Six Questions Your Auto Dealer Hopes You Can’t Answer

Navigating automobile financing can be one of the biggest financial headaches you’ll encounter. But, unless you want to walk everywhere, it’s something you’ll have to deal with. The biggest hurdle is figuring out the angles and understanding the entities that stand to profit from the transaction. Let’s go through some of the more challenging parts of automotive financing by addressing some of the questions about automobile financing your dealer hopes you won’t ask.

1) How do dealerships secure financing?

Car dealers usually have a department that is responsible for setting up financing and insurance (commonly referred to as “F&I”). These people take the estimated price of the car, the actual value of the car, and your credit history to a number of different credit providers. These include major national lenders, auto manufacturer financial departments, and depending on the dealership, some local lending institutions. These vendors each quote an interest rate and other fees.

Car dealers usually have longstanding business relationships with their lenders, which often include incentives for the dealer as a “reward” for financing a loan through that lender. Because the lenders are competing for the dealer’s business, not necessarily for yours, those incentives are for dealers and not consumers. While the dealer knows that lower interest rates make you more likely to buy a car, in this transaction, you’re not the customer. You’re the product. The dealer is trying to sell your business to a lending organization and usually makes a profit on the transaction.

2) When should I tell the dealership I already have financing?

Let’s be clear: Financing is profitable for dealerships in many ways. If they know they can’t turn a profit from financing, they’re more likely to push harder to find profit elsewhere. You’re almost always better off keeping the auto loan for the last part of your transaction with the dealership, particularly if you plan on securing outside financing. This doesn’t mean, though, that you don’t want to think about financing until that point in time. Discuss your plans with a representative at the credit union; including the type of vehicle you are planning to purchase. Figure out what kind of rates they can offer. By doing your research ahead of time and knowing what financing options are available to you, you can let the dealer think there’s still money to be made in the financing, which may strengthen your negotiating position on other parts of the transaction, like the price of the car or the value of the trade-in.

3) How do dealerships make money offering 0% financing?

If you’re shopping for a car because you’ve seen an advertisement for 0% financing, you’re not alone. Campaigns, like Toyota’s “Toyotathon,” offer manufacturer’s deals like 0% financing for 60 months and are incredibly popular for car buyers and dealers alike. If it were honestly a losing proposition for the manufacturer, they wouldn’t keep doing it. This might invite you to ask how they could possibly make money on the financing. The answer is two-fold: volume and selectivity.

The volume part of the money-making strategy is simple. 0% financing gets people on the lot and encourages them to think about buying a specific brand of car. The manufacturer and the dealer both make money on each car sold, so the 0% financing trades some profit per car in the hopes that they’ll make up for it in number of cars sold.

Selectivity is the other side of volume. Not everyone who comes to a 0% financing event will qualify for that rate. Because most people who get to the point of discussing financing have decided to purchase a car, they’ll settle for a non-zero rate when it’s presented to them. Between these two strategies, advertising 0% financing does pretty well for a car dealer.

4) Does my salesperson benefit from financing my car purchase?

This really depends on the dealership. Most of the time, your salesperson only benefits from the price of the car, the warranty, and some high-markup items, like undercarriage treatment, upgraded tires, and other products. The financing department – the people who are responsible for getting quotes and delivering them to the salesperson – is likely to be the folks who receive any kind of commission on the financing. In these instances, it’s also very likely that the salesperson with whom you’re dealing has little to no control over your financing. He or she might be able to go back to the financing department and ask them to attempt to negotiate a better rate, but this negotiation may not have much success. In any case, someone at the dealership profits from getting you a loan.

5) What is GAP insurance, and is it right for me?

“GAP” or guaranteed asset protection insurance is automobile insurance that covers the difference between the total amount of the loan and the value of the car. It provides protection against the worst-case scenario, that you total a car (or the vehicle is stolen) and you owe more than it is worth. Your comprehensive insurance coverage will only pay out the value of the car, leaving you on the hook for the remaining interest and finance charges. A dealer may require you to purchase GAP insurance as a condition of financing your purchase. The cost of the insurance is almost always paid up front as part of the financing charges.

