The Auto Finance Roadmap

The powersports industry continues to grapple with volatile market conditions including rising prices, falling sales, waning consumer demand and a rapidly changing compliance landscape, but there are some lenders and dealers who have proven themselves resilient.  Auto Finance News today announced 11 powersports executives to watch heading into 2026 who have thus far proven their ability to support lenders, dealers and consumers in a political and economic climate that is also rapidly changing. Dealers and lenders are leaning into the used market to drive sales and overall growth in the fourth quarter and heading into next year. In fact, manufacturers including Harley-Davidson are pushing certified pre-owned inventory as consumers search for more affordable purchase options.  Relationships between dealers and lenders in the auto market are also strengthening as evidenced by Arivo Acceptance becoming the captive finance arm of Ken Garff Automotive Group, news that Auto Finance News broke Oct. 10.  In other news, Tricolor Auto is reported to have stopped paying rent to some of its landlords ahead of filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  Listen as Auto Finance News Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush unpack the past week's auto finance news and unveil some of what attendees can expect at this week’s Auto Finance Summit 2025. Auto Finance Summit, the premier industry event for auto lending and leasing, returns Oct. 15-17 at the Bellagio Las Vegas. Learn more about the 2025 event and register here. This episode is sponsored by The Work Number by Equifax. 

A federal investigation into subprime auto lender Tricolor Holdings was confirmed as court proceedings began last week.  In a court hearing on Oct. 3, Tricolor’s lawyers confirmed that federal law enforcement and regulatory agencies are investigating the buy here, pay here dealer and subprime lender for alleged misconduct and alleged systemic fraud. Since Texas-based Tricolor’s Chapter’s 7 bankruptcy filing on Sept. 10, the company’s bond prices have plummeted, signaling that investors believe there is an increased risk of losses, particularly in riskier tranches. Meanwhile, third-quarter sales among auto makers climbed as OEMs pushed incentives and consumers pulled ahead their EV sales prior to elimination of the $7,500 federal tax credit on Sept. 30. In regulatory news, powersports lenders and dealers are in an interesting position amid the shifting compliance landscape. The powersports industry has long been overlooked by regulators, with a fraction of complaints the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received since 2011 directed at the powersports industry.  But with the pullback at the CFPB and state regulators and other agencies like the FTC ramping up enforcement, it’s imperative that lenders and dealers don’t do anything to garner enforcement actions.  In this episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss Tricolor proceedings, OEM third-quarter sales and powersports compliance for the week ended Oct. 3. Auto Finance Summit, the premier industry event for auto lending and leasing, returns Oct. 15-17 at the Bellagio Las Vegas. Learn more about the 2025 event and register here. This episode is sponsored by The Work Number by Equifax.  Editor’s note: This transcript has been generated by software and is being presented as is. Some transcription errors may remain. 

Powersports dealers are working closely with manufacturers to balance supply with a decline in sales and worsened consumer confidence, themes that were prevalent during Powersports Finance Summit 2025, held Sept. 23-24 in Columbus, Ohio.Lender Octane, for one, is working to provide the technology and finance programs needed to support dealerships as they face smaller margins compression and lower sales alongside higher promotional spend. Dealers are also turning to used units to meet consumers’ demand for more affordable products and as many expect sales to pick up in the coming months. On the new-vehicle side, tariffs continue to be a leading concern for powersports manufacturers, especially as steel and aluminum tariffs raise costs on parts and accessories. While powersports dealer are not faring equally amid challenges plaguing the industry, prevalent themes throughout Powersports Finance Summit 2025 included optimizing for a rise in AI usage by consumers, preparing for a potential uptick in regulatory scrutiny and continued mixed sales performance by market segment. Listen as Auto Finance News Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush recap the 2025 event and highlight news to come this week.This episode is sponsored by The Work Number by Equifax.  Stay up to date with all the news coming out of Powersports Finance Summit 2025 here.

