FlexPath DXP and Kemba Credit Union are partnering to serve potential car buyers who are laser focused on finding a vehicle that fits within their specific budget and payment parameters.

Kemba is now one of the first credit unions to offer payment-first vehicle shopping experiences powered by verified credit data generated through FlexPath DXP’s platform.

“Consumers don’t shop for vehicles by price. They shop by payment,” said Dennis Wander, who oversees indirect lending at Kemba Credit Union. “By partnering with FlexPath, we’re able to deliver a modern experience that aligns with how our members actually make decisions, while strengthening our ability to compete across both financing and leasing.”

Instead of requiring shoppers to select a vehicle first, the platform allows members to:

—Enter a target monthly payment and upfront cash

—Verify identity using a mobile phone number

—Instantly view all qualifying vehicles across participating dealer inventory

—Compare finance and lease options in one unified experience

“Consumers don’t think in terms of ‘new’ or ‘used’ first. They think in terms of budget,” said FlexPath DXP CEO Tarry Shebesta, who is among the experts scheduled to appear during the Used Car Industry Summit that begins on April 13 in Miami.

“By bringing identity-verified credit and real payment calculations to the start of the shopping journey, Kemba is delivering a fundamentally better experience for its members,” Shebesta continued.

Shebesta also pointed out that a key advantage of the FlexPath-powered platform is its ability to present real lease payments that incorporate manufacturer incentives, a capability traditionally limited to OEM captive finance companies.

Through integration with dealer inventory and a leasing relationship with GrooveCar, Kemba can now offer competitive lease and finance options across both new and used vehicles.

“This is a significant step forward for credit unions,” Shebesta said. “Kemba is now able to present competitive lease structures alongside traditional financing, helping level the playing field against captive lenders while expanding affordability for members.”

And dealers near Cincinnati are intrigued by the partnership involving Kemba, which is based in the Queen City and has more than 134,000 members in Ohio, Indiana and beyond.

“We’re always looking for ways to connect with more qualified buyers and improve conversion without increasing ad spend,” said Ed Larkin of Rose Automotive Group. “Shop-by-Payment aligns with how customers actually shop today — by monthly budget. Connecting that experience to Kemba’s member base and delivering credit-qualified customers upfront is a meaningful advantage for our stores.”