GAP insurance is designed for long-term, high-interest, or low down-payment financing. If you are buying a car without putting a lot of money down, or if your credit history is not stellar, you should consider getting GAP insurance. But, like any other purchase, you should shop around. Because most financing arrangements require you to purchase GAP insurance, dealerships maintain institutional arrangements with insurance agencies, expecting you to purchase it without much thought. It’s one last effort to make money off your purchase, and they rely on you to not notice. You may be able to find better rates on GAP insurance at Consumers Professional Credit Union.

6) What steps can I take to avoid being railroaded by last-minute financing changes?

Financing is among the easiest places for dealers to make money, because it’s almost always the last step in the car-buying process, and they expect you to be both committed to purchasing a car and exhausted from making a series of decisions. High-pressure salespeople use this fact to their advantage. When it comes time to talk financing, frequently, the license plates are off your old car, and you’re sitting down with a sales manager. While it may seem counter-intuitive, this is the best time to walk away and get a second opinion on financing. Call CPCU to see if we can offer you a better rate, lower fees, or a more flexible term. Ask the dealer to commit as much as possible to a price on an offer sheet. Then, tell them you’d like to take some time to think about it. If you come back with a cashier’s check in hand, the sales manager may hem and haw a bit. But, at the end of the day, they’d rather make the sale than make a little extra on financing.

This is an especially important step if your history with credit is complicated. A giant lending corporation won’t see the steps you’ve taken to solidify your financial position. They don’t have the same relationship with you that your credit union does. They see you as a risk number and an interest rate they can justify, not as a member of a community institution.

Give Consumers Professional Credit Union the first chance to beat the dealer’s offer – CPCU works for you, not for a commission.

Six Questions Your Auto Dealer Hopes You Can’t Answer

Navigating automobile financing can be one of the biggest financial headaches you’ll encounter. But, unless you want to walk everywhere, it’s something you’ll have to deal with. The biggest hurdle is figuring out the angles and understanding the entities that stand to profit from the transaction. Let’s go through some of the more challenging parts of automotive financing by addressing some of the questions about automobile financing your dealer hopes you won’t ask.


1) How do dealerships secure financing?


Car dealers usually have a department that is responsible for setting up financing and insurance (commonly referred to as “F&I”).). These people take the estimated price of the car, the actual value of the car, and your credit history to a number of different credit providers. These include major national lenders, auto manufacturer financial departments, and depending on the dealership, some local lending institutions. These vendors each quote an interest rate and other fees.


Car dealers usually have longstanding business relationships with their lenders, which often include incentives for the dealer as a “reward” for financing a loan through that lender. Because the lenders are competing for the dealer’s business, not necessarily for yours, those incentives are for dealers and not consumers. While the dealer knows that lower interest rates make you more likely to buy a car, in this transaction, you’re not the customer. You’re the product. The dealer is trying to sell your business to a lending organization and usually makes a profit on the transaction.


2) When should I tell the dealership I already have financing?


Let’s be clear: Financing is profitable for dealerships in many ways. If they know they can’t turn a profit from financing, they’re more likely to push harder to find profit elsewhere. You’re almost always better off keeping the auto loan for the last part of your transaction with the dealership, particularly if you plan on securing outside financing. This doesn’t mean, though, that you don’t want to think about financing until that point in time. Discuss your plans with a representative at the credit union; including the type of vehicle you are planning to purchase. Figure out what kind of rates they can offer. By doing your research ahead of time and knowing what financing options are available to you, you can let the dealer think there’s still money to be made in the financing, which may strengthen your negotiating position on other parts of the transaction, like the price of the car or the value of the trade-in.


3) How do dealerships make money offering 0% financing?


