An Empirical Bargaining Model with Digit Bias - A Study on Auto Loan Monthly Payments

This study was carried on by Jiang, Zhenling, during the first semester of 2019 and it involved more than 35 million auto loans in the US. The author determined that monthly payments carrying a $9 ending digit, e. g. $199, had a highest interest rate charged. While those monthly payments carrying a $0 ending digit, e. g. $200, had the lowest interest rate charged. African American and Latin consumers were the most negatively affected groups by the higher interest rates.

The study showed that an effective bargaining tactic would decrease total payments significantly. This research also includes a lot of other information regarding the total economic effects of ending digit bias.

Explanation:

I personally guess that many car sellers and auto loans institutions tempt both African American and Latin consumers by using apparently lower monthly payments (psychologically we all consider $199 to be much cheaper than $200) in order to charge higher interest rates. They also probably offer longer term loans, e. g. 5-6 year loans instead of 3-4 year loans.