You found the vehicle of your dreams and the dealership offered you what you believe is a fair amount for your trade. So, now what? If you own your trade-in vehicle outright (you’ve completed any loan or lease commitment that you may have had), it is important that you have your title with you when you go to the dealership. Then, you can sign it … Read More
Linda Steil
I hate writing about myself. You want me to write about a car. Definitely. Auto finance? Now you’re talking! Me? Snoozefest. But since I have all this space just begging to be filled, I’m going to give this a shot.
The auto industry started calling my name way back in 2001. I cut my teeth in a dealership, working for a large auto retailer. I learned the ropes about sales and contracts and inventory and the service drive. Working for such a large company afforded me opportunities to learn contracts and financing and titles in multiple states and I soaked it all in for nearly five years.
I took a brief break from the auto industry, but once it’s in your blood, you’re hooked. After only a few months, I was back, this time on the finance side.
From the moment a customer steps foot inside the dealership all the way through to making the final payment and receiving the free and clear title, there hasn’t been a part of the process I haven’t been involved in over the years. There are some days I think I could do the paperwork (yes, even the titles) in my sleep.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m crazy, but the truth is, I’m good at this. I’m really good at this. That probably sounds kind of conceited, but the plain truth is, I just get it—all the lingo and numbers and ins-and-outs of buying, selling, financing and titling vehicles come easy to me. Talking and writing about auto finance, and cars in general, sharing the latest news and helping people make the best choices … well that’s just icing on the cake.
Blog > Recent Articles By Linda Steil
What is credit monitoring and what can it do for you?
As a whole, Americans seemed to become more aware of their credit activity during the height of COVID-19. According to Experian.com, credit card debt in America, collectively, reached a record high. But during 2020 and the beginning of 2021, consumers paid off billions of credit card debt and, together, reduced it by 9 percent – the lowest since 2017. However, as the “return to normalcy” … Read More
WHAT IS A DISPOSITION FEE ON A LEASE CONTRACT?
In a previous post on how auto leasing works, one of our “Terms to Know” was Disposition Fee. It was defined as: “Charged by some lessors for the privilege of returning the vehicle and walking away; the cost is spelled out in the lease contract, so you will know up front how much it will be.” Simply put, the disposition fee is charged by the lessor … Read More
HOW ARE YOU UTILIZING THIS YEAR’S TAX REFUND?
The deadline for sending in taxes is just around the corner in April. According to IRS.gov, the average refund for 2019 (as of December 2019) was $2,869. If you’re receiving a refund this year, first off, congratulations! Secondly, have you planned what you’re doing with your new earnings? Of course there are plenty of options for how you can use a refund that would be potentially … Read More
Can you return a leased vehicle early?
A common myth of leasing is that, once you sign a contract, you are committed to the vehicle until the terms of the contract are completed. The truth is, you can turn in a leased vehicle early. You can also trade the vehicle, sometimes also called a lease-buyout and sale. Is it better to fulfill the terms of your lease contract? Yes. But in life, … Read More