CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES INC
424B2, 1997-05-30
SHORT-TERM BUSINESS CREDIT INSTITUTIONS
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<PAGE>
                                                Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
                                                      Registration No. 333-26355
 
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT TO PROSPECTUS
 
DATED MAY 23, 1997
 
                                $113,393,930.84
 
                         CPS AUTO GRANTOR TRUST 1997-2
 
                    6.65% ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, CLASS A
 
                             CPS RECEIVABLES CORP.
 
                                    (SELLER)
 
                       CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC.
 
                                   (SERVICER)
                                ----------------
 
    The Asset-Backed Certificates will consist of two classes of certificates,
Class A (the "Class A Certificates") and Class B (the "Class B Certificates"
and, collectively with the Class A Certificates, the "Certificates"), evidencing
beneficial ownership interests in a trust (the "Trust") to be formed pursuant to
a Pooling and Servicing Agreement among CPS Receivables Corp., as Seller (the
"Seller"), Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc., as Servicer (individually, "CPS",
and in its capacity as the Servicer, the "Servicer"), and Norwest Bank
Minnesota, National Association, as Trustee and Standby Servicer (the "Trustee"
and "Standby Servicer", respectively). The Class A Certificates will evidence,
in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of an undivided ninety-five percent (95%)
interest in the Trust Assets (as defined herein), other than interest received
by the Trust in excess of the Class A Pass-Through Rate of 6.65% per annum, and
the Class B Certificates will evidence, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership
of an undivided five percent (5%) interest in the Trