Financing With Confidence: How the CARS Act Changes Nissan Disclosures

Whether you’re financing through a bank, a credit union, or working with our team on options for a less-than-perfect credit history, California’s new CARS Act gives you more information up front, starting October 1, 2026.

Disclosures No Longer Depend on How You Pay

Before this law, some of the clearest disclosure requirements, like a full breakdown of every add-on and option before you sign, only applied if you financed your vehicle. Pay cash or sign a lease, and you didn’t always get the same level of detail. The CARS Act closes that gap. Whether you finance, lease, or pay cash, you’re entitled to the same upfront disclosure of everything that’s part of your deal.

A Lower Payment Isn’t Always the Better Deal

If you’re comparing loan terms, and most financing customers do, the law now requires dealers to tell you something important: a lower monthly payment often means paying more in total over the life of the loan, usually because the term is longer. That’s especially relevant if you’re weighing a 72-month term against a 60-month term, or comparing offers from different lenders. Now that comparison has to come with the full picture, not just the number that looks smallest on a monthly basis.

If you’re working through financing options, especially with credit challenges, our guide to bad credit car loans walks through how approval works and what lenders look at. The CARS Act disclosures now layer directly on top of that process.

The Rest of What’s Changing

The CARS Act also brings a new 3-day right to cancel on used vehicles priced at $50,000 or less, full total-price advertising with no hidden markups, and a ban on add-ons that don’t genuinely benefit you. Read the full CARS Act guide for the complete breakdown.

Common Questions

Do these disclosure rules apply if I’m paying cash?

Yes. Previously, the most detailed add-on disclosures only applied to financed purchases. Under the CARS Act, you get the same information whether you finance, lease, or pay cash.

Why does the law care about my monthly payment versus total cost?

A lower payment can make a deal look better than it is if it comes from a longer loan term with more total interest. The law requires that trade-off to be disclosed clearly when you’re offered multiple payment options.

Does this change how financing works with less-than-perfect credit?

The financing process itself doesn’t change, approval still depends on your income, history, and the lender’s guidelines. What changes is that you now get clearer disclosures about your options no matter which payment method or lender you end up with.

Start Your Financing at Valley Hi Nissan

Our finance team will walk you through every option with clear, honest information. Visit our showroom at 15722 Valley Park Ln, Victorville, CA 92394 or call (760) 241-1700.