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Onyx Posts Q2 Earnings

22 July 1998

Onyx 2nd Quarter Earnings Increase 107%
    IRVINE, Calif., July 22 -- Onyx Acceptance Corporation
, a specialized automobile finance company, today reported
results for the quarter ended June 30, 1998.
    Net income for the second quarter of 1998 was $1.4 million or $.21 per
diluted share compared to $653,210 or $.10 per diluted share for the same
period of 1997. Net income for the six month period ended June 30, 1998
increased to $2.2 million or $.34 per diluted share from $1.3 million or $.20
per diluted share for the like period of 1997.   The increase in earnings and
earnings per diluted share for the quarter and six month period ended June 30,
1998 resulted from several factors.  The Company securitized  $208.8 million
in retail installment contracts during the second quarter of 1998 compared to
$121.7 million in the second quarter of 1997.  For the six month period ended
June 30, 1998, the Company securitized and sold a total of $396.8 million of
retail installment contracts.  Of this total, $381.8 million were securitized,
while $15.0 million were sold on a whole loan basis, with servicing retained.
    Another factor contributing to the increase in earnings and earnings per
diluted share was the performance of the servicing portfolio.  All measures of
portfolio performance continued to improve on a quarter over quarter basis and
for the second quarter ended June 30, 1998 as compared to second quarter ended
June 30, 1997.  At June 30, 1998, the trend of reductions in delinquency,
repossessions and credit losses continued, complemented by increased reserve
levels.  At June 30, 1998, serviced loans delinquent over 30 days totaled
$15.1 million or 1.49% of total serviced loans outstanding, compared to $11.6
million or 2.05% at June 30, 1997.  On a quarter over quarter basis, the
dollar amount of contracts delinquent decreased $563,000 from March 31, 1998
to June 30, 1998 while the Company experienced a 14.1% growth in the serviced
portfolio for the quarter.  The Company increased its off balance sheet
reserves from 3.57% of securitized assets at year end 1997 to 3.76% of
securitized assets at June 30, 1998.
    Annualized loan losses for serviced loans as a percentage of average
serviced loans outstanding decreased to 1.78% during the second quarter of
1998 compared to 2.04% during the second quarter of 1997.  The widespread
improvement was attributed to the continued focus on collection efforts, and
consistent application of underwriting guidelines.
    Total revenues, including servicing income, for the second quarter of 1998
were $14.2 million compared to $8.7 million for the same period ended June 30,
1997, an increase of 63.2%.  Total revenues, including servicing income, for
the six month period ending June 30, 1998 were $26.1 million compared to $15.9
million for the like period in 1997.
    The increase in revenues and servicing income is a result of the continued
expansion of the Company's servicing portfolio.  The servicing portfolio
increased 77.0% to $1.0 billion at June 30, 1998 from $564.9 million at June
30, 1997.  For the six month period ended June 30, 1998, the average contracts
serviced were $875.7 million compared to $475.1 million for the same period in
1997.  The growth in the servicing portfolio was a result of the increased
volume of contracts purchased.  Contracts purchased during the second quarter
of 1998 were $229.6 million as compared to $145.5 million for the second
quarter of 1997, an increase of 57.8%.  Contracts purchased during the six
month period ending June 30, 1998 was $447.9 million compared to $271.3
million for the same period in 1997.
    During the second quarter of 1998, Onyx securitized a total of $208.8
million of contracts and recorded a gain on sale of $9.4 million compared to a
securitization in the amount of $121.7 million with a gain on sale of $4.3
million in the second quarter of 1997.  For the six months ended June 30,
1998, the Company recorded a gain on sale of $18.1 million on total sales and
securitizations of $396.8 million as compared to a gain on sale of  $8.1
million with securitizations totaling $211.7 million.  The Company is
currently using securitization estimates that are consistent with management's
expectations of the future performance of each securitized pool of loans.
These estimates are an ABS prepayment speed of 1.75%, net annualized loss
assumption of 2.0% and a discount rate of 3.50% over the pass-through rate.
    John W. Hall, President and CEO said that, "Our results provide evidence
that the resources the Company has committed to its collection efforts, and to
evaluate the credit quality of the contracts that it buys, are producing
outstanding results.  We are very proud to have surpassed, in the second
quarter, $1 billion in automobile receivables serviced and we remain dedicated
to managing our growth and maintaining sound underwriting principles.  We
believe our focus on conservative loan to value and payment to income ratios
will enable us to sustain the outstanding performance of the portfolio."
    Onyx Acceptance Corporation is an Irvine, CA based company providing
financing to new and select used car dealerships throughout the United States
with Auto Finance Centers located throughout California and in Arizona,
Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, and Washington.
    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.  The most significant among these risks and
uncertainties are (a) the Company's use of estimates of future performance of
securitized loans, (b) the Company's level of delinquencies, gross charge-offs
and net losses, (c) the ability to achieve adequate interest rate spreads, (d)
the effects of economic factors on consumer debt and (e) competitive
pressures.  Other important factors are detailed in the Company's annual
report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997 and its quarterly
report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 1998.

