Tag: dealers

The automotive industry is constantly changing. Shifting consumer demands and preferences, as well as dynamic economic factors, make the need for data-driven insights more important than ever. As we head into the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show this week, we wanted to explore some of the trends in the used vehicle market in our Special Report: State of the Automotive Finance Market Report. Packed with valuable insights and the latest trends, we’ll take a deep dive into the multi-faceted used vehicle market and better understand how consumers are financing used vehicles. 9+ model years grow Although late-model vehicles tend to represent much of the used vehicle finance market, we were surprised by the gradual growth of 9+ model year (MY) vehicles. In 2019, 9+MY vehicles accounted for 26.6% of the used vehicle sales. Since then, we’ve seen year-over-year growth, culminating with 9+MY vehicles making up a little more than 30% of used vehicle sales in 2024. Perhaps more interesting though, is who is financing these vehicles. Five years ago, prime and super prime borrowers represented 42.5% of 9+MY vehicles, however, in 2024, those consumers accounted for nearly 54% of 9+MY originations. Among the more popular 9+MY segments, CUVs and SUVs comprised 36.9% of sales in 2024, up from 35.2% in 2023, while cars went from 44.3% to 42.9% year-over-year and pickup trucks decreased from 15.9% to 15.6%. 2024 highlights by used vehicle age group To get a better sense of the overall used market, the segments were broken down into three age groups—9+MY, 4-8MY, and current +3MY—and to no surprise, the finance attributes vary widely. While we’ve seen the return of new vehicle inventory drive used vehicle values lower, it could be a sign that consumers are continuing to seek out affordable options that fit their lifestyle. In fact, the average loan amount for a 9+MY vehicle was $19,376 in 2024, compared to $24,198 for a vehicle between 4-8 years old and $32,381 for +3MY vehicle. Plus, more than 55% of 9+MY vehicles have monthly payments under $400. That’s not an insignificant number for people shopping with the monthly payment in mind. In 2024, the average monthly payment for a used vehicle that falls under current+3MY was $608. Meanwhile, 4-8MY vehicles came in at an average monthly payment of $498, and 9+MY vehicles had a $431 monthly payment. Taking a deeper dive into average loan amounts based on specific vehicle types—as of 2024, current +3MY cars came in at $28,721, followed by CUVs/SUVs ($31,589) and pickup trucks ($40,618). As for 4-8MY vehicles, cars came in with a loan amount of $22,013, CUVs/SUVs were at $23,133, and pickup trucks at $31,114. Used 9+MY cars had a loan amount of $19,506, CUVs/SUVs came in at $17,350, and pickup trucks at $22,369. With interest rates remaining top of mind for most consumers as we’ve seen them increase in recent years, understanding the growth from 2019-2024 can give a holistic picture of how the market has shifted over time. For instance, the average interest rate for a used current+3MY vehicle was 8.0% in 2019 and grew to 10.2% in 2024, the average rate for a 4-8MY vehicle went from 10.3% to 12.9%, and the average rate for a 9+MY vehicle increased from 11.4% to 13.8% in the same time frame. Looking ahead to the used vehicle market It’s important for automotive professionals to understand and leverage the data of the used market as it can provide valuable insights into trending consumer behavior and pricing patterns. While we don’t exactly know where the market will stand in a few years—adapting strategies based on historical data and anticipating shifts can help professionals better prepare for both challenges and opportunities in the future. As used vehicles remain a staple piece of the automotive industry, making informed decisions and optimizing inventory management will ensure agility as the market continues to shift. For more information, visit us at the Experian booth (#627) during the NADA Show in New Orleans from January 23-26.

Fraud and identity theft in the automotive industry continue to make headlines with the result bringing significant monetary losses for dealers. In 2022, more than 60% of automotive dealerships filed cases of identity theft losing three or more vehicles, with 84% saying there has been a noticeable increase in identity fraud since the pandemic. Even though dealers understand that fraud is on the rise, 66% stated they lacked adequate identity fraud protections [1]. In a recent episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, host Zach Klempf, spoke with Kanchana Sundaram, Experian's senior director of product and innovation for automotive, to discuss Fraud Protect, a new tool from Experian that helps dealers combat fraud. During the interview, Kanchana highlighted how dealers can use Fraud Protect to better identify potentially fraudulent behavior, without slowing down the sales process and still maintaining a positive experience for both them and the consumer. By leveraging the latest technology and advanced analytics, dealers are able to detect some of the most common fraud types that include: Third-party fraud: Fraudsters steal an individual’s identity to purchase a vehicle First-party fraud: A person knowingly misrepresents their identity or provides false information, often with the intention of not paying for the vehicle Synthetic identity fraud: Fraudsters create fake identities and build credit profiles over time before using them to finance a vehicle they do not intend to pay for The episode is now available across all major podcast platforms, click the link to watch: YouTube To learn more about Fraud Protect, visit Experian’s auto fraud prevention solutions webpage. For more information on the Used Car Dealer Podcast, visit https://www.sellyautomotive.com/podcast Facebook – @SellyAutomotive ‘X’ – @SellyAutomotive LinkedIn – @SellyAutomotive 1. https://www.elendsolutions.com/research/2022-Identity-Fraud-Survey-Report/

Consumers are shifting to used vehicles over new, with a higher percentage of consumers financing used. The move comes as the industry continues to grapple with inventory shortages, driving vehicle values higher.