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Lewis Berman Joins Smart Choice Board of Directors

23 July 1998

Lewis Berman Joins Smart Choice Board of Directors

    TITUSVILLE, Fla. July 23 -- Smart Choice Automotive Group,
Inc. , a leading consolidator of the 'dealer-financed' used car
retailing industry in the Southeastern United States, today announced that
Lewis H. Berman has joined the Company's Board of Directors.
    Mr. Berman, a Certified Public Accountant, business consultant and
investor, has over 34 years of experience providing management advisory
services to a wide variety of companies.  His particular areas of expertise
include project expediency, business management, accounting, and bank advisory
services.
    "We are pleased to welcome Lewis Berman to our Board of Directors and
expect Smart Choice to benefit  from his professional experience in public
accounting and banking," commented Gary Smith, president and chief executive
officer of Smart Choice Automotive Group, Inc.  "Lewis is well recognized in
the Central Florida business community for the breadth of his experience and
his high ethical standards.  His insights and counsel should help our efforts
to build Smart Choice into the leading company in our industry segment."
    Smart Choice Automotive Group, Inc. operates a network of new and used car
stores in the Southeastern United States.  The Company underwrites, finances
and services retail installment contracts generated from the sale of used cars
by its stores.  Its Eckler's subsidiary is one of the world's largest
aftermarket suppliers of Corvette parts and accessories.  The Company also
provides training and insurance services to automobile dealerships throughout
the United States.
    Smart Choice Automotive Group, Inc. is headquartered in Titusville,
Florida and its common stock trades on Nasdaq under the symbol "SMCH".
    This press release includes statements that may constitute
"forward-looking" statements, usually containing the words "believe,"
"estimate," "project," "expect" or similar expressions.  These statements are
made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements inherently involve
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from the forward-looking statements.  Factors that would cause or contribute
to such differences include, but are not limited to, continued acceptance of
the Company's products in the marketplace, competitive factors, receivables
portfolio risks, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed
in the Company's S-3 and other periodic report filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.  By making these forward-looking statements, the Company
undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes
after the date of this release.