Finance and Insurance Newsletter

JIM HENRY

Subprime lenders court Orlando magic

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 23, 2013
Dealers shopping for subprime lenders could wear out some shoe leather at the upcoming NADA Convention & Expo in Orlando next month.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Are these the best of times?

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 16, 2013
The business dynamics of auto lending are so good -- low interest rates, low cost of funds, low delinquencies and rising consumer demand -- that auto lenders are asking: Is this as good as it gets?... Read More »

 

JAMIE LaREAU

Readers take me to task

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 16, 2013
“Not easily dispelled or discouraged.” That’s the definition of “tenacious.” And there ought to be a photo of a finance and insurance manager beside that definition.... Read More »

 

JAMIE LaREAU

F&I will get tougher in post-cliff economy

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 9, 2013
The hardest job in a dealership this year will be selling finance and insurance. Now any F&I manager reading this would laugh and say that's always the case. But fasten your seatbelt because it's going to be especially challenging this year.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Auto-credit worries appear over

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 9, 2013
Hopefully this isn’t wishful thinking, but strong 2012 U.S. auto sales seem to indicate once and for all that consumer credit won’t be a drag on another year of improving sales in 2013.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Time to take a risk

12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 2, 2013
Suggesting a New Year’s resolution for someone else is risky business, but to me 2013 is the year dealerships should resolve to sell extended-service contracts in the service lane.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

The upside to fewer home-equity loans

12:01 am U.S. ET | Dec. 26, 2012
Home values seem to have hit bottom and started to recover. But analysts say home-equity loans are still down as a way to finance a car or truck purchase.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Keep deals square at tax refund time

12:01 am U.S. ET | Dec. 19, 2012
Add the start of tax season to those holiday milestones that seem to get earlier every year, like Christmas decorations right after Halloween.
... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Dealerships can make or break auto lender, factory reputations

12:01 am U.S. ET | Dec. 12, 2012
J.D. Power and Associates has reaffirmed that the dealership F&I experience has a big effect on what customers think of the factory and the lender that finances the deal.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Low delinquencies help dealers

12:01 am U.S. ET | Dec. 5, 2012
Although delinquencies have shown a slight uptick lately, dealers should appreciate that late payments are still near historic lows. Delinquencies are “defying gravity,” says Peter Turek, automotive vice president for TransUnion’s financial services business unit.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

5 signs of robust F&I

12:01 am U.S. ET | Nov. 28, 2012
Here are five signs that dealership F&I profits will stay strong:... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Give thanks for pent-up demand, lender rivalry

12:01 am U.S. ET | Nov. 21, 2012
This Thanksgiving, dealerships can be grateful for pent-up demand and sharper competition among auto lenders. Those factors show no sign of letting up any time soon, according to research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Time to brace for the luxury rush

12:01 am U.S. ET | Nov. 14, 2012
For the past 10 years or so, December has become the biggest sales month of the year for luxury brands. But it seems as if those brands' year-end sales pushes start earlier every year.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Nissan captive, other lenders step up after Sandy

12:01 am U.S. ET | Nov. 7, 2012
Based on an unscientific round of calls, F&I managers at Nissan and Infiniti dealerships may have the best post-Hurricane Sandy finance offer: Current customers whose cars were totaled are eligible for employee pricing on new vehicles on top of existing factory incentives.... Read More »

 

JAMIE LaREAU

East Coast dealer to captives: Step up after Sandy

12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 31, 2012
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, an East Coast dealer wants captive finance companies to get creative to help affected dealers sell cars. Dealer Bruce Bendell would like manufacturers to create finance incentive programs for folks impacted by Sandy. He likens it to when General Motors launched its “Keep America Rolling” incentive plan after 9/11.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

F&I’s biggest boogeyman

12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 31, 2012
Halloween is a good time to inventory the monsters under the F&I bed. Shining a flashlight under there, we see that credit availability is good. Interest rates are low. The economy is slowly improving. Even housing seems finally to be recovering. No real monsters there.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

More credit checks mean more loans

12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 24, 2012
Here’s a chicken-or-egg question: Do people check their credit because they want a loan, or do they want a loan because they check their credit?... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Conventional wisdom, unconventional advice

12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 17, 2012
I deal with reputable carmakers, retailers and auto lenders nearly all the time, so sometimes what passes for “conventional wisdom” about car dealerships and auto finance comes as a shock. While I was researching a story recently, somebody who ought to know better told me the conventional wisdom is “you should never get financing at the dealership.”... Read More »

 

JAMIE LaREAU

Think you're good? Try selling F&I to Justin Bieber

12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 10, 2012
Imagine your favorite Hollywood actor sitting across from you as you pitch the benefits of an extended-service contract. Or picture batting around the benefits of paint and fabric protection to the prince of darkness, Ozzy Osbourne.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Losing your car key is no small matter

12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 10, 2012
It’s shocking that replacing a smart car key -- one with an embedded computer chip -- is so expensive, running as much as $400, consumer advocates and dealership F&I managers say.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

A reason to cheer the CFPB

12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 3, 2012
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has given auto lenders a lot to worry about in the past year, though so far, its bark has been a lot worse than its bite.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Are the times really changing at dealerships?

12:01 am U.S. ET | Sept. 26, 2012
Sure, there are innovative dealerships out there. But maybe not as many as you might think.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

Regulation threat keeps F&I'ers up at night

12:01 am U.S. ET | Sept. 19, 2012
Dealers and F&I vendors fretted about possible tougher regulations last week at an F&I conference.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

GM Financial poised to strengthen subprime lending

12:01 am U.S. ET | Sept. 12, 2012
So, how good is business for GM Financial? It set a record-low cost of funds last week, paying just 1.5 percent interest on an asset-backed securities transaction.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

F&I lobbyists seek easier state rules for wide range of products

12:01 am U.S. ET | Sept. 5, 2012
F&I industry lobbyists have been pretty successful advocating a “model act” in state legislatures governing the sale of extended-service contracts. So the next move is to take a similar approach for other F&I products, such as GAP policies and tire-and-wheel plans.... Read More »