The most common way of financing a car at the dealership is through the use of a retail installment sale contract, or “RISC.” Contrary to popular belief, an installment sale is not the same thing as a car loan. They are different, and you need to understand the difference. These terms are often confused, even by experienced car people. In this lesson, you will learn to understand the difference between an Installment Sale Contract and a Car loan, the terminology that must be used when discussing each type of financing, and other important elements of the Retail Installment Sale Contract.