Each Borrows More

Ren runs up: car loans are the biggest ever, a record $1.71 trillion. Granny Ume: fewer families borrow, 79.3 million loans, down 1.24% in a year; each borrows more. Mio: how much more? Granny: a new car, $765 a month on average, at 6.35%; a third of loans run past 72 months. Poko: Poko walks.

America's car-loan pile reached a record $1.71 trillion in the second quarter even though the number of loans fell to 79.3 million, 1.24% fewer than a year earlier: fewer borrowers owe more each, with the average new-car loan at $43,610 and a record $765 a month at 6.35%, used cars at $542 a month at 11.19%, and more than a third of loans, new and used, now running past 72 months.

Starring

RenGranny UmeMioPoko