If you’re shopping for a car because you’ve seen an advertisement for 0% financing, you’re not alone. Campaigns, like Toyota’s “Toyotathon,” offer manufacturer’s deals like 0% financing for 60 months and are incredibly popular for car buyers and dealers alike. If it were honestly a losing proposition for the manufacturer, they wouldn’t keep doing it. This might invite you to ask how they could possibly make money on the financing. The answer is two-fold: volume and selectivity.


The volume part of the money-making strategy is simple. 0% financing gets people on the lot and encourages them to think about buying a specific brand of car. The manufacturer and the dealer both make money on each car sold, so the 0% financing trades some profit per car in the hopes that they’ll make up for it in number of cars sold.


Selectivity is the other side of volume. Not everyone who comes to a 0% financing event will qualify for that rate. Because most people who get to the point of discussing financing have decided to purchase a car, they’ll settle for a non-zero rate when it’s presented to them. Between these two strategies, advertising 0% financing does pretty well for a car dealer.


4) Does my salesperson benefit from financing my car purchase?


This really depends on the dealership. Most of the time, your salesperson only benefits from the price of the car, the warranty, and some high-markup items, like undercarriage treatment, upgraded tires, and other products. The financing department – the people who are responsible for getting quotes and delivering them to the salesperson – is likely to be the folks who receive any kind of commission on the financing. In these instances, it’s also very likely that the salesperson with whom you’re dealing has little to no control over your financing. He or she might be able to go back to the financing department and ask them to attempt to negotiate a better rate, but this negotiation may not have much success. In any case, someone at the dealership profits from getting you a loan.


5) What is GAP insurance, and is it right for me?


“GAP” or guaranteed asset protection insurance is automobile insurance that covers the difference between the total amount of the loan and the value of the car. It provides protection against the worst-case scenario, that you total a car (or the vehicle is stolen) and you owe more than it is worth. Your comprehensive insurance coverage will only pay out the value of the car, leaving you on the hook for the remaining interest and finance charges. A dealer may require you to purchase GAP insurance as a condition of financing your purchase. The cost of the insurance is almost always paid up front as part of the financing charges.


GAP insurance is designed for long-term, high-interest, or low down-payment financing. If you are buying a car without putting a lot of money down, or if your credit history is not stellar, you should consider getting GAP insurance. But, like any other purchase, you should shop around. Because most financing arrangements require you to purchase GAP insurance, dealerships maintain institutional arrangements with insurance agencies, expecting you to purchase it without much thought. It’s one last effort to make money off your purchase, and they rely on you to not notice. You may be able to find better rates on GAP insurance from a broker or from another lending institution.


6) What steps can I take to avoid being railroaded by last-minute financing changes?


Financing is among the easiest places for dealers to make money, because it’s almost always the last stop in the car-buying process, and they expect you to be both committed to purchasing a car and exhausted from making a series of decisions. High-pressure salespeople use this fact to their advantage. When it comes time to talk financing, frequently, the license plates are off your old car, and you’re sitting down with a sales manager. While it may seem counter-intuitive, this is the best time to walk away and get a second opinion on financing. If you have not already sought pre-approval from them, see if your credit union can offer you a better rate, lower fees, or a more flexible term. Ask them to commit as much as possible to a price on an offer sheet. Then, tell them you’d like to take some time to think about it. If you come back with a cashier’s check in hand, the sales manager may hem and haw a bit. But, at the end of the day, they’d rather make the sale than make a little extra on financing.


This is an especially important step if your history with credit is complicated. A giant lending corporation won’t see the steps you’ve taken to solidify your financial position. They don’t have the same relationship with you that your credit union does. They see you as a risk number and an interest rate they can justify, not as a member of a community institution. Always give your credit union the first chance to beat the dealer’s offer – your credit union works for you, not for a commission.

Ten Things You Can Do To Improve Your Credit Score

Did you know that only 10 percent of Americans know their credit score?

