Tag: Experian

Finding the Perfect Balance

Post author By efgmarketing
Post date October 19, 2017

Contributing Author:
Brien Joyce
Vice President
EFG Companies

From the very first time one person loaned another person their hard-earned money or goods, there has been a level of risk on whether they would ever see their money or property again. As the lender, finding that balance between risk and reward created the concepts of payment plans, requiring borrowers to pay back more than the total amount they originally received, as well as sophisticated algorithms for lenders to use to determine how lenient or restrictive to make their lending policies.

We are currently in a highly contemplative and speculative time when it comes to determining that perfect balance in auto finance. After seven consecutive years of vehicles sales gains, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is forecasting that vehicle sales will total out at 17.1 million new vehicles in 2017, slightly lower than total sales in 2016. This plateau could extend into 2018, or we could potentially even see the beginnings of a period of decline, or even a period of growth and expansion. It could go either way.

Lending practices differ greatly depending on whether an economy is expanding, plateauing, or declining. Hence, the period of reflection. Of course, a plateau at 17.1 million vehicles means that the consumer appetite for auto finance is still strong.

According to Experian’s latest State of Auto Finance Market Report, the total automotive open loan balance reached another record high in the second quarter of 2017, topping $1.1 billion. Average loan amounts remained high across all credit tiers, as well as across both new and used vehicles.

Tags American Financial Services Association, Brien Joyce, EFG Companies, Experian, NADA, National Automobile Dealers Association, National Automotive Finance Association, Non-Prime Automotive Financing Survey, Non-Prime Automotive Financing Survey by BenchMark Consulting International, State of Auto Finance Market Report

Uncategorized

Is Your Auto Loan Affordable?

Post author By efgmarketing
Post date July 12, 2017

Contributing Author:
Brien Joyce
Vice President
EFG Companies

According to a recent study from Bankrate.com, the average new-car price tag is too high for the majority of medium-income U.S. households. Here’s the breakdown:

In May, Kelley Blue Book updated the average new-vehicle transaction price to $33,261.

Using that transaction price, Bankrate applied the traditional 20-4-10 rule to conduct the study – i.e.:

a down payment of 20 percent
a four-year loan
principal, interest and insurance payments accounting for 10 percent of the household’s gross income

From looking at your own portfolios, you probably know that the majority of American consumers don’t put 20 percent down on their vehicle, and they are often financing for upwards of seven years. The fact that consumers don’t use the 20-4-10 rule should give you a good picture of the state of American finances in comparison to vehicle prices.

It should come as no surprise that Bankrate’s study came back showing that only one metro area could afford the average-priced new vehicle – Washington, D.C., where the median income is nearly $100,000.

Despite the fact that, according to Bankrate, most households can’t afford to purchase a new vehicle, new unit sales are still on par with last year’s levels. The most recent LMC Automotive/J.D. Power forecast puts 2017 new vehicle sales volume in the low 17 million-unit range for the year.

Tags Bankrate.com, Brien Joyce, consumer protection products, EFG Companies, Experian, J.D. Power, LMC Automotive, State of Auto Finance, vehicle service contract, vsc