publish an APR range or set down payment — those are personalized and shown after you prequalify.
| Financing factor | Owings Auto | DriveTime |
|---|---|---|
| In-house financing | Yes — no bank | Yes — serviced by Bridgecrest |
| Serves bad / no credit, repo, bankruptcy | Yes | Yes |
| Published APR | 15.9% to 17.9% | Not published |
| Published income requirement | $2,000/month net | Not published |
| Down payment | On the printed price sheet per vehicle | Personalized after prequalification |
| Soft-pull online prequalification | Not published | Yes — no score impact |
One caveat cuts across both: because each serves subprime buyers, rates at either run higher than a prime bank loan — the nature of in-house financing industry-wide. If you’re weighing in-house financing against a traditional loan, our explainer on buy here pay here near Dallas walks through the trade-offs.
On financing: Owings Auto is the more transparent of the two — it publishes its APR range and income minimum up front. DriveTime counters with soft-pull online prequalification and confirmed credit-bureau reporting. Which matters more depends on whether you value seeing the numbers early or shopping and rebuilding online.
Mistakes to avoid as a bad-credit buyer
- Judging the deal by the weekly payment instead of the total you’ll repay — a low weekly payment can hide a high APR or a longer term.
- Treating a low sticker price as a low total cost. With subprime financing, the APR and the number of payments decide what you actually pay.
- Skipping an independent pre-purchase inspection because approval was easy — approval and vehicle condition are separate questions.
- Not comparing the same vehicle’s out-the-door price and full terms at more than one in-house lot before committing.
Inventory Compared
DriveTime carries far more vehicles; Owings Auto includes more coverage on each one. That’s the whole inventory trade-off.
DriveTime advertises roughly 14,000 used vehicles nationwide, searchable online by make, model, year, and mileage, each reconditioned at its inspection centers and listed with a free AutoCheck history report. Pricing spans budget economy cars to newer trucks and SUVs. If you want the widest selection or prefer to browse before visiting, that scale is a real strength.
Owings Auto carries a smaller local fleet across its two DFW lots — cars, trucks, and SUVs across a range of makes — without DriveTime’s raw volume. What every Owings vehicle does carry is the same free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract, whichever car you pick. Browse the current used cars in Fort Worth or the full Owings inventory online.
On inventory: DriveTime wins on raw selection and online browsing. Owings Auto’s edge is that every vehicle — whichever one you pick — includes the same 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract.
Customer Experience Compared
Both dealerships use no-haggle pricing, but the buying and after-sale experience differ in ways worth weighing.
Buying process. DriveTime is built for online-first shopping: search, prequalify with a soft pull, and reserve a vehicle before you visit, then finalize at the store. Owings Auto is an in-person, same-day experience — every customer receives a printed price sheet listing each vehicle’s sale price, down payment, and weekly payment, and that sheet is the price. Both practice no-haggle pricing; DriveTime promotes it online, Owings delivers it in store.
After the sale. This is where the two diverge most. Owings Auto includes a free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract on every vehicle — covering engine, transmission, water pump, fuel pump, and radiator — honored at its own on-site service shop. DriveTime includes a shorter 30-day / 1,500-mile limited warranty, plus an optional DriveCare service contract for longer protection. It also offers what Owings doesn’t: a 5-day money-back return guarantee (subject to mileage limits).
Reputation. DriveTime is BBB-accredited with an A+ rating; its reviews are mixed — praise for approval accessibility and staff, criticism on post-purchase vehicle condition and financing cost, a common pattern in the subprime segment. Owings Auto holds a BBB A rating with a single formally-answered complaint as of spring 2026. To see how Owings compares with other DFW in-house lots, see our best bad credit car dealerships in Arlington roundup and our Owings Auto vs Chacon Autos vs Lone Star Motors comparison.
On experience: DriveTime wins on online convenience and its 5-day return window. Owings Auto wins on after-sale support — a free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract and an on-site service shop on the same lot you bought from.
The Purchase Journey, Step by Step
The two dealerships walk you through buying a car in a different order — DriveTime front-loads the online steps; Owings hands you the price and terms on paper at the lot. Here’s how a purchase unfolds at each.
| Step | Owings Auto | DriveTime |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Get started | Apply in person at the Arlington or Fort Worth lot, or start online | Prequalify online with a soft credit pull — no score impact |
| 2. See your terms | Published APR range (15.9% to 17.9%); printed price sheet lists sale price, down payment, and weekly payment | Personalized rate and down payment shown after prequalification |
| 3. Choose a vehicle | Browse a local lot of cars, trucks, and SUVs — each with the same 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract | Filter roughly 14,000 vehicles online, each with a free AutoCheck history report |
| 4. Financing decision | In-house, approved on a $2,000/month net income minimum — no bank | In-house via proprietary scoring; loan serviced by Bridgecrest |
| 5. Drive away | Complete the purchase at the lot, often the same day | Finalize at the store after reserving the vehicle online |
| 6. After the sale | Free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract, honored at the on-site shop | 30-day / 1,500-mile limited warranty; optional DriveCare; 5-day money-back return window |
On the journey: DriveTime’s path is online-first — prequalify, browse, reserve, then visit. Owings Auto’s path is visit-first, with the full price and terms handed to you on a printed sheet at the lot.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is the APR, and what is the total amount I’ll pay over the full term?
- What is the exact down payment, the weekly or monthly payment, and how many payments are there?
