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Acquisition fee is charged by some leasing
companies for originating the loan, just as mortgage lenders charge points as
an origination fee. This fee is often not specified in a contract, but rolled
into the capitalized cost when calculating monthly payments.
Actual cash fee is the amount of money that a
broker or dealer has invested in the purchase and repair of a used vehicle.
Add-ons are also known as options. These are
features added on to the car often by the dealer such as a CD stereo,
anti-theft system, detailing and undercoating. Some items are purely
decorative, known as "mop and glow," and do not add any value to the car.
Add-on interest is front-end interest which,
when added to principal, must be repaid even if the loan is paid off before
maturity. As such, it acts as if you borrowed more than the principle
amount.
Advance is the initial amount paid to a dealer
based upon a percentage of the loan amounts or value of the collateral.
Non-prime loans have a greater risk and as a result the dealers are paid a
lesser amount of the actual loan amount. The remaining percentage (residual) is
sometimes shared between the lender and dealer over time.
Amortization is the method of retiring a
standard auto loan. In it, a steady stream of constant payments pays down the
loan principal and interest. The first payments are comprised almost entirely
of interest; the last almost entirely of principal.
Amount due at signing is the total amount due
before the consumer can take delivery of a leased vehicle. It can include any
security deposit, title fee, capitalized cost reduction; monthly payments paid
at signing and registration fees.
Amount financed is the principal that is
financed. It could include the cost of the car, the cost of an extended
warranty, the cost of credit life insurance and other items rolled into the
payments.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is a yearly rate
of interest that includes fees and costs paid to acquire the loan. Lenders are
required by law to disclose the APR. The rate is calculated in a standard way,
taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the loan, so
borrowers can compare loans. There is no APR in a lease; instead, the cost of
money is expressed as the money factor.
Balloon payment loan is a type of loan in which
a consumer agrees to pay a large, pre-determined amount at the end of the term.
Base price is the cost of the car with only
standard equipment. That is, without any options provided by the manufacturer
or the dealer. This is usually the starting price on the "sticker".
Black Book refers to the value ascribed to the
vehicle by the NADA vehicle guides. NADA, the National Automobile Dealers
Association, produces a guide that is widely used by dealers to estimate
wholesale and retail values. For an idea of the Black Book valuation for your
car, go to nadaguides.com.
Blue Book refers to the value ascribed to the
car by Kelley Blue Book, a widely used guide used by dealers to estimate
wholesale and retail value. For an idea of the Blue Book valuation for a car
you are considering or your trade-in, go to KBB.com.
Capitalized (cap) cost is a leasing term that
refers to the price of the car. The lower the capitalized cost, the lower the
monthly lease payment. The cap cost is negotiable and can be reduced by a cash
down payment, trade-in or a manufacturer's rebate; it can be increased by the
loan acquisition fee or costs left over from a previous lease.
Captive finance company is a finance company
related to a specific dealer or manufacturer.
Closed end lease is the most common type of car
lease. The lessee may return the car at the end of the lease term, pay any
end-of-lease costs, such as the disposition fee, and the lease agreement is
over. In a closed-end lease, the lender assumes the risk of predicting the
value of the vehicle (its residual value) at the end of the lease's term.
Closed-end lease payments are somewhat higher than open-end lease payments.
Consumer leasing act is a federal law passed in
1976 and amended in 1996 that spells out the requirements for disclosure of
leasing costs and terms. Generally, the law covers vehicles leased for personal
or family use; for periods in excess of four months; and for a total
contractual obligation of less than $25,000. The Federal Reserve Board
publishes a consumer guide to leasing that covers the leasing plans covered by
the act.
Credit life insurance is a type of life
insurance that helps repay the loan if the consumer becomes disabled. It is
optional coverage. When taken out, the cost of the policy is sometimes rolled
into the loan principal amount.
Dealer charges are charges for extra services
or products sold by the dealer, including rust proofing, undercoating and
extended warranties.
Dealer holdback is an allowance that
manufacturers allow dealers to "holdback" from the invoice price due the
manufacturer. Used on new car purchases and commonly between 2 and 3 percent,
the Dealer Holdback effectively allows the dealer to sell the car at "invoice"
and still make money. Of course, the manufacturer sets the invoice price so
that it too would make money.