                 ONYX ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION and SUBSIDIARIES
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION


                                                   (UNAUDITED)
                                            June 30,          December 31,
                                              1998                1997

    ASSETS
     CASH & CASH EQUIVALENTS                $657,869           $991,010
     TRUST RECEIVABLES                    31,756,357         27,628,619
     CONTRACTS HELD FOR SALE - Net of
      Allowance(a)                       101,078,637         64,342,309
     RETAINED INTEREST IN SECURITIZED
      ASSETS                              63,010,874         48,838,815
    OTHER ASSETS                           5,963,802          4,767,490

       TOTAL ASSETS                     $202,467,539       $146,568,243


    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
     LIABILITIES
      DEBT                              $142,560,098        $91,508,209
      OTHER LIABILITIES                   17,145,857         14,504,542

       TOTAL LIABILITIES                 159,705,955        106,012,751

       TOTAL EQUITY                       42,761,584         40,555,492
       TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY     $202,467,539       $146,568,243


    (a)  Net of Unearned Discounts


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


                                Three Months Ended          Six Months Ended
                                     June 30,                   June 30,
                                1998         1997          1998        1997

    REVENUES:
     Finance Revenue        $5,221,533   $3,265,712   $9,702,083   $5,147,704
     Interest Expense        3,616,724    1,830,284    6,437,710    2,885,192

     Net Finance Revenue     1,604,809    1,435,428    3,264,373    2,262,512

     Provision for credit
      losses                   324,819      211,324      631,807      504,594

     Net Finance Revenue
      after Provision        1,279,990    1,224,104    2,632,566    1,757,918

     Gain on Sale of Loans   9,406,175    4,300,069   18,073,193    8,076,212
     Service Fee Income      3,159,533    2,975,717    4,758,269    5,595,354

    EXPENSES:

     Salaries and Benefits   6,334,576    4,327,419   12,275,745    7,744,744
     Depreciation              499,356      258,819      926,338      460,801
     Occupancy                 442,412      333,183      814,853      657,274
     General and
     Administrative expenses 4,254,211    2,461,962    7,716,955    4,399,714

    Total Expenses          11,530,555    7,381,383   21,733,891   13,262,533

    NET INCOME BEFORE
     INCOME TAXES            2,315,143    1,118,507    3,730,137    2,166,951
    INCOME TAXES               960,784      465,297    1,548,007      901,297
    NET INCOME              $1,354,359     $653,210   $2,182,130   $1,265,654

    NET INCOME PER SHARE -
     BASIC                       $0.22        $0.11        $0.36        $0.21
    NET INCOME PER SHARE -
     DILUTED                     $0.21        $0.10        $0.34        $0.20
    BASIC SHARES
     OUTSTANDING             6,092,400    6,005,444    6,058,610    5,983,809
    DILUTED SHARES
     OUTSTANDING             6,533,804    6,374,934    6,477,178    6,389,423



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

                                          Three Months Ended
                                               June 30,
                                          1998            1997
    Contracts Purchased                $229,660        $145,548

                                            Six Months Ended
                                                June 30,

                                           1998            1997

    Contracts Purchased                $447,864        $271,260


                                 Number of                Number of
    Delinquency Experience       Contracts        $       Contracts      $

    Servicing Portfolio           98,918     $1,009,246    54,243   $564,922

    Serviced Delinquency

     31 to 59 days                   921         $9,041       699     $7,023
     60 to 89 days                   244          2,473       178      1,981
     90 days or more                 332          3,552       229      2,591