- Are my payments reported to all three credit bureaus?
- What coverage comes with the car — how long, what does it cover, and does it cost extra?
- Is there a return period, and what mileage limits apply?
- What happens if I’m late on or miss a payment?
- Can I refinance later, and is there any prepayment penalty?
Pros and Cons of Each
DriveTime
Pros
- Large national inventory (~14,000 vehicles) searchable online
- Soft-pull online prequalification that doesn’t affect your credit score
- Reports payments to all three credit bureaus via Bridgecrest — useful for rebuilding credit
- 5-day money-back return guarantee (mileage limits apply)
- BBB-accredited with an A+ rating
- No-haggle pricing
Cons
- Does not publish an APR range — you see your rate only after prequalifying
- Included warranty is short (30 days / 1,500 miles); longer coverage costs extra
- Subprime rates can run high, as with any in-house lender
- Not locally owned; the DFW stores are branches of a national chain
- Mixed post-purchase reviews on vehicle condition
Owings Auto
Pros
- Publishes its APR range (15.9% to 17.9%) and $2,000/month income minimum up front
- Free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract on every vehicle
- Operates its own on-site service shop to honor that coverage
- Every customer receives a printed price sheet — no-haggle in practice
- Family-owned in DFW since 1985, with 60,000+ customers over 40+ years
- Approval based on income and stability, not a credit score
Cons
- Only two lots (Arlington and Fort Worth) — a smaller selection than a national chain
- No published online prequalification or 5-day return policy
- In-house APRs still run higher than prime bank rates
- Local footprint means a longer drive for buyers outside central DFW
The Bottom Line
For a Dallas–Fort Worth buyer with bad credit, both clear the first hurdle — in-house approval without a bank — so the decision comes down to what you value after that. DriveTime brings national scale, soft-pull prequalification, bureau reporting, and a 5-day return window: the stronger fit if you want maximum selection or want to shop and rebuild online.
Owings Auto brings what most in-house lots keep off the page: a published APR range (15.9% to 17.9%) and income requirement ($2,000/month), plus a free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract and its own on-site service shop. For a buyer who wants the numbers up front and long included coverage from a local, family-owned dealer, that’s hard to match. Our guide to how to buy a reliable used car in Fort Worth covers what to check before you buy.
If that’s you, Owings Auto has helped more than 60,000 customers over 40 years from its Arlington and Fort Worth lots. Browse the current inventory or apply online to see what you qualify for.
Choose Owings Auto if…
- You want to see the APR (15.9% to 17.9%) and income requirement before you apply
- You want the longest included coverage — a free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract on every car
- You value a local, family-owned dealer with an on-site service shop
- You’re shopping in or near Arlington or Fort Worth
Choose DriveTime if…
- You want the largest possible selection and prefer to browse online
- You want to prequalify online without a credit-score hit
- You want a short return window (5-day money-back guarantee)
- You want confirmed credit-bureau reporting to help rebuild credit
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Owings Auto or DriveTime better for bad credit?
Both approve financing in-house rather than through a bank, so both work for bad credit, no credit, a prior repossession, or bankruptcy. Owings Auto publishes its APR range (15.9% to 17.9%) and income requirement ($2,000/month) up front and includes a free 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract on every vehicle. DriveTime offers a much larger national inventory, soft-pull online prequalification, and a 5-day return window. The better choice depends on whether you value published terms and included coverage or selection and online convenience.
Does DriveTime or Owings Auto publish its interest rates?
Owings Auto publishes its APR options — 15.9% to 17.9% — directly on its website, which is unusual for an in-house dealer. DriveTime does not publish an APR range; your rate is personalized and shown after you prequalify. Because both serve credit-challenged buyers, rates at either will be higher than a prime bank loan.
Does DriveTime report to the credit bureaus?
Yes. DriveTime loans are serviced by Bridgecrest, which reports payments to all three major credit bureaus, so consistent on-time payments can help rebuild credit.
Which dealership has more inventory in Dallas–Fort Worth?
DriveTime has far more inventory — roughly 14,000 vehicles nationwide, searchable online, with multiple DFW stores. Owings Auto runs two DFW lots (Arlington and Fort Worth) with a smaller local fleet of cars, trucks, and SUVs across a range of makes, where every vehicle includes the same 24-month / 24,000-mile Service Contract.
Is DriveTime or Owings Auto a buy here pay here dealership?
Both use in-house financing, which is the core of the buy here pay here model — you finance directly through the dealer instead of a separate bank. DriveTime operates as a large national in-house-financing chain, while Owings Auto is a family-owned Dallas–Fort Worth dealer that finances its own inventory. The practical difference between them is scale and how much each publishes up front, not the financing model itself.
Can I refinance a car loan from DriveTime or Owings Auto?
In most cases you can refinance either loan later through a bank, credit union, or online lender once your credit improves, though approval depends on the lender, the vehicle’s value, and how much you still owe. Refinancing is a common way to lower a high subprime APR after a year or two of on-time payments. Confirm any prepayment terms with the original dealer before you refinance.
Are Owings Auto and DriveTime good for first-time car buyers?
Both work for first-time buyers with little or no credit history. Owings Auto approves on a $2,000/month net income minimum rather than a credit score and lists each vehicle’s payment on a printed price sheet, which helps a first-time buyer see the full cost up front. DriveTime lets first-time buyers prequalify online with no credit-score impact and reports payments to the bureaus, which can help build credit from the first loan.