Those are the findings of a survey commissioned by TrueCredit.com, a web subsidiary of the credit bureau, TransUnion. “It is shocking how little Americans know about their credit,” said John Danaher, president of TrueCredit.com. “Good credit is a cornerstone of your financial profile, enabling you to finance major purchases, such as a home, education, or car.” Then, he added, “Not knowing about your credit can expose you to higher interest rates which translates into less money in your pocket at the end of the day.” When you apply for credit, your credit scores help lenders determine whether or not you are able to repay the loan based on your past financial performance. With a higher score, you qualify for better interest rates, higher credit limits, and more types of credit than you would with a lower score. Your score reflects the way you use credit, and there are no tricks or quick fixes to getting a good score. However, you can raise your score over time by demonstrating that you consistently manage your credit responsibly.

Here are 10 things you can do to improve your credit scores.

1. Pay your bills on time. If you have a history of paying your bills on time, you’ll have an easier time getting a mortgage loan, car loan, or credit cards. Even if you’ve had serious delinquencies in the past, a recent history (24 months) of on-time payments carries weight in credit decisions.

2. Keep credit card balances low. High outstanding debt can pull your score down.

3. Check your credit report for accuracy. Inaccurate information on your credit report can be cleared up easily. Always contact the original creditor and the credit bureaus whenever you clear up an error so that the inaccurate information won’t reappear later.

4. Pay down debt. Consolidating your credit card debt or spreading it over multiple cards will not improve your score in the long run. The most effective way to improve your credit is by slowly paying down the amount you owe.

5. Use credit cards—but manage them responsibly. In general, having credit cards and installment loans that you pay on time will raise your score. Someone who has no credit cards tends to have a lower score than someone who has already proven that he can manage credit cards responsibly.

6. Don’t open multiple accounts too quickly, especially if you have a short credit history. This can look risky because you are taking on a lot of possible debt. New accounts will also lower the average age of your existing accounts which is something that your credit score also considers.

7. Don’t close an account to remove it from your record. A closed account will still show up on your credit report. In fact, closing accounts can sometimes hurt your score unless you also pay down your debt at the same time.

8. Shop for a loan within a focused period of time. Credit scores distinguish between a search for a single loan and a search for many new credit lines, based in part on the length of time over which recent requests for credit occur.

9. Don’t open new credit card accounts you don’t need. This approach could backfire and actually lower your score.

10. Contact your creditors or see a legitimate credit counselor if you’re having financial difficulties. This won’t improve your score immediately, but the sooner you begin managing your credit well and making timely payments, the sooner your score will get better.

These ideas won’t create a dramatic improvement in your credit score overnight, but over time, they will. Remember, it takes time to develop a strong profile. Once you’ve done it, you’ll find it easier to apply for credit and favorable interest rates.

Start using your upgraded CPCU online bill pay today.

Your online bill pay from Consumers Professional Credit Union is now even simpler and more convenient. That’s because your upgraded online bill pay home page is now a dashboard that allows you to view your payees, upcoming bills, payment history and account balances at a glance.

Also, from your dashboard you can:

• Add a new payee faster than ever. Click the “Add a payee” button and enter the required information.
• Make a payment in just one click. Choose a payee and enter the payment amount and date. Then click “Submit.”

• Automate recurring payments and save time each month. Select “Make it recurring” when you schedule your next payment.

• See payment amounts and due dates of upcoming bills with eBill. Click on the “eBill” icon next to your payee to get started.

Online bill pay dashboard

Login to your CPCUi account and click Pay Your Bills under the Services tab to start enjoying all the benefits of your newly upgraded online bill pay system.

See how you can simplify your life with online bill pay. This video shows how you can make payments, track payments, and manage finances all in one convenient place.

Click the take a test drive link on the video page for a live view of online bill pay.

Learn more about online bill pay on our website. If you have any questions, please contact CPCU at 517.372.2400.