As the Department of Justice investigates the alleged fraudulent claims against Tricolor Auto Acceptance, one expert warns that there may not be enough collateral to satisfy the subprime lender’s outstanding debt with all its financiers. In more common bankruptcy scenarios, assets are liquidated to repay outstanding debt.  “What makes it a little bit more complicated [with Tricolor] is there's 25,000 creditors in this particular case that have claims here, and some of them have claims against the same collateral,” Brian Bastin, program director for the business and automotive programs at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Keiser University, tells Auto Finance News in this week’s podcast. JPMorgan Chase, Origin Bank and Fifth Third Bank all had existing warehouse lines with Tricolor and are just some of those in the long list of Tricolor’s creditors.  “In all likelihood, there probably is not going to be enough money to be able to make whole everybody in this particular situation,” Bastin says, noting that there is a pecking order to claims and payments as a result of liquidating the lender’s assets for its Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  “In all likelihood, there probably is not going to be enough money to be able to make whole everybody in this particular situation.” -- Brian Bastin, program director for the business and automotive programs, Keiser University, Consumers should be proactive about making sure that any former loans, title liens, service contracts and warranties are properly dealt with to avoid any road bumps down the road.  Join Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Keiser University’s Brian Bastin as they break down the potential implications of Tricolor’s bankruptcy for lenders, consumers and the subprime market as a whole in this week’s Weekly Wrap. This episode is sponsored by The Work Number by Equifax. 

Tricolor Auto Acceptance’s chapter 7 bankruptcy filing on Sept. 10 has led to ratings downgrades for the financier and talks of potentially wider implications for the buy here, pay here and subprime markets.  The Texas-based buy here, pay here retailer and lender closed its dealerships in tandem with its filing for liquidation.  Since then, ratings agencies Kroll Bond Ratings Agency, Moody’s Ratings and S&P Global placed their ratings on Tricolor securitization transactions under watch for potential downgrades. Backup servicer Vervent Inc. is also prepping to takeover servicing of Tricolor’s portfolio.  Tricolor’s closure could spark a ripple effect for small subprime lenders, especially after subprime lender Automotive Credit Corp. also indefinitely paused all originations Aug. 7. For floorplan lenders, bankruptcies can lead to hundreds of millions of dollars in losses and trigger efforts to recoup losses tied to remaining assets.  In this episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss the ramifications of Tricolor Auto’s bankruptcy. 

Buy here, pay here dealership Oak Motors is slowing approval of credit applications as long-term affordability concerns persists and despite increased volume.  Anderson, Ind.-based Oak Motors’ applications were up 30% year over year at the beginning of September, according to data the dealership group provided to Auto Finance News. The dealership group did not specify the number of applications. The increase comes despite a drop in sales and amid a decline in approvals at the dealership group, which has five locations in Indiana, Executive Board Member Tiger Okeley told AFN. “We've seen about a 20% decrease in sales, and that's by design,” he said, without providing specific sales numbers. Oak Motors focuses on identifying consumers who can commit to long-term deal structures that are beneficial to the consumers and the dealership, he said.  While the BHPH dealership sells as many vehicles as it wants to sell, success depends on finding customers capable of keeping up with weekly payments, Okeley said.  “If they stop paying us, it didn't matter if we sold them a car,” he said. The bottom line is “we didn't get paid.”  BHPH is attractive to customers with risky credit profiles or those who don’t have access to traditional financing, Okeley said. Some BHPH dealerships offer customers a chance to rebuild their credit to qualify for traditional financing down the road. In fact, an inaugural survey of 1,015 consumers across the country published by Oak Motors on Aug. 15 revealed that 32% of consumers avoided applying for an auto loan due to concerns about their credit score this year.  Hear more about Oak Motor’s credit survey results, market trends and the state of the buy here, pay here market in this week’s podcast. This episode is sponsored by The Work Number by Equifax. Auto Finance Summit, the premier industry event for auto lending and leasing, returns Oct. 15-17 at the Bellagio Las Vegas. Learn more about the 2025 event and register here. 

As fraudulent activity picks up across the automotive industry, floorplan financiers are also seeing an uptick in dealers disappearing with vehicles or submitting false documents.  Floorplan lenders such as NextGear Capital and Westlake Flooring Services in recent months saw a rise in the volume of fraud and more dealers defaulting on their lines of credit.  Supporting dealers is a top priority for Ford Credit Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Strategy Eliane Okamura in the second half of the year, alongside portfolio health and technology advancement, she told Auto Finance News.  Meanwhile, credit unions have gained market share as they lean back into auto as consumer demand for used vehicles increases amid affordability challenges. In powersports, motorcycle dealers saw mixed sales in July as lenders tightened standards, with dealers also scaling back supply. Prices remain high across the industry, with the average selling price of boats up 10% in July. In this episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss trends across fraud, affordability, sales and powersports for the week ended Aug. 22. 

