“The auto finance process is extremely complicated and foreign to most consumers,” said Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor for Edmunds.com, and co-author of the new series. “After negotiating a fair price with a salesperson, consumers are forced to face the auto finance manager who presents an array of confusing options and financing choices. It’s no surprise consumers often make poor decisions in this environment.”

Packed with real life-stories and back room secrets, “Confessions of an Auto Finance Manager” reads like a novel while providing vital self-defense strategies for consumers.

“Confessions of an Auto Finance Manager” advises consumers to do the following:

• Get a pre-approved loan before entering a dealership or, at the minimum, know your credit score and interest rates you qualify for.
• Finance managers have access to wholesale lending rates but often present a higher interest rate to consumers in order to increase dealership profits.
• Don't buy unnecessary and overpriced add-ons and avoid falling for "menu selling."
• Finance managers may only offer consumers financing in a package with other add-ons, including extended warranties and paint protection. Consumers are often tempted to select an entire package even though they may not want or need any of the add-ons. 
• Know the market value for the vehicle you are interested in purchasing.
• Consumers can protect themselves from overpaying by knowing a reasonable purchase price for the vehicle. Edmunds.com's True Market Value(R) is a resource for this information.
• “Auto finance managers generate enormous profits for a dealership and are some of the highest paid employees,” said Reed. “They profit directly from consumers’ lack of knowledge.”

More detailed guidelines for successful navigating the auto finance process are available in “Confessions of an Auto Finance Manager,” located at http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/125308/article.html

About Edmunds Inc. (http://www.edmunds.com/help/about/)

Edmunds Inc. publishes four Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers, enthusiasts and insiders. Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive consumer information, launched in 1995 as the first automotive information Web site. Its most popular feature, the Edmunds.com True Market Value®, is relied upon by millions of people seeking current transaction prices for new and used vehicles. Edmunds.com was named "Best Car Research Site" by Forbes ASAP, has been selected by consumers as the "Most Useful Web Site" according to every J.D. Power and Associates New Autoshopper.com Study(SM), was ranked first in the Survey of Car-Shopping Web Sites by The Wall Street Journal and was rated "#1" in Keynote's study of third-party automotive Web sites. Inside Line launched in 2005 and is the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. CarSpace launched in 2006 and is an automotive social networking Web site and home to the oldest and most established automotive community. AutoObserver.com launched in 2007 and provides insightful automotive industry commentary and analysis. Edmunds Inc. is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit.

Contact:
Edmunds.com Corporate Communications
Chintan Talati/Jonathan Wahl
Media Hotline: 310-309-4900
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www.Edmunds.com

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