The True Cost Of Your RV

Q:We’d like to get an RV instead of going on vacation this summer. It’s always been a dream of ours. In addition to the cost of purchasing the RV, what hidden expenses should I expect once we own it?

A: Buying or renting an RV can be an enjoyable way to travel and see the country from sea to shining sea without checking into a motel room even once. But before you make that decision, take into account these hidden and additional costs:

Fuel. Plan on about 8 to 15 miles per gallon. If your water and sewage tanks are fully loaded, you’ll spend more on fuel. If you travel light, you can get better mileage. But in the middle of that range, it’s still going to cost about 38 to 40 cents per mile in fuel costs alone, assuming diesel prices of $3.50 per gallon. Some areas have higher fuel costs than others.

Also know that that’s just for moving around. Your generator will also consume fuel if you aren’t plugged into the grid. If you’re using an electric heater or the air conditioning while you are stationary, or if you enjoy hot water, you will have to run your generator. The more you use it, the higher the costs will be. Some may use propane rather than electricity, but propane isn’t free either.

RV Park Fees. Lots of people use the free parking in Walmart parking lots, but if you want to stay at an RV park, plan on spending between $30 and $50 per night. This is usually a little less than you’d pay for a budget hotel, but be prepared to pay it pretty often. RV folks tend to be out on longer trips than non-RV people, who may only pay for a hotel for a few days or a week. You can usually get a discount from RV parks if you pay by the month.

Insurance. Because there are a number of specialized underwriting factors, see if you can find an insurance carrier or agency that specializes in RVs. For example, a typical auto policy has very limited benefits for replacing lost, stolen or destroyed personal belongings in a car. You will need higher limits for an RV than for a standard truck or sedan. You will also need specialized ‘full-timer’ insurance for when your RV is stationary. This coverage provides similar protection to homeowners’ insurance. But if you still have an unwheeled residence, you’ll also need to maintain home coverage on it.

Note: In most cases, you need insurance even if your RV is a trailer. Ask your agent about “trailer insurance.”

Maintenance. Save early and save often for maintenance issues. Towing costs alone will be significant if you do have a breakdown. It takes a heavier duty tow truck to haul an RV – and it may have to be hauled a long way to find a mechanic capable of fixing it! Maintenance costs are all over the map, but can easily run thousands of dollars. New tires alone cost $300 each (roughly $1,200 to change them all).

Once you’re aware of these factors and feel, as many people do, that the benefits and savings far outweigh the costs,start shopping for your RV. Consumers Professional Credit Union can help you purchase an RV with our RV loan program. Call the credit union for more information visit CPCU or call 517.372.2400.

Is Your Rewards Card Really Rewarding You?

Conventional financial wisdom for the last 10 years has been that you need a rewards card. Obviously, carrying a balance is bad, but if you pay your debt in full every month, it’s a no-brainer. You put all your expenses on your credit card, pay it off before you’re charged interest, and rack up those airline rewards. You cash those in for free flights, first class upgrades, lounge stays and other perks.


There’s another bit of conventional financial wisdom, though: there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Free rewards sound great, but are you really getting everything you’re promised? Airline companies, faced with rising costs for fuel and labor, have started to cut costs everywhere they can. To understand how airlines save money by cutting your rewards, it’s helpful to understand the rewards systems.


Airlines use miles systems to build loyalty. The more you fly, the more points you get. These points can be used for all kinds of travel perks. The intent of such a program is ensuring you consistently choose the same airline by giving you some kind of reward that’s commensurate with your amount of traveling.


Other companies, mostly major credit card companies, also want to reward you for using your card so you’ll use it more. They buy blocks of reward points from airlines and award them to you for card usage. The airline makes money from the sale and they also use the rewards as a way to promote their services.


When it comes to points, airlines can lower costs in two ways. They can make them more difficult to spend or they can give fewer of them. Right now, things are so bad for the airline industry that they’re doing both.