Nonbank auto lenders may soon have a reason to celebrate, following a proposed rule change by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to how it defines larger participants of the auto market. On Aug. 7, the bureau filed an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking to change the definition of a larger participant in auto to nonbank entities with up to 1.1 million aggregate annual originations, an increase from 10,000. This followed the CFPB’s July 14 motion filed with the Office of Management and Budget which would rule on the request. The change, if approved, would reduce the number of financiers considered larger participants to five from 63, according to the notice. Traditional lenders and nonbank entities would still be subject to state laws even if they are no longer under CFPB jurisdiction.  While this unfolds, lenders are also working to seize opportunities in the market.  Auto lenders are continuing to lean into refinance programs on the heels of stabilizing interest rates and consumers’ search for affordability and better loan terms. Subprime lender Arivo Acceptance Chief Executive Landon Starr told Auto Finance News that the company is ramping up its refinance program with a goal of $60 million in average monthly origination volume. In fact, TransUnion estimates 18 million consumers, or 23% of borrowers with open auto loans, have interest rates that exceed the average APR in the industry.  Also, average vehicle transaction prices jumped 5.2% year over year in the second quarter to $31,216, according to an Edmunds report published Aug. 12. In this episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss trends across second-quarter bank earnings for the week ended Aug. 15.  

Amid sustained inflation, more high-tech vehicles in the market and tariff-induced uncertainty, aftermarket repair costs are steadily climbing.Vehicle repair costs are up 43% since 2019 to an average of up to $1,700 per visit, according to data provided to Auto Finance News by lender Synchrony Financial.Three factors contributed to the rise, Keith Mait, automotive, oil and gas business leader for Synchrony, told AFN:Vehicles are more complex with more expensive technology;Customers keep their vehicles longer; andRepair shops struggle to find talent.With longer ownership of vehicles, more repairs are inevitable, he said. While customers are willing to get emergency repairs, many aren’t willing to pay for preventative maintenance.“Consumers are likely to opt in to the kinds of services that get them back on the road faster and safer,” he said. “They may not immediately agree to do the work that might be proactive.”Synchrony’s Car Care Credit Card breaks those larger payments into smaller monthly installments, Mait said.Tariffs to worsen expensesIn a June survey of 1,000 Synchrony’s card holders, just half said they could afford an unexpected expense of $1,000, Mait said.“The primary word that keeps getting used is ‘anxiety,’” he said. “Consumers are anxious about not necessarily knowing how this is all going to play out.”The rise in consumer uncertainty comes amid broader inflation and tariff-induced concerns, Mait said. Because parts for repairs are sourced globally, tariffs could “have a major influence on the cost.”“[Consumers] need to maintain a proactive mindset toward vehicle health,” he said. “If they’re not under warranty anymore, they need to be mindful of the expenses that are coming their way.”Tune in to “Weekly Wrap” to hear Mait’s conversation with AFN Associate Editor Aidan Bush.

Auto companies saw mixed results in the second quarter related to sales and finance volume, as Carvana’s originations surged, Ford Credit’s earnings rose and Credit Acceptance Corp. and Penske Automotive faced declines.Carvana’s originations soared 51.1% year over year in Q2 to $3.1 billion, while Credit Acceptance Corp.’s originations plummeted 14.6% YoY on a unit basis to 86,486, according to the lenders’ earnings reports.Captive Ford Credit saw an 88.1% YoY increase in earnings before taxes to $645 million in Q2, though its finance penetration rate of U.S. Ford Motor sales fell to 33% in Q2, compared with 51% a year earlier, according to its earnings report.Retailers Asbury Automotive and Penske Automotive faced declining finance and insurance profits. Asbury Automotive’s F&I revenue fell 5.4% YoY to $182 million, while Penske Automotive’s F&I revenue dropped 3.9% YoY to $200.5 million, according to the retailers’ earnings reports.Retailers also saw mixed new- and used-vehicle inventory in Q2. Asbury Automotive reported new-vehicle inventory down 13 days YoY at 49 days’ supply, while used inventory fell one day YoY at 37 days’ supply. Penske’s new-vehicle inventory hit 57 days’ supply, up YoY from 49, while used vehicles fell YoY to 44 days from 47.Also last week, asset management firms KKR & Co. and Pacific Management Co. agreed to purchase a stake in Harley-Davidson Financial Services and buy more than $5 billion in existing loan receivables, according to a July 30 Harley-Davidson announcement. The announcement came days before Harley-Davidson appointed Artie Starrs, chief executive of Topgolf, to be its new chief executive starting Oct. 1.In this episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss trends across second-quarter bank earnings for the week ended Aug. 1. 

