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Onyx Acceptance Reports Fourth Quarter Earnings



    FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., Feb. 13 -- Onyx Acceptance Corporation announced today its financial and
operational results for the quarter ended December 31, 2002.
    Net income and earnings per diluted share for the quarter were
$924 thousand and $0.18 respectively, compared to $359 thousand and $0.07 for
the quarter ended December 31, 2001.  For the year ended December 31, 2002,
net income and earnings per diluted share were $2.3 million and $0.45
respectively, compared to $4.4 million and $0.84 for the year ended
December 31, 2001.

    "Delivering on our commitment to improve credit quality and increase
operating efficiencies, we completed the year with lower delinquency and loss
rates and reduced overall operating expenses.  Specifically, this ongoing
commitment has produced the following results:

     -- An improvement in the Company's key static pool loss and delinquency
        rates after the third quarter, 2000.  On a portfolio basis, the
        Company has experienced a 36% decrease in delinquency rates since
        December of 2001 and a 23% decline in the quarterly loss percentage
        when compared to the same period in 2001.

     -- A steady increase in customer credit scores, resulting in the 2001 and
        2002 securitization transactions currently outperforming original
        projections.  The weighted average credit score of contracts
        securitized in the fourth quarter of 2002 was 56 points higher than
        the weighted average credit score for the securitization executed in
        the third quarter of 2000.

     -- A $4.9 million reduction in total operating expenses for the year,
        versus 2001.  The Company reached a milestone by achieving an
        operating cost ratio below 3% for the twelve months ended
        December 31, 2002.

     -- Net income and EPS amounts for 2002 have been impacted by adverse
        performance of certain 1999 and 2000 securitization transactions.
        Without charges related to these transactions, net income and earnings
        per share for the year would have been $11.7 million and $2.29,
        respectively.

    The continued lackluster performance of the U.S. economy in the aftermath
of the events of September 11 and the softening of the used car market caused
by aggressive financing incentives offered by many captive finance companies
throughout 2002, adversely affected our operating results.  Faced with these
issues, we held steadfast with our focus on credit quality and improved
operating efficiencies.  With the performance of our 2001 and 2002
securitizations, coupled with the anticipated liquidation of four pre-2001
transactions in 2003, we expect to show improved results in the forthcoming
quarters.  We believe that 2003 will provide many opportunities for Onyx, as
we continue to build on our existing dealer relationships and create
additional financial partnerships.  In this area, we have expanded and
diversified our lending lines with the execution of a new $150.0 million
warehouse facility sponsored by CDC Financial Products and guaranteed by XL
Capital Assurance Inc., while still maintaining our current relationships with
Triple-A One Funding Corporation and MBIA Insurance Corporation, thereby
improving our liquidity position for the upcoming year.  We look forward to
further opportunities in 2003," said John W. Hall, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Onyx Acceptance Corporation.

    Revenues:
    Total revenues for the fourth quarter were $24.0 million compared to
$22.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2001.  For the year ended December 31,
2002, total revenues were $92.9 million, compared to $101.0 million for the
same period in 2001.  Total revenues are comprised of net interest income,
service fee income and securitization gains net of any impairment losses.
    Net interest income increased to $7.8 million for the quarter ended
December 31, 2002, compared to $3.9 million for the same period in 2001.  For
the year, net interest income increased to $26.9 million, compared to
$14.4 million for the same period in 2001.  The increase in net interest
income was principally due to an increase in earnings on the Company's
securitization transactions.
    Service fee income decreased to $12.6 million for the quarter, from
$13.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2001.  For the year ended December 31,
2002, service fee income was $52.1 million, compared to $55.8 million for the
same period in 2001.  The reduction in service fee income was principally due
to a reduction in investment income received on trust cash accounts during the
periods as well as the effects of EITF 99-20.
    The gain on our securitization transaction increased to $10.5 million for
the quarter ended December 31, 2002, compared to $7.2 million for the same
period in 2001.  Favorable net interest rate spreads and a higher
securitization balance were the principal reasons for the increase in revenue
recorded from the fourth quarter securitization.  The net gain on sale was
$3.6 million and $4.6 million for the quarters ended December 31, 2002 and
2001, respectively.  The reduction in net gain principally reflects the
adverse performance of six securitizations executed during 1999 and 2000 which
resulted in impairment charges for the fourth quarter and year ended 2002 of
$6.5 million and $16.1 million, respectively, compared to $3.3 million for the
year and quarter ended December 31, 2001.  The Company anticipates that four
of the six securitizations will be liquidated by the end of 2003, but may
continue to have adverse effects on recorded balances until such time.  The
Company's 2001 and 2002 securitizations are currently performing better than
original projections, and, as a result, have generated a fair value increase
of approximately $8.7 million which will be recognized as income over the life
of the corresponding securitizations.  The improved performance during this
two-year period was due to Management's efforts beginning in the fourth
quarter of 2000 to shift the Company's purchases of contracts to a higher
percentage of better credit quality product.  The result has been slower
volume growth, but an improvement in overall borrower credit statistics.

