As car payments climb past $1,000 for a growing share of buyers and household budgets tighten under persistent inflation, dealerships must shift F&I conversations toward empathy, financial literacy, and predictable ownership costs. On the latest episode of F&I Today, host Paul Brown, vice president of Ascent Dealer Services, walks us through how today’s buyers are navigating unprecedented financial pressure, driven by rising costs of living and growing reliance on credit.
“Customers are feeling the squeeze more today than they ever have before."
According to Brown, in 2025, nearly 11% of new-vehicle buyers carry monthly payments exceeding $1,000, a level that was rare just a few years ago. At the same time, consumer prices have risen faster than income over the past five years, pushing many households to rely more on revolving debt.
Those economic realities, Brown said, require F&I professionals to move away from transactional selling and toward more empathetic, consultative conversations focused on budgeting and risk management.
Rather than emphasizing products first, Brown said finance managers should seek to understand how customers manage expenses, tolerate risk, and plan for unpredictable costs. He notes that vehicle reliability concerns are increasing, with repair frequency and costs continuing to rise industrywide.
Brown stresses that customers value financial predictability and are increasingly uncomfortable with unexpected repair expenses after factory warranties expire. As a result, F&I conversations should focus on smoothing ownership costs and helping buyers avoid budget volatility.
To do that effectively, Brown said finance professionals must sharpen their ability to read credit bureaus beyond credit scores alone. Payment history, utilization trends, and installment behavior can offer deeper insight into how customers budget and make financial decisions.
Ultimately, Brown said successful F&I professionals balance emotional intelligence with clear financial analysis, helping customers understand both risk exposure and long-term protection without making the interaction feel like a sales pitch.
