Something's shifting in the American credit landscape. Car loan defaults just jumped 51% versus where they stood fifteen years back—but here's the weird part: prime borrowers (the folks with solid credit scores) are now missing payments faster than subprime customers. VantageScore dropped this data, and it's raising eyebrows. When the "reliable" borrowers start struggling, that's usually your canary-in-the-coal-mine moment for broader economic stress. Worth watching how this pressure translates into consumer spending patterns and risk appetite across all asset classes.