Pagaya Technology’s lenders are leaning on the expansion of their dealership networks for growth as credit quality worsens and credit access remains mixed. Credit access climbed 3.6% year over year and 0.8% month over month in June according to the DealerTrack Credit Availability Index published July 10. This marked the second consecutive month of credit access expansion following a dip in April as consumers rushed to purchase vehicles ahead of expected tariff-induced price hikes.  The index ended the month at 97.3. However, June’s expansion follows mixed reports of credit access as many consumers entered the market with FICO scores up to 100 points lower following resumption of student loan delinquency reporting in the first half of the year. These market trends prompted lenders to look for ways to grow without loosening credit standards, Sanjiv Das, president at Pagaya, told Auto Finance News. Pagaya purchases loans that meet its underwriting criteria from lenders and securitizes the loans to fund further originations. “Our lenders are gradually starting to lend more,” he said. “They are spending a lot more of their efforts on dealers and building their networks, as opposed to expanding their credit box.” Pagaya sees volume growth Pagaya reported a 50% quarter-over-quarter increase in the second quarter in its auto annualized run rate, which surpassed $1.1 billion in Q1, according to a May 7 letter to shareholders. However, auto volume decreased 7% YoY.  “Last year was a relatively tough year for the entire auto industry,” Das said. “When you're in the public markets as a public company, you're always being pushed for growth, until one day that growth story cracks and falls on the other side.” Slowed growth pushed Pagaya to focus on maintaining consistent yield for investors, he said. Simultaneously, its lenders reduced volume through the end of 2024, when consumers appeared to be in better shape.  Consumers seem to be in good shape “through the middle of 2025, and so we have significantly opened up our pipes into our lenders,” Das said, noting that Pagaya increased its volume with lenders because investor appetite has strengthened. 

Ally Financial, Chase Auto and Wells Fargo Auto all reported an increase in auto originations in the second quarter, driven in part by a pull-ahead in car purchases by consumers anxious to buy before tariff-induced price rises.  Ally Financial’s auto originations jumped 12.2% year over year in Q2 to $11 billion, while Chase Auto’s originations ticked up 4.6% YoY to $11.3 billion. But the bigger news was Wells Fargo’s auto originations surging 86.5% YoY to $6.9 billion, according to the banks’ earnings reports. Huntington Auto Finance’s originations rose 9.5% YoY to $2.3 billion. Ally Financial and Chase Auto also reported growth in lease volume during the quarter.  Meanwhile, credit performance improved across most banks in Q2, with auto delinquencies and net charge-offs down YoY. Bank of America’s auto net charge-offs declined 3 basis points YoY to 0.17%. Regional bank performance was mixed, with U.S. Bank’s indirect loan and lease originations down 29.1% YoY to $1.4 billion and auto outstandings up at Fifth Third Bank and PNC Financial. Also last week, auto lenders dived into trends across automation in underwriting in the Auto Finance News webinar “Digital Strategies for Exceptional Customer Experiences.” In this episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss trends across second-quarter bank earnings for the week ended July 18. Auto Finance Summit, the premier industry event for auto lending and leasing, returns Oct. 15-17 at the Bellagio Las Vegas. To learn more about the 2025 event and register, visit www.AutoFinance.live/AFS.