With the first approach, they make it difficult to redeem rewards. By making popular flights unavailable to rewards program customers, airlines can sell more tickets for cash. They still make the same dollar value from the sale of the miles, but they have to give less back in return. A recent survey of major airlines by IdeaWorks showed a significant drop for most major airlines. United Airlines, for example, had 8.6 percent fewer flights available for rewards members in 2014 than it did in 2013.


In the second tactic, the airlines give fewer rewards. Up until last year, airlines awarded miles based upon distances traveled. Now, according to The New York Times, they’re switching to awarding points based on dollars spent. This means that, unless you fly a lot, regularly make upgrade purchases, or otherwise spend a lot of money on air travel, you’ll be getting fewer rewards.


Given this change in policy, it might be time to take another look at your rewards card. Is it still the best bet for your money? If you’re thinking about cutting the card, check out these factors:

• Is there an annual fee? If you’re paying money every year to use the card but you’re not getting more than that amount in rewards, your credit card is a losing proposition. Check your billing statement for this information – and don’t forget to check the fine print. 
• Is the interest rate extremely high? If you pay the balance in full every month, you might not ever think to check your interest rate. Suppose, though, that something unfortunate happened – you or your spouse lost your job, you lost track of the date, or otherwise forgot to pay the bill. You could rack up significant financing charges on one month’s expenses. 
• Is there a real grace period on interest? You might assume that if you pay your credit card bill before the end of the billing cycle that you wouldn't get hit with any interest charges. This might have been the case when you first signed up, but the deal may have changed. Credit card disclosures are often difficult to read, so check carefully. 

If any of the above are making your rewards card less of a reward and more of a chore or added expense, it might be time to look closer to home for your credit card needs. Consumers Professional Credit Union offers our own credit card program and we’re offering 4.9% APR* on balance transfers** for the first 6 months!


Because the card is offered through your credit union, you know you can get the same caliber of service you’re used to getting from the people helping other people in our community. You can save money on fees and interest, as well as save time and frustration dealing with big, unfriendly credit card companies. Instead of counting on programs for rewards you may never see, put the money you save with a low-cost credit card from CPCU into a vacation club account. Now that’s a real reward!


Think and read all the important documents carefully, then pick up the phone. We make it easy! Call CPCU today!


*Annual Percentage Rate
** Balance Transfers: This rate will apply for the first six months and then standard purchase rates will apply thereafter. Offer subject to change at any time. Valid as of 5.7.15.


SOURCES:


http://www.ideaworkscompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Press-Release-88-Reward-Seat-Report.pdf


http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/business/fliers-facing-fewer-rewards.html?ref=international&_r=0

Sharpen Your Savings Skills

Sharpen Your Savings Skills

Learning to save money takes practice. By saving, you can spend money on what’s important to you—whether that's a new video game, a trip to the movies, a used car, or even a college education.

Let's get started:
Elementary school:

- Ask your parents to help you open your own savings account at the credit union. Keep track of how much money you put in and take out. That way you can see how close you are to meeting your savings goal.
- If you're saving up for something special, like a new bike or toy, hang a picture of it on the wall. This will remind you of your savings goal every day until you reach it.
Middle school:

- Ask your parents if you can plan a family event, like a trip to the zoo or an afternoon at a waterpark. List all the things that will cost money—like tickets, food, and souvenirs. Set a budget, and encourage everyone to stick to it when the big day arrives.
- Make a list of things you want to spend your money on. Put the list in order, starting with the things you want the most. This will help you figure out what you really want to save up for.
High school:

- Consider taking on a part-time job. Earning your own money can help you save for big goals, like car or college expenses.
- Talk to your parents about opening a checking account at the credit union. Learn how to use a debit card responsibly and track transactions. Those skills will come in handy when you leave home.

Stop into Consumers Professional Credit Union for more great ideas on how to sharpen your savings and money skills.

Copyright 2015 Credit Union National Association Inc. Information subject to change without notice. For use with members of a single credit union. All other rights reserved.