Auto Financial Group

05/27/2026

Gene is on the road again, this time with Ramon from Broadview Federal Credit Union, training dealer partner Bob Johnson Chevrolet West. What's that around Gene's waist you ask? It's the Flex Buy (their name for the AFG program) belt. The top sales consultant gets to hold the belt. 🤩

05/20/2026

AFG ❤️ our clients!

This week, many of our clients stepped up to the plate in Syracuse for a special AFG Roundtable focused on affordability, best practices, and helping more members get into the vehicles they need with payments that work for them.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for great conversations, shared ideas, and a little baseball-themed fun.

If you weren't able to make it in person, we will be holding a best practices virtual webinar next month - check with your account manager for the details to register!

05/14/2026

The AFG crew has been busy this week visiting clients in Michigan, Iowa and New York.

05/12/2026

Jill has had a busy month - this week she's at the MeridianLink User Forum talking to attendees about the benefits of residual based financing.

05/06/2026

Auto loan originations are softening heading into 2026.

For lenders, that means:
Lower volume. More competition. Tighter approvals.

Residual based financing can help your institution lower payments so you can capture more deals and grow your portfolio.

“2026 has come out as kind of a moderate or a flat market," said TransUnion's Satyan Merchant. (3 min. read)

05/05/2026

AFG's Jill Malczewski is at CU*SOUTH, Inc.'s Visionary Conference this week. If you are attending, stop by, say hi and ask her about residual based financing, she's ready for you!

05/05/2026

Auto Financial Group Announces Q1 2026 Results.
Read the full release here: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/auto-financial-group-announces-q1-2026-results-302762808.html?tc=eml_cleartime

05/04/2026

Used car prices are rising again and lenders are feeling the impact.

Higher payments. Longer terms. More negative equity risk.

AFG's residual based financing programs can help:
✔ Lower payments
✔ Reduce or eliminate negative equity
✔ Strengthen portfolio performance

And they're available for both new and used cars (up to 5 years old)!

The month marked one of the largest monthly increases since Carfax launched its index in 2023. (3 min. read)

04/29/2026

Negative equity is rising fast: About 30% of trade-ins are underwater, with balances up 40%+ since 2021. 

Residual based financing helps break the cycle with lower, more affordable payments so borrowers don't have to keep rolling thousands into the next loan.

The average amount a borrower with negative equity carries on a vehicle has jumped more than 40% since 2021

04/21/2026

"The rise in longer-term loans, while beneficial in the near term for both dealers and buyers, is creating trade-offs, most notably around trade-in equity."

Instead of pushing terms longer, AFG programs give borrowers a clear path forward with a guaranteed future value and the ability to walk away at maturity. That structure can help reduce the cycle of negative equity and improve overall loan health.

Credit unions offering AFG's programs can:
• Offer payments borrowers can realistically afford
• Compete more effectively in a crowded financing marketplace
• Help members avoid or exit negative equity situations 

In a market facing a potential “day of reckoning,” having the right financing options in place isn’t just helpful, it’s necessary.

Seventy-two-month loans now dominate the market, making up more than 40% of financed vehicle purchases. (3 min. read)