President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill marks the end of the federal EV tax credits at a time when sales of used EVs and hybrids are ramping up and new EV sales are slowing. The bill, signed July 4, could spur additional incentives at the state level and from manufacturers as the federal credits end nearly seven years early. The bill moves the expiration date up to Sept. 30 versus the initial end date of Dec. 31, 2032.  At the same time, lower prices and more models coming off-lease contributed to an uptick in used-EV sales in May, while new EV sales declined year over year. Hybrid sales have also been on the rise, with gas-hybrid sales making up a record 12.6% of total vehicle sales in April.  In powersports, several Harley-Davidson dealerships have closed their doors amid a dip in motorcycle sales and in tandem with leadership changes at the company.  Weaker motorcycle sales mirror trends in the wider powersports market headed into the summer months, with powerboat retail sales down 9% YoY through April and North American RV registrations down 5.6% YoY in May. On the tech front, Santander Consumer USA has launched a new pre-qualification dealer lead generation tool, and CarMax is gearing up to launch updated versions of its chatbot tools for associates and customers. In this episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss the latest updates on electric vehicles, incentives, powersports and technology for the week ended July 11. 

Second-quarter sales of new autos were mixed following a spike in March and April ahead of tariffs taking effect, while incentives were robust during the Independence Day holiday weekend. Most major manufacturers saw a rise in vehicle sales in Q2, with General Motors and Hyundai Motor America reporting the best first half of the year in terms of sales. June, however, marked a slowdown in sales for some automakers. The July 4 holiday brought a mix of 0% financing and cash back offers, with incentive spend varied by brand.  Meanwhile, credit unions are putting excess lending capacity to work, evidenced by an uptick in application volume at fintech Origence, which provides technology and financing capabilities for credit unions. While application volume rose year to date through June, the fintech’s ratio of funded loans to applications fell due to higher loan-to-value ratios in the market as consumers lean on longer-term loans to manage monthly payments.  Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union issued its first asset-backed securitization deal on July 1, a $150 million transaction backed by prime auto loans issued by Blaze Credit Union, Consumers Credit Union and Interra Credit Union.  In this episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss the latest updates on sales, incentives, funding and capital markets for the week ended July 4.

Sales of used electric vehicles are ramping up as it becomes more likely the federal EV tax credit will end and as off-lease EVs return to market.  Second-quarter used EV sales are projected to surpass 100,000 units, setting a record and following a 32.1% year-over-year jump in May to 36,609 units. By contrast, new-EV sales declined 10.7% YoY in May to 103,435 units. With strong sales, used EV supply has diminished, reaching a three-year low in May. Used EV inventory was 40 days’ supply in May, down 11% YoY, according to Cox Automotive.  Uncertainty surrounding the fate of the federal tax credit for new and used EVs is one driver behind consumer demand in recent months, combined with state-level incentives. Meanwhile, tariffs and the resumption of student loan payments and credit bureau reporting could impact auto loan credit performance in the coming months.  In powersports, mixed sales and rising inventories have prompted a wave of promotions from manufacturers that range from increased cash rebates to lowered rates on certain models.  In this episode of the “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss trends in electric vehicles, credit performance and powersports for the week ended June 27. 

 Listen to this special episode of the “Weekly Wrap” podcast, as Black Book’s Lawrence and National Powersport Auction’s Amata join Auto Finance News Associate Editor Aidan Bush to discuss motorhome and towable trends for the week ended June 20.  

While credit access improved in May and vehicle prices were steady, affordability remained a concern, especially for credit-challenged consumers who face multiple forms of debt. The Dealertrack Credit Availability Index increased 2% year over year in May to 96.7 as credit unions and banks loosened standards and approval rates improved. At the same time, the average new-vehicle transaction price ticked up 1% YoY but was nearly flat month over month at $48,799.  But as student loan payments resume and that debt is again reported to credit reporting agencies, some nonprime borrowers are turning to credit-builder loans and buy now, pay later programs to improve their credit history and finance downpayments for vehicle purchases. Meanwhile, in one of the first actions since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau undertook a more limited approach to supervision under the new administration, the California State Senate passed a bill that would allow dealers to increase document fees to a maximum of $500. The current processing charges, in effect since 2019, are $85 for new cars and $70 for used cars. The change would align the state’s processing fees with that of other states but has received backlash from some consumer advocacy groups that claim the uptick is another “junk fee.” In other news, Arra Finance acquired Crescent Bank’s $815 million auto portfolio and plans to grow originations by leveraging the bank’s technology stack and dealer base. Other auto finance companies have also seen growth in the first part of the year, including Carvana and Global Lending Services.  In this episode of “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss trends in affordability and compliance along with company updates for the week ended June 13. 

