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Car Buying Terms

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Term Definition
3/36 WARRANTY

a 3 year/36 month warranty

 
7/70 WARRANTYA 7 year/70 month warranty
 
A.C.V.Actual Car Value
 
BANK FEESFees charged by the bank to approve a deal for a secondary customer
 
BEACON SCOREThe computerised scored based on a person's credit. Banks use the score in determining financing and interest rates. Scores range from 300-850
 
BLACK BOOKThe book dealerships use to place values on cars that are being traded in. It is based on auction sales. Vehicles are valued at extra clean, clean, average, and rough. It is published once a month
 
BOGESomeone with bad credit
 
BUY RATEThe minimum rate the bank gives the dealership for a customer. See contract rate
 
BUYER'S REMORSEThe regret experienced by a customer the day after they have purchased a car they either didn't want or couldn't afford
 
CAR-FAX

One of the most popular vehicle history reports

 
CO-SIGNERSomeone who signs with a lesser qualified customer to secure a loan. Both people are responsible for the debt
 
CONTRACT RATEThe maximum rate the dealership can charge the customer
 
CREDIT REPORTA complete outline of your credit history that is used to determine financing and interest rate. There are three credit bureaus: Exquifax, Experian, and Trans-union
 
D.T.I.Debt to income
 
DOCUMENTION FEEIs the fee charged by the dealership for advertising, operation, and delivery costs. This fee varies from dealership to dealership. It is mostly used as another form of profit
 
EXTENDED WARRANTYSee vehicle service contract
 
F & IFinance and Insurance
 
FINANCE MANAGERThe person with whom banks communicate to get the customer financed; (s)he handles all the paperwork
 
FIRST TIME BUYERSomeone who has never purchased a vehicle. You may have had some loans, but not a car loan, or either you have never had any loans
 
FRANCHISE DEALERSHIPA dealership that has a new car brand
 
GAP INSURANCE

Insurance that covers the difference between what you owe and what your insurance company will pay in the event of fire, theft, flood, or total loss (wreck) of your vehicle

 
GHOSTSomeone who has never established credit before
 
HOLD BACKThe money held back by the manufacturer that is paid to the dealership for each vehicle sold. Hold back varies on each vehicle
 
INHOUSE REBATEA fake down payment
 
INQUERYNotations on your credit report every time your credit is pulled
 
inquerysnotations on your credit report every time your credit is pulled
 
INVOICEThe dealership's cost on a new vehicle
 
L.T.V.

Loan to value

 
LEFT BOOKN.A.D.A trade-in value
 
LENDERA bank
 
M.S.R.P.

Manufacturer's suggested retail price

 
N.A.D.A BOOK

The book banks use to decide how much money to lend on a particular vehicle. It covers trade-in, loan, and retail values of all vehicles. It is published once a month

 
N.A.D.A.national automotive dealers association
 
NEGATIVE EQUITYThe difference between what your car is worth and the amount you owe on it
 
OLD SLEDA car that's already seen its better days
 
P.O.I.

Proof of income

 
P.O.R.

Proof of residence (light bill, phone bill, cable bill, etc...)

 
P.T.I.Payment to income
 
PRIMARY BANKBank that deals only with good credit (Wachovia, Suntrust, BB&T, etc...)
 
PRIMARY CUSTOMERSomeone with good credit
 
REBATE

The manufacturer's discount on a new vehicle

 
SALES MANAGERThe person whom oversees the buying of cars, the training of sales people, lot appearance, and advertising
 
SECONDARY BANKBank that deals only with bad credit (Americredit, HSBC, Drive, Wellsfargo, etc...)
 
SECONDARY CUSTOMERSomeone with bad credit
 
SPOT DELIVERY

The contracting of a vehicle to a customer without having an approval from a bank yet

 
TITLE FEEThe fee charged by a county tag office for processing a tag
 
UPSIDE DOWNOwing more for your car than what it's worth
 
VEHICLE HISTORY REPORTA detailed report about a vehicle's history; for example, from where is was first purchased, if it was wrecked, been a lemon, odometer roll-back, etc...
 
VEHICLE SERVICE CONTRACTExtra protection for your vehicle after the manufacturer's warranty has expired
 
WALK AROUNDThe complete detailed introduction to a vehicle, from hood to trunk
 


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Glossary V2.0