    Operating Expenses:
    In accordance with Management's ongoing focus on operating efficiencies,
the Company achieved a reduction in operating expenses of $4.9 million for the
year ended December 31, 2002, compared to the same period in 2001, and a
reduction of the operating cost ratio to 2.94% versus 3.18%.  Operating
expenses totaled $20.9 million or 2.87% of average serviced contracts for the
fourth quarter 2002, down from 3.04% or $21.8 million for the same period in
2001.  The reduction in operating expense as a percent of average serviced
assets occurred during a period of little or no portfolio growth and is the
result of renegotiated vendor contracts, an improvement in system
efficiencies, a reduction in collection and professional related services, and
the general improvement in the performance of the serviced portfolio since
December 2001.

    Contract Purchases:
    Contract purchases for the quarter ended December 31, 2002 were
$389.7 million, compared to $365.3 million for the fourth quarter, 2001, an
increase of 6.7%.  The increase in volume over the three-month period ended
December 31, 2001, reflects the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001, and
the impact of subsidized financing incentives offered by many captive finance
companies.  For the years ended December 31, 2002 and 2001, contract purchases
remained consistent, totaling $1.6 billion in each such period.

    Portfolio Performance:
    Total delinquency as a percentage of the serviced portfolio decreased from
4.01% at December 31, 2001, to 2.58% at year-end 2002, and further decreased
to 2.04% as of January 31, 2003.  The reduction in delinquency is principally
due to the Company's efforts to improve borrower credit statistics.
Annualized net charge-offs as a percent of the average serviced portfolio
decreased to 2.42% during the fourth quarter of 2002, from 3.13% for the same
period in 2001.  For the year, net charge-offs were 2.77% of the average
serviced portfolio, compared to 2.78% for 2001.  With sustained improvements
in credit quality, reductions in delinquency rates and the anticipated
recovery of the economy, Management expects that the Company will experience
lower loss rates in the forthcoming quarters.  The Company's allowance for
estimated credit losses on securitized assets was 4.0 % at December 31, 2002,
compared to 4.2% at December 31, 2001.

    Recent Developments:
    The Company, through its renewable unsecured subordinated note program
launched during the first quarter of 2002, raised $6.9 million in the fourth
quarter of 2002 and $15.0 million for the year.  Additionally, during the
first quarter, 2003, the Company securitized $400 million of contracts and
executed a new $150.0 million warehouse facility sponsored by CDC Financial
Products and guaranteed by XL Capital Assurance Inc.  In conjunction with the
procurement of the new warehouse facility, the Company elected to reduce its
line with Triple-A One Funding Corporation and MBIA to $300 million from
$355 million, effective February 1, 2003.

    Onyx Acceptance Corporation is a specialized automobile finance company
based in Foothill Ranch, CA.  Onyx provides financing to franchised and select
independent dealerships throughout the United States.

    This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to
certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected, including statements regarding the Company's
growth opportunities for 2003, the performance of the Company's outstanding
securitization transactions, the Company's expected loss, charge-off and
delinquency rates, the Company's ability to achieve adequate interest rate
margins, the effects of economic factors on consumer debt and the continued
availability of liquidity sources in coming quarters.  Other important factors
are detailed in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2001, and on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2002,
June 30, 2002 and September 30, 2002.

    For information about Onyx Acceptance Corporation, please visit the
Investor Relations section of our website at http://www.onyxco.com .

                   ONYX ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION and SUBSIDIARIES
                  CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

                                               (UNAUDITED)      (AUDITED)
                                                       (In Thousands)
                                                December 31,     December 31,
                                                    2002            2001
    ASSETS
      CASH & CASH EQUIVALENTS                      $3,502          $1,135
      CONTRACTS HELD FOR SALE - (1)               166,372         189,265
      CONTRACTS HELD FOR INVESTMENT - (2)          11,315           2,259
      CREDIT ENHANCEMENT ASSETS                   177,108         184,300
      OTHER ASSETS                                  9,639           9,326

               TOTAL ASSETS                      $367,936        $386,285

    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
      LIABILITIES
        DEBT                                     $238,733        $274,595
        OTHER LIABILITIES                          63,834          51,989

               TOTAL LIABILITIES                  302,567         326,584

               TOTAL EQUITY                        65,369          59,701

               TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY      $367,936        $386,285

     (1) Net of Unearned Discounts
     (2) Net of Unearned Discounts and allowance

                   ONYX ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION and SUBSIDIARIES
                        CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                                   (UNAUDITED)

