Tag Archives: auto industry

Auto Sales in 2015 Hit Record High as Auto Loans Become Easier to Obtain

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When the recession hit, the auto world was one of the industries hit the hardest.  The market it had relied on was no longer spending money and they in turn were about to go belly up.  With a controversial loan, the industry was able to keep going to 2015, where it manage to set a record sales year.  2015 may be the year where it finally shows the auto industry is back.

For years, people avoided buying a new or used car.  They simply couldn’t afford it with due to elements of the recession.  For many, it was also because lenders had cut off access to subprime loans.  Those with bad credit or low credit were unable to find car loans even when they needed it.  As the years went on and the auto industry slowly recovered, that policy of being harder on offering loans started to go away and the lenders were being more open to loaning.

The employment rate is at the highest it has been in years and gas is at the lowest it has been since the recession first hit.  It’s no wonder that people are finally getting out to purchasing vehicle.  For some, it had finally hit the breaking point.  They had been holding off and hoping that the current vehicle they owned would last through the hard time.  Many drivers were avoiding trading in a used vehicle being unable to afford it.  They sat on their current vehicle for longer than recommended and are now at a point where they simply need to get a new or used vehicle.

If you’re one of those drivers, who has held out for as long as they could or if you have bad credit or low credit and need to get a new or used vehicle, be sure to contact us at  Approved Loan Store.  Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Top 5 Consumer Complaints of 2011

We’ve all had that moment as consumers. That one phone call that just enrages us to such a degree that we have to tell someone about it. Sometimes it’s just telling a friend or significant other and just getting it off your chest. Other times, it’s more serious than that and that threat you made to the representative to report them to the Better Business Bureau seems like something you should do. Everyone has their tipping point before they finally do make a phone call to formally report a company. In 2011, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 1.8 million complaints from consumers. This is a mark increase from 2010, a 24% increase in fact. It’s also the fifth straight year that the number of complaints increased.

Fox Business put together a list of just what people are lodging complaints about. They broke it down to the top five offenders.

#1 – Identity Theft

This complaint has been on the top of the complaint list for the 12th year in the a row. It accounts for 15% of complaints and a quarter of those were related to tax or wage related fraud. What this kind of fraud is is when your Social Security number or other personal information is stolen and used to get a job. That holds you liable for any tax obligations from the thief’s employment. They also file a tax return in the victim’s name and then walk off with the tax refund. Make sure to protect yourself against this threat by guarding your Social Security number and monitoring your bank statements and credit reports.

#2 – Debt Collection

Debt collector has been an ugly word for some time now and there’s a good reason. The daily news cycle for the past many years seems to always have a section dedicated to some caller finding new and immoral ways of harassment as a means to collect on debt. No other industry receives more complaints from people than debt collectors according to David Torok, the director of the division of panning and information at the Federal Trade Commission. 2011 saw 180,928 complaints, or 1 in ever 10 complaints made. Torok also provides some advice with dealing with the nasty kinds of debt collectors. “Collectors can’t harass. That’s the simple bottom line. Know your rights.”

#3 – Banks and Lending

Definitely not a hard one to see given the state of the economy. The bailout hasn’t left anyone news cycle, nor has the predatory mortgage loan fiasco. That and there was this whole messy business with crashing the world economy. In this regard, the banks are receiving such complaints due to problems with customer service and problems with modifying their mortgage terms.

#4 – Auto-Related

The majority of complaints that are against dealerships come from the sales of new and used cars. In fact, 2 out of 5 auto complaints were over new-car sales. The issues that were most complained about were car rentals, parts & repair, and services. The recommendations to avoid running into these problems when going into the dealership is all about research. Know the car you’re purchasing so you can go into the negotiation process armed with the proper information.

#5 – Advance-Fee Loans

44,020 complaints were filed against advance-fee loans. What happens is that the promise of a loan or a credit card is held up in front of a consumer and requires a payment up front in advance. What usually happens is that the person offering the loan takes that fee and runs away, leaving the consumer with less money and no prospect for a loan. A good red-flag of this is if the lender is looking for just personal information such as a Social Security number or bank account number and doesn’t show interest in your credit history. Also, be weary of any offer made over the phone that requires you to pay in advance. Make sure to do some homework on a business before dealing with them to help avoid this issue.

There’s certainly a lot of people out there trying to pull the wool over the eyes of consumers. I feel that the number of complaints on the rise show that people are really starting to show they understand their rights and just what to do when they feel wronged by a company.

Approved Loan Store has a great history of working with customer to make sure they drive away satisfied. Just check out our testimonial page to see over a hundred happy customers that show our commitment to being professional with all our customers. Fill out an application to start the process and find out for yourself to get that car you’ve always wanted. You’ll find us on Facebook and Twitter, make sure to like us and follow us to stay current on the news coming out of the industry.

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How Will May Auto Sales Stack Up?

Every month seems to have the obligatory article about how well the auto industry is doing. There have been months of happy reporting about sales increases here and demands increasing there. It is a success story that is an easy topic. The question has always been, though, at the back of my mind how long that luck will hold out. I’ve wondered what the industry was doing to make sure that this increase in sales is the new standard and not just a moment in time. May could be the month that puts all of this progress to the test.

Auto Finance News posted an interesting read that posed that very question. The month of May was a bad month for the economy. The jobs reports that come out were dismal with only 69,000 jobs added, making it the weakest monthly growth in a year. It was bad enough that the report raised the unemployment rate up to 8.2 percent from 8.1 percent, but additionally, the confidence of the US consumer fell from 68.7 percent in April to 64.9 percent in May.

The question remains if this is going to have an impact on the upward swing of the auto industry. May is a notorious month for strong sales, so this might just be pessimistic thinking. I like to think that the industry is doing a good job of riding the wave, especially with many of them such as Chrysler making sure to keep people engage by bringing out new products like the Dodge Dart. Edmunds also made the prediction that car sales in the month of May would increase by 30 percent due in part to light vehicles continuing to sell well. Only time will tell if the rough economic reporting this last month is going to make a dent in the comeback story of the auto industry.

Approved Loan Store wants to help you get inside that car you’ve always been looking at but didn’t know how to get. Go online and apply today to see just how we can help that dream become a reality. Don’t just take our word for it, check out the many people that we’ve already assisted for yourself! Be sure to also like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, so that you can continue to be updated on the latest news and updates from Approved Loan Store.

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Auto Advertising Changes For New Trend of Buyers

Car buyers have been struggling along with the auto industry and now are both seeing an upturn in their situation with the economy finally recovering.  With more money in their pocket, they are wanting to get back in the seat. The problem the industry is facing, however, is how to advertise to the interested party.

According to a report by the Foresight Research, buyers have begun to turn away from advertising that makes the car out to be “sporty” or “fun to drive.” People are looking to get quality out of their vehicle, they care more about seeing a vehicle as “competitive” and in “discounts.”

The constant rising of gas prices has also given rise to the consumer who wants to make sure that their car has good fuel economy. The report also notes that brand recognition still plays a large role in what people purchase. Due to that, it’s not really surprising that the strong sales in February were in part to the fuel efficient cars such as the Honda Civic and Ford Focus.

Go online to Approved Loan Store and apply to get driving away in the car you want, be it practical for the family or for a sporty fun ride. Be sure to check out and like our Facebook page to see all the latest on news and testimonials from our satisfied customers.

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