High-tech gear disables car if borrower misses payment By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
Mon Mar 31, 7:25 AM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20080331/tc_usatoday/hightechgeardisablescarifborrowermissespaymentMURRIETA, Calif. - When the light starts to flash, you had better have the cash.
That's the reality for millions of subprime borrowers whose used car purchase is contingent upon having an unusual option: a little box mounted underneath the dashboard that forces them to make their payments on time.
A light on the plastic box flashes when a payment is due. If the payment isn't made and the resulting code punched in to reset the box, the vehicle won't start. The next step is a visit from the repo man.
As tighter credit crunches consumers, it seems business can only get better for Sekurus, a company based in this suburb east of Los Angeles. It's among several companies that market such devices.