                                  Three Months Ended     Twelve Months Ended
                                     December 31,             December 31,
                                    (In Thousands)          (In Thousands)
                                   2002        2001        2002        2001
    REVENUES:

      Net Interest Income         $7,782      $3,931     $26,938     $14,404
      Gain on Sale of
       Contracts, net              3,602       4,598      13,904      30,765
      Service Fee Income          12,590      13,899      52,062      55,833

    Total Revenues                23,974      22,428      92,904     101,002

    EXPENSES:

      Provision for Credit
       Losses                        453         114          (8)      1,079
      Interest Expense             1,101        (115)      4,255       2,917
      Operating Expenses          20,840      21,830      84,660      89,535

    Total Expenses                22,394      21,829      88,907      93,531

    Income before Income Taxes     1,580         599       3,997       7,471
    Income Taxes                     656         240       1,658       3,061
    NET INCOME                      $924        $359      $2,339      $4,410

    NET INCOME PER SHARE
     - BASIC                       $0.18       $0.07       $0.46       $0.88
    NET INCOME PER SHARE
     - DILUTED                     $0.18       $0.07       $0.45       $0.84
    BASIC SHARES
     OUTSTANDING               5,086,793   5,078,046   5,085,384   5,026,087
    DILUTED SHARES
     OUTSTANDING               5,133,860   5,286,196   5,179,098   5,232,390

                   ONYX ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION and SUBSIDIARIES
                            DELINQUENCY AND LOSS RATES
                                   (UNAUDITED)
                              (Dollars In Thousands)

                                   December 31,              December 31,
                                      2002                      2001

    Delinquency Experience
                              Number of                Number of
                              Contracts      $         Contracts        $

    Serviced Portfolio        291,898   $2,905,968      289,426   $2,864,338

    Serviced Delinquency

        31 to 59 days           6,957      $51,645        8,916      $78,056
        60 to 89 days           1,940       14,127        2,456       20,859
        90 days or more         1,593        9,118        2,023       15,887

    Total                      10,490      $74,890       13,395     $114,802

    Delinquency as a
     percentage of number
     and amount of contracts    3.59%        2.58%        4.63%        4.01%

    Net of Repossessed Inventory and Bankruptcies

                               Three Months Ended       Twelve Months Ended
                                  December 31,              December 31,
    Loss Experience
                               2002         2001         2002         2001

    Average Contracts
     Serviced during
     the period            $2,902,932   $2,871,141   $2,883,497   $2,818,572

    Gross Charge-offs         $20,575      $25,443      $97,074      $90,772

    Recoveries                 $2,995       $2,982      $17,271      $12,361

    Net Charge-offs           $17,580      $22,461      $79,803      $78,411

    Net Charge-offs as
     a percentage               2.42%        3.13%        2.77%        2.78%
     of contracts
     outstanding during
     the period.*

    *Annualized

                           Onyx Acceptance Corporation
        Static Pool Information for securitized pools outstanding for the
         period from the date of securitization through December 31, 2002

    MONTH      98-B      98-C      99-A      99-B      99-C      99-D
    1          0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%
    2          0.00%     0.02%     0.00%     0.00%     0.01%     0.00%
    3          0.02%     0.02%     0.02%     0.03%     0.03%     0.01%
    4          0.08%     0.04%     0.05%     0.07%     0.06%     0.04%
    5          0.19%     0.15%     0.11%     0.14%     0.16%     0.09%
    6          0.33%     0.27%     0.21%     0.27%     0.28%     0.15%
    7          0.45%     0.46%     0.35%     0.43%     0.47%     0.24%
    8          0.61%     0.57%     0.49%     0.60%     0.64%     0.43%
    9          0.82%     0.74%     0.63%     0.85%     0.83%     0.59%
    10         0.95%     0.94%     0.81%     1.07%     1.09%     0.76%
    11         1.10%     1.12%     1.04%     1.34%     1.31%     0.99%
    12         1.20%     1.30%     1.29%     1.56%     1.47%     1.20%
    13         1.36%     1.54%     1.49%     1.79%     1.62%     1.41%
    14         1.48%     1.73%     1.72%     1.90%     1.77%     1.52%
    15         1.64%     1.90%     1.90%     2.08%     2.00%     1.70%
    16         1.89%     2.10%     2.10%     2.23%     2.08%     2.00%
    17         2.05%     2.28%     2.26%     2.42%     2.29%     2.17%
    18         2.22%     2.51%     2.46%     2.63%     2.48%     2.40%
    19         2.37%     2.71%     2.59%     2.71%     2.61%     2.61%
    20         2.50%     2.83%     2.71%     2.89%     2.73%     2.87%
    21         2.67%     2.95%     2.83%     3.08%     2.92%     3.05%
    22         2.79%     3.08%     2.88%     3.21%     3.07%     3.20%
    23         2.92%     3.25%     3.03%     3.31%     3.22%     3.33%
    24         3.06%     3.39%     3.21%     3.43%     3.32%     3.53%
    25         3.14%     3.45%     3.28%     3.55%     3.43%     3.70%
    26         3.23%     3.57%     3.34%     3.67%     3.65%     3.88%
    27         3.28%     3.72%     3.47%     3.77%     3.79%     4.03%
    28         3.35%     3.81%     3.61%     3.88%     3.90%     4.22%
    29         3.45%     3.91%     3.67%     4.01%     4.03%     4.42%
    30         3.50%     4.05%     3.78%     4.14%     4.19%     4.58%
    31         3.57%     4.13%     3.85%     4.25%     4.28%     4.71%
    32         3.67%     4.21%     3.96%     4.37%     4.43%     4.84%
    33         3.73%     4.27%     4.07%     4.49%     4.60%     4.98%
    34         3.81%     4.33%     4.18%     4.55%     4.71%     5.11%
    35         3.86%     4.42%     4.25%     4.66%     4.83%     5.21%
    36         3.91%     4.46%     4.32%     4.79%     4.95%     5.32%
    37         4.00%     4.55%     4.37%     4.86%     5.00%     5.46%
    38         4.04%     4.63%     4.44%     4.94%     5.07%     5.55%
    39         4.08%     4.73%     4.51%     5.00%     5.15%     5.63%
    40         4.13%     4.76%     4.56%     5.05%     5.22%
    41         4.18%     4.80%     4.66%     5.12%     5.30%
    42         4.21%     4.87%     4.69%     5.17%
    43         4.23%     4.94%     4.72%     5.21%
    44         4.25%     5.00%     4.77%     5.23%

