Drivers going upside-down on auto loans and taking on loans with terms much longer than is healthy for their wallets is a major issue right now.

In fact, more than 40% of auto loans are for 72 months at the moment – or six years. For reference, Clark advises against agreeing to an auto loan longer than 42 months.

Dealers are pushing buyers toward longer loans to keep sales moving as affordability tightens. That’s driving negative equity on used-vehicle trade-ins.

Many customers are trading vehicles every three to five years, rolling unpaid balances into new loans. Last year, 26% of trade-ins carried negative equity, up 2% from 2024.

You can cringe reading that 84-month auto loans now account for almost 13% of new-vehicle financing. That’s nearly double the rate of just seven years ago.

Even with longer terms, one in five buyers is paying more than $1,000 per month.

“While the auto and consumer financing industries still have plenty of tools at their disposal to keep this cycle going for the near-term, the extended buildup of longer-term loans, increased negative equity and liberal use of incentives could eventually create a day of reckoning where it is impossible to keep engineering a soft landing,” JD Power said.

Avoid a day of reckoning in your own life by driving your “old” vehicle for longer, keeping your loan terms to a reasonable length and making smart choices in terms of the price range you can afford.

Clark dives into the creepy but necessary world of security cameras. While that recent Super Bowl ad about a lost pet may have been marketed as heartwarming, it served as a stark reminder of just how much we are being watched. Clark breaks down the latest reviews from Consumer Reports and CNET to highlight high-quality, DIY camera options that offer motion alerts and peace of mind without the recurring bill. Also, Clark tackles the massive shift in online retail as Amazon rolls out 1-hour and 3-hour delivery options across 2,000 cities for an extra fee. While the "e-commerce colossus" is setting new trends, they are actually playing catch-up to the ultra-fast delivery models already proven by Costco, Walmart, and BJ’s Wholesale. Clark warns that there is nothing "free" about shipping. Before you click "buy" on that expedited shipping, Clark discusses why opting for slower delivery is often the smarter financial move that helps keep retail costs lower for everyone.

The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.