Dealer Success Stories
Capital Motors Auto Credit Builds Sustainable Growth Through Subprime Auto Financing With Agora
Dealership Snapshot
Capital Motors Auto Credit
Since opening in 2020, Capital Motors Auto Credit has focused on helping customers find the right-fit vehicle—not just closing a transaction. Owner Alex Alnemer believes the ultimate compliment is a customer referral, and his dealership model is built around trust, repeat business, and long-term value for both the customer and the store.
With more than 15 years in the auto industry and experience working with over 40 traditional lenders, Alex understands how quickly lending conditions can change—and how important reliable funding is to sustained dealership growth.
- Dealer
Alex Alnemer
- Four Locations
Capital Motors Auto Credit (Merrillville, IN)
Capital Motors Credit (Chicago, IL)
Certified Auto Finance (Dyer, IN)
Drive Now Autohaus (Cicero, IL)
- Customer Focus
Subprime and Non‑prime vehicle buyers
- Vehicles Sold Every Month
10 Additional Sales
- Time in Program
1 Year
- Deals Completed
300+
The Opportunity
Like many independent dealers, Capital Motors faced growing challenges in the subprime and non-prime market:
- Subprime lenders tightening approval criteria
- More deals being declined due to FICO scores
- Increased uncertainty around funding reliability
- Missed sales opportunities despite strong customer demand
Non-prime customers were still walking through the door, but closing those deals consistently had become more difficult. Alex needed a financing solution that could support today’s sales while creating confidence and sustainability for the future.
Why They Chose Agora
Alex sees Agora’s strength in its ability to evaluate non-prime customers using alternative data, not just a FICO score. This approach has become increasingly important as traditional subprime lenders pull back.
“Subprime lenders are not buying how they used to, and as a consequence, they’re limiting deals.” said Alex.
Agora’s AI-driven decisioning models—trained on hundreds of billions of dollars in used car data—have helped Capital Motors close deals that would otherwise be declined. For Alex, this means fewer lost opportunities and more confidence in serving an underserved customer base.
Agora is giving these customers a chance to purchase vehicles when traditional lenders are not.
"I do see Agora being a long-term partner with all four of my dealerships."
Alex Alnemer
Capital Motors Auto Credit
Alex Noticed a Noticeable Shift in the First 30 Days
The turning point came when Certified Auto Finance—one of Alex’s partner dealerships—began working with Agora Data. Within just 30 days, approximately 20% of their deals were being funded through Agora.
That immediate impact caught Alex’s attention. He said, “I instantly dropped everything I was doing and signed up every one of our dealerships with Agora.”
Since then, all of Alex’s locations have partnered with Agora, with two of the four stores now using Agora as their primary funding source. The remaining locations fund approximately 10–20% of their deals through the platform.
On a routine Saturday morning check-in, Alex shared that his team sold four vehicles in just three hours—three of those deals were Agora financed.
Making Subprime a Sustainable Growth Channel
Rather than viewing non-prime customers as risky, Alex now sees them as a reliable and scalable growth segment.
Agora approvals remain competitive in the current market, often matching or exceeding other subprime offers. While Alex notes the added upside of the WealthBuilder program—ongoing revenue earned as customers make payments—he views that as incremental profit on top of already strong deals.
The result is a shift in mindset: with Agora, subprime is no longer unpredictable. It’s dependable.
300+ Deals
Completed in one year with Agora
3 of 4 Deals
Funded by Agora on a single Saturday
Primary Funding
Source is through Agora with two of Alex's dealerships
Inventory Strategy That Supports Better Outcomes
Since working with Agora, Capital Motors has adjusted its inventory mix to better align with customer needs and payment affordability.
Previously: 20–30% of inventory priced over $30,000
Today: Approximately 10% over $30,000
Sweet spot for Agora deals: $15,000–$20,000 vehicles
This shift allows customers to secure more manageable payments, rebuild credit, and return in the future for repeat purchases—strengthening lifetime customer value.
Simple Process, Reliable Funding
From Alex’s perspective, one of Agora’s biggest advantages is ease of use. He said, “There is nothing that I would say is complicated about using Agora whatsoever.”
Applications flow through Dealertrack (as well as DealerCenter or RouteOne), with rehashing, underwriting, and deal finalization handled smoothly on the platform. Funding is predictable and straightforward, giving Alex’s team confidence to finance more non-prime deals without disrupting existing processes.
Alex stated, “It doesn’t feel like we’re working with a traditional lender.”Supporting Long-Term Dealer and Community Growth
Capital Motors views Agora not only as a dealership partner, but as a way to better serve the communities they operate in. Getting customers into reliable vehicles today sets the stage for future trade-ins, repeat purchases, and long-term loyalty.
Looking ahead, Alex and his partners plan to continue expanding inventory and ultimately become a franchise dealer. Agora is viewed as a strategic resource in reaching those goals faster. Alex told us, “I do see Agora being a long-term partner with all four of my dealerships.”
Alex now actively recommends the AgoraCapital platform to other dealers—many of whom have signed up and found success of their own.
The Bottom Line
Capital Motors Auto Credit uses Agora to:
- Close more subprime and non-prime deals
- Improve funding reliability
- Align inventory with customer affordability
- Build repeat customers and long-term value
- Create a sustainable growth channel
By combining fintech-driven approvals with a relationship-first dealer philosophy, Capital Motors has transformed subprime financing into a dependable engine for growth.