    MONTH      00-A      00-B      00-C      00-D      01-A      01-B
    1          0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%
    2          0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%
    3          0.02%     0.02%     0.01%     0.00%     0.00%     0.01%
    4          0.04%     0.04%     0.03%     0.02%     0.02%     0.03%
    5          0.11%     0.10%     0.06%     0.07%     0.07%     0.10%
    6          0.18%     0.17%     0.11%     0.15%     0.12%     0.18%
    7          0.37%     0.30%     0.26%     0.26%     0.20%     0.30%
    8          0.63%     0.44%     0.41%     0.39%     0.31%     0.39%
    9          0.87%     0.67%     0.65%     0.50%     0.47%     0.50%
    10         1.05%     0.90%     0.85%     0.65%     0.60%     0.65%
    11         1.27%     1.11%     1.08%     0.85%     0.77%     0.77%
    12         1.59%     1.38%     1.29%     1.03%     0.95%     0.89%
    13         1.82%     1.57%     1.42%     1.25%     1.14%     1.04%
    14         2.03%     1.84%     1.65%     1.41%     1.31%     1.19%
    15         2.25%     2.08%     1.93%     1.62%     1.47%     1.33%
    16         2.48%     2.26%     2.16%     1.86%     1.64%     1.43%
    17         2.64%     2.42%     2.42%     2.04%     1.78%     1.55%
    18         2.80%     2.69%     2.65%     2.20%     1.96%     1.67%
    19         2.98%     2.96%     2.97%     2.41%     2.10%     1.80%
    20         3.25%     3.20%     3.25%     2.60%     2.25%     1.94%
    21         3.52%     3.44%     3.48%     2.75%     2.36%
    22         3.69%     3.69%     3.70%     2.92%     2.49%
    23         3.91%     3.94%     3.95%     3.03%     2.61%
    24         4.12%     4.18%     4.18%     3.16%
    25         4.32%     4.39%     4.37%     3.32%
    26         4.52%     4.57%     4.54%     3.45%
    27         4.71%     4.74%     4.74%
    28         4.87%     4.91%     4.88%
    29         5.04%     5.07%     5.03%
    30         5.23%     5.22%     5.18%
    31         5.35%     5.36%
    32         5.48%     5.53%
    33         5.61%     5.67%
    34         5.74%
    35         5.85%

    MONTH      01-C      01-D      02-A      02-B      02-C      02-D
    1          0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%
    2          0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%
    3          0.00%     0.00%     0.01%     0.00%     0.00%     0.00%
    4          0.02%     0.02%     0.01%     0.01%     0.01%
    5          0.05%     0.04%     0.02%     0.04%     0.06%
    6          0.11%     0.08%     0.07%     0.10%     0.11%
    7          0.18%     0.14%     0.12%     0.17%
    8          0.29%     0.22%     0.19%     0.23%
    9          0.38%     0.32%     0.26%     0.33%
    10         0.48%     0.44%     0.34%
    11         0.59%     0.51%     0.39%
    12         0.70%     0.59%     0.48%
    13         0.78%     0.69%
    14         0.89%     0.77%
    15         1.00%     0.85%
    16         1.11%
    17         1.23%
    18         1.34%