     Total                         1,497        $15,066     1,106    $11,595

    Delinquency as a percentage
     of number and amount of
     contracts                     1.51%          1.49%     2.04%      2.05%



                                  Three Months Ended          Six Months Ended
                                       March 31,                  March 31,
                                  1998          1997           1998       1997

    Loss Experience

    Average Contracts Serviced
     during the period        $935,391     $517,134      $875,657    $475,141

    Gross Charge-offs         $4,917.2     $2,999.6      $9,374.8    $5,308.8

    Recoveries                  $761.8       $368.2      $1,457.6      $697.7

    Net Charge-offs           $4,155.4     $2,631.4      $7,917.2    $4,611.1

    Net Charge-offs as a
     percentage of contracts
     outstanding during the
     period                      1.78%        2.04%         1.81%       1.94%



    Month            95-1         96-1         96-2         96-3

    1               0.00%         0.00%         0.01%       0.00%
    2               0.01%         0.03%         0.07%       0.02%
    3               0.02%         0.05%         0.20%       0.07%
    4               0.02%         0.11%         0.33%       0.16%
    5               0.05%         0.23%         0.46%       0.43%
    6               0.06%         0.40%         0.78%       0.54%
    7               0.08%         0.69%         0.98%       0.74%
    8               0.10%         0.82%         1.15%       0.97%
    9               0.21%         0.93%         1.39%       1.13%
    10              0.24%         1.15%         1.52%       1.32%
    11              0.29%         1.25%         1.69%       1.47%
    12              0.41%         1.47%         1.94%       1.60%
    13              0.55%         1.65%         2.08%       1.77%
    14              0.70%         1.79%         2.34%       1.94%
    15              0.83%         2.02%         2.52%       2.09%
    16              0.98%         2.25%         2.76%       2.27%
    17              1.06%         2.43%         2.89%       2.42%
    18              1.11%         2.59%         3.10%       2.57%
    19              1.27%         2.77%         3.14%       2.70%
    20              1.37%         2.93%         3.30%       2.83%
    21              1.41%         3.06%         3.47%       2.94%
    22              1.54%         3.15%         3.60%       3.00%
    23              1.59%         3.21%         3.70%
    24              1.69%         3.28%         3.81%
    25              1.76%         3.40%         3.93%
    26              1.83%         3.43%         4.06%
    27              1.86%         3.55%
    28              1.97%         3.60%
    29              2.01%         3.73%
    30              2.08%         3.75%
    31              2.13%
    32              2.16%
    33              2.26%
    34              2.27%
    35              2.28%
    36              2.28%
    37              2.30%
    38              2.28%
    39              2.28%


    Month            96-4          97-1          97-2        97-3

    1               0.00%         0.00%         0.00%       0.00%
    2               0.02%         0.00%         0.00%       0.00%
    3               0.05%         0.03%         0.02%       0.02%
    4               0.14%         0.06%         0.07%       0.09%
    5               0.24%         0.13%         0.22%       0.13%
    6               0.38%         0.26%         0.32%       0.24%
    7               0.53%         0.37%         0.59%       0.36%
    8               0.81%         0.52%         0.80%       0.47%
    9               0.98%         0.60%         0.91%       0.62%
    10              1.18%         0.76%         1.07%       0.73%
    11              1.43%         0.92%         1.26%
    12              1.63%         1.02%         1.42%
    13              1.73%         1.13%         1.58%
    14              1.87%         1.23%
    15              2.07%         1.40%
    16              2.23%         1.56%
    17              2.33%
    18              2.49%
    19              2.62%
    20
    21
    22
    23
    24
    25
    26
    27
    28
    29
    30
    31
    32
    33
    34
    35
    36
    37
    38
    39


    Month            97-4          98-1          98-A

    1               0.00%         0.00%         0.00%
    2               0.00%         0.01%
    3               0.01%         0.02%
    4               0.04%         0.08%
    5               0.11%
    6               0.20%
    7               0.28%
    8
    9
    10
    11
    12
    13
    14
    15
    16
    17
    18
    19
    20
    21
    22
    23
    24
    25
    26
    27
    28
    29
    30
    31
    32
    33
    34
    35
    36
    37
    38
    39