J.D. Power and Associates Reports: The Consumer Auto Finance Servicing Experience Significantly Impacts Future Lender Selection,

    J.D. Power and Associates Reports: The Consumer Auto Finance Servicing
  Experience Significantly Impacts Future Lender Selection, But Has Minimal
                    Impact on Future Dealership Selection

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services; Lincoln Automotive Financial Services;
Volkswagen Credit; and Ford Credit Rank Highest in Their Respective Financing
Segments

PR Newswire

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Dec. 13, 2012

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Dec. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- There is a strong
relationship between an exceptional vehicle loan or lease servicing experience
and customer intent to use the same finance provider again, according to the
J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Consumer Financing Satisfaction Study^SM
released today.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050527/LAF028LOGO-a)

The study also finds that there is a minimal relationship with the servicing
experience and customer intent to use the same dealership for a future vehicle
purchase or lease, whereas the in-dealership experience significantly impacts
likelihood to return to the same dealer. 

"A superior servicing experience translates into greater lender consideration
for future business," said Lisa Stimac, account director automotive finance at
J.D. Power and Associates. "While a similar relationship does not exist with
respect to considering the same dealership, finance providers may still
influence dealer consideration by ensuring efficient approval processes and
knowledgeable staff."   

"Most consumers just want the vehicle-buying process to be simple. Financing
is a tough area to simplify, but by providing seamless, fast service
throughout the loan or lease period, financing providers increase their
chances of being re-selected and building brand loyalty."

Many of the best practices in auto finance servicing are related to problem
prevention. These practices include providing service alerts; reminding
customers of a payment or confirming when a payment has been made; providing
accurate and informative billing information; and offering alternative,
easy-to-use methods for reviewing account information. 

"Addressing and resolving problems that do occur serve the dual purpose of
increasing customer satisfaction and minimizing the number of interactions
with the lender, which takes time and resources," said Stimac. "Of course,
when a customer experiences a problem, resolving it quickly and efficiently is
critical to recover the lost goodwill from problems in the first place."

The study measures customer satisfaction in four key factors of the
new-vehicle financing experience: billing and payment; interest rate/monthly
payment; website; and phone contact. The study is conducted across four
consumer vehicle financing segments: mass market loan; mass market lease;
luxury loan; and luxury lease.

Consumer Financing Segment Rankings

Mass Market Loan Segment: Volkswagen Credit (865) ranks highest, performing
particularly well in billing and payment as well as interest rate/monthly
payment, followed by Mazda Capital Services (844) and Honda Financial Services
(843).

Mass Market Lease Segment: Ford Credit (827) ranks highest in the segment and
performs particularly well in all factors, followed by Volkswagen Credit (816)
and Honda Financial Services (802).

Luxury Loan Segment: Mercedes-Benz Financial Services ranks highest with a
score of 853 (on a 1,000-point scale) and performs particularly well in phone
contact, followed closely by Acura Financial Services with a score of 852. BMW
Financial Services ranks third with a score 848.

Luxury Lease Segment: Lincoln Automotive Financial Services ranks highest with
a score of 826 and performs particularly well in all factors. Following in the
rankings are Lexus Financial Services (808) and Mercedes-Benz Financial
Services (806).

The 2012 Consumer Financing Satisfaction Study is based on responses from
11,259 new-vehicle purchasers or lessees who completed a vehicle loan or lease
transaction between June 2011 and May 2012. The study was fielded between
August and October 2012.

Customer Satisfaction Index Scores        J.D. Power.com Power Circle Ratings
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)            For Consumers
Mass Market Loan Segment
Volkswagen Credit                     865 5
Mazda Capital Services                844 4
Honda Financial Services              843 4
Toyota Financial Services             831 4
Ford Credit                           825 4
Hyundai Motor Finance                 805 3
Mass Market Loan Avg.                 801 3
Ally Financial                        798 3
NMAC                                  795 3
Subaru Motors Finance                 792 3
Chase Auto Finance                    782 3
Capital One Auto Finance              773 3
Bank of America                       736 2
Wells Fargo Dealer Services           736 2
Fifth Third Bank                      662 2
Mass Market Lease Segment
Ford Credit                           827 5
Volkswagen Credit                     816 4
Honda Financial Services              802 4
Toyota Financial Services             781 3
Mass Market Lease Avg.                775 3
Hyundai Motor Finance                 750 2
Ally Financial                        748 2
NMAC                                  745 2
Luxury Loan Segment
Mercedes-Benz Financial Services      853 5
Acura Financial Services              852 5
BMW Financial Services                848 5
Lincoln Automotive Financial Services 835 4
Audi Financial Services               825 3
Lexus Financial Services              819 3
Luxury Loan Avg.                      816 3
Chase Auto Finance                    790 2
US Bank                               769 2
Bank of America                       745 2
Luxury Lease Segment
Lincoln Automotive Financial Services 826 5
Lexus Financial Services              808 4
Mercedes-Benz Financial Services      806 4
BMW Financial Services                804 4
Acura Financial Services              800 4
Luxury Lease Avg.                     789 3
Audi Financial Services               787 2
Infiniti Financial Services           760 2

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a
global marketing information services company providing forecasting,
performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and
solutions. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on
responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car
reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and
more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit
of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
McGraw-Hill announced on September 12, 2011, its intention to separate into
two public companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a leading provider of content and
analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, a leading
education company focused on digital learning and education services
worldwide. McGraw-Hill Financial's leading brands include Standard & Poor's
Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Indices, Platts energy information
services and J.D. Power and Associates. With sales of $6.2 billion in 2011,
the Corporation has approximately 23,000 employees across more than 280
offices in 40 countries. Additional information is available at
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

Media Relations Contacts:
Jeff Perlman; Brandware Public Relations; Woodland Hills, Calif.; (818)
598-1115; jperlman@brandwarepr.com
John Tews; Troy, Mich.; (248) 680-6218; media.relations@jdpa.com

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this
release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and
Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate

SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates

Website: http://www.jdpower.com