Dealer incentives are sales incentives that new
car manufacturers offer their franchise dealers. Targeted at specific makes /
models these sales incentives are commonly used to move slower selling models
clearing inventories often in advance of a the arrival of new models. While
today these dealer incentives are often part of the manufacturer's advertising
programs, the dealer often has offered by manufacturers to increase the sales
of slow-selling models or to reduce excess inventories. Dealers may elect to
pass on the savings to the buyer.
Dealer invoice is the amount that a dealer is
invoiced by the manufacturer for a vehicle and any options.
Dealer prep refers to an additional charge that
dealers may apply to the purchase of a new car. While the name would suggest
that it is to compensate the dealer for###. It represents pure
profit for the dealers, who have already been paid by the manufacturer for the
cost of preparing the car for sale.
Dealer sticker price is the Monroney sticker
price plus the suggested retail price of dealer-installed options, dealer
preparation and undercoating. It usually appears on a separate sticker.
Default is the condition that occurs when a
consumer fails to fulfill the obligations set out in the loan or lease.
Deposit refers to an amount of money held by
the dealer to hold a deal for a period of time until the paperwork is complete;
usually applied toward the down payment. Also see security deposit.
Depreciation is asset's decline in value over
the course of its useful life. Autos depreciate steeply in their first few
years; beginning at the moment they are driven off the lot. In an auto lease, a
charge for depreciation is the chief part of a consumer's monthly payment.
Destination charge is the fee charged for
transporting the vehicle to the dealer from the manufacturer or port of entry
which is passed on to the buyer without any markup.
Direct financing is a smart buyer's practice. A
buyer who lines up financing through an outside financial institution rather
than through the dealer is said to have direct financing. This doesn't mean
dealer financing is a worse deal -- on the contrary, some dealers offer deeply
discounted financing. But arranging the financing separately allows the buyer
to focus on one thing -- getting the best price on a car, rather than mixing
pricing and financing. Consumer advocates urge buyers to keep the deals
separate: Get the best price on a vehicle, and then see if the dealer can beat
the pre-arranged financing.
Disposition fee refers to a fee charged by some
lessors at the end of a lease. The sum, spelled out in the lease, charges
consumers for the privilege of giving back the vehicles they had leased.
Down payment is a payment in cash or trade-in
value that reduces the amount of a car's purchase price that is financed.
Early termination fee are charges that the
lessee must pay if the car is turned in early before the term of the lease is
over.
Equal Credit Opportunity Act is a federal law
that prohibits discrimination in credit transactions on the basis of race,
color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, source of income or
the exercise of any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.
Excess wear charges refer to limits set in most
leases for wear and tear on the car during the lease term. The lessee must pay
charges for exceeding the limits when turning in the car at the end of the
lease.
Extended warranty or Service contract covers
certain car repairs or problems after the manufacturer's or dealer's warranty
expires. A consumer can purchase an extended warranty from car manufacturers,
dealers and independent companies.
Fair market value refers to the amount that a willing buyer
would pay at a certain point in time for the vehicle in an arms-length
transaction.
Gap insurance is a type of insurance offered to
auto lease customers. It pays the difference between what you own and what the
vehicle is worth in the event the car is stolen or destroyed.
Interest is the cost of borrowing money,
expressed as a percentage.
Insurance in auto terms, refers to a contract
in which one party agrees to pay for another party's financial loss resulting
from a collision, theft, or other damage. Leases and loans generally require
consumers to maintain a certain level of insurance.
Invoice price refers to the manufacturer's
initial charge to the dealer, which always includes the destination charge. The
dealer may further receive rebates and other incentives from the manufacturer
to lower its cost.
Kelley Blue Book is the best known of the
car-pricing guides. Les Kelley, a California used-car dealer, founded the
company. The first edition, in 1926, included values for such cars as a 1926
Packard sedan limousine with balloon tires ($3,825), and a 1921 Nash touring
car with clock ($50). Today's editions have listings for more than 10,000 cars,
vans and trucks.
Lease is an agreement, usually for two to five
years, that allows the lessee to drive a car for the term of the lease, but the
lessee does not own the car. A monthly lease payment is usually lower than a
car loan because the lessee is paying only for depreciation on the car plus
charges. The lessee is usually responsible for repairs, maintenance and
insurance on the vehicle.
Disclosure: We developed the content for SmartCarCredit™ while working with automotive industry clients. We hope you find it helpful in making informed decisions. While we believe the information to be accurate, we do not guarantee its accuracy.
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