Amid increased vehicle values, a rise in vehicle repossessions and continued tariff-induced uncertainty, Auto and powersports players are implementing new leadership, positioning themselves for growth and weighing incentives to weather macroeconomic challenges. Prices for every major vehicle segment except compact cars saw a year-over-year increase in May, according to Cox Automotive data published June 6. EV values and used-vehicle values may be normalizing after a pre-tariff purchase surge, according to Jeremy Robb, senior director of economic and industry insights at Cox Auto. The rate of 30-day plus auto delinquencies fell 18 basis points YoY in the first quarter, according to an Experian report released June 5. Auto inventory also fell in the regions covered by the Federal Reserve banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland, prompting higher prices, according to the Fed’s June 4 edition of the Beige Book. National repossession assignments reached 2.1 million year to date through April, though lenders are delaying filing repossession papers. In the nonprime space, lenders are looking at using AI technologies and speeding funding time while preparing to slow their activity in the wake of tariffs, according to panelists at the Non-Prime Auto Financing Conference on June 4 and 5, respectively.  Amid supply chain concerns and tariff-induced market uncertainty, captives are meeting with their OEM partners and deciding whether to keep incentives they began in response to the tariffs.  Meanwhile, powersports lender Ironhorse Funding, which funds more than $20 million per month in originations, is seeking over $120 million in forward-flow commitments. In the marine world, dealers have reported a rise in repower, or boat engine replacement sales. In this episode of “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss trends in affordability and powersports for the week ended June 6.  

Major players in the auto and powersports industries continue to adapt to the rapidly changing macroeconomic environment teeming with the effects of tariffs and rising inflation. Where some see opportunity, others see indications of a challenging fiscal year.  As consumers continue to grapple with affordability, which has been further pressured by tariffs, auto refinancers see an opportunity as delinquencies rise. TransUnion’s Q1 2025 Credit Industry Insights Report shows the 60-plus day delinquency rate at 1.38%, the highest first-quarter peak since 2009 during the Great Recession.  As consumers search for ways to save on costs, PenFed Credit Union’s refinance applications are up 75%, according to Chris Kleczynski, vice president and head of auto lending product strategy.  Another tariff shakeup occurred last week after a federal court ruled President Donald Trump’s unilateral levies were unconstitutional, though an appeals court reversed the block within 24 hours.  With a backdrop of tariffs, consumer spending growth slowed, with personal spending up 0.1% in April compared to a 0.7% growth a month prior. While some parts of the auto industry are experiencing upticks in sales and pricing in this uncertain environment, the powersports market is declining. Towable vehicle values dropped 9.3% year over year in April. Eric Lawrence, Black Book’s principal automotive analyst, said that the motorhome and towable market will likely experience further decline in the coming months. Boat registrations fell 14% YoY in April, according to BMO Capital Markets, and Bombardier Recreational Products noted a drop in retail sales, both related to tariff shocks and uncertainty.  In this episode of “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss trends in affordability and powersports for the week ended May 30. 

Uncertainty defined much of the conversation at Auto Finance Summit East 2025 last week in Nashville, Tenn., with auto lenders highlighting affordability, auto tariffs, EV dynamics and technology as top-of-mind considerations headed into the rest of the year.  Auto tariffs were a resounding theme throughout the event, as lenders discussed inventory and pricing dynamics, mixed consumer demand and the possibility of longer-term loans to address affordability.  Against the backdrop of higher vehicle prices and tariffs, Chase Auto and Santander Consumer USA are leaning into relationships with manufacturers to drive growth. Auto lenders are also diving into AI and automation to improve customer experience, tap refinance demand and enhance underwriting processes. Despite potential elimination of the federal EV tax credit, lenders are bullish on the sector as manufacturers remain committed to electrification goals. In this episode of “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris, Senior Associate Editor Truth Headlam and Associate Editor Aidan Bush discuss top takeaways from Auto Finance Summit East 2025.