E-NEWSLETTER

By Jim Bass

With the capital markets on the mend, special finance could be on the comeback trail, that’s if bank regulators and financial services reform don’t get in the way. Insider breaks down the market.

Tags: AmeriCredit, buy-here, pay-here , Chrysler, Credit Acceptance, Experian Automotive, General Motors, special finance, subprime finance

By Gregory Arroyo

The industry shows signs of improvement in July and August, with AmeriCredit reporting a 4Q profit and DealerTrack increasing its number of active finance sources.

Tags: AmeriCredit, DEALERTRACK, Editorial Page, Experian Automotive, Ford Motor Credit

By Jim Bass

The subprime and nonprime auto finance industry has definitely seen better days, but there are signs of a rebound on the horizon. Finance expert weighs in on the situation.

Tags: AmeriCredit, full-spectrum finance, nonprime finance, subprime finance, TALF

By Gregory Arroyo

I was asked at the magazine’s September F&I Conference and Expo when I thought this mess we’re in would turn around. My response was, “Ask me again this time next year.”

Tags: AmeriCredit, Chrysler Financial, CNW Marketing, Editor's Page, Experian Automotive, F&I Conference & Expo, Ford Motor Credit, GMAC Financial Services, NADA, Nomis Solutions

By Gregory Arroyo

Have we as an industry forgotten about the fifth component of the lending Cs? You know, character. It’d be a shame if F&I managers lost the ability to call up a buyer or lender rep to fight for their customer. Isn’t that what made this industry fun?

Tags: AmeriCredit, Editor's Page, FICO score, Fitch Ratings, loan-to-value

By Gregory Arroyo

Did you catch that news item about “subprime” being voted the Word of the Year? Apparently, the American Dialect Society thought the adjective dominated the attention of the press and the public throughout 2007.

Tags: AmeriCredit, Editor's Page, full spectrum, subprime

By Gregory Arroyo

I’m sure you’re tired of all the media coverage surrounding the subprime mortgage arena, and all the doom-and-gloom talk floating around. But it’s not going to stop. What’s important is that you read between the lines.

Tags: AmeriCredit, Editor's Page, Experian Automotive, Wolters Kluwer , Zurich

By Gregory Arroyo

Is it me or is just about everyone looking for that one kink in the armor of our business? Yes, blame the subprime-mortgage market all you want, but the reality is that it’s going to be guilt by association from here on out. What’s important now is that we don’t prove those “Chicken Littles” right.

Tags: AFIP, AmeriCredit, Editor's Page, Federal Reserve, NADA, NAF Association, subprime, Triad Financial

By Gregory Arroyo

Talk about birth by fire. Four days, two shows, about 500 photos and two notebooks crammed with notes. And out of the notes I took during the third-annual F&I Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, the one comment that stood out was the one made by this one brave soul who grabbed the microphone at the conclusion of a panel discussion on compliance and uttered, “I’m afraid to go back to my dealership.”

Tags: AFIP, AmeriCredit, DEALERTRACK, Editor's Page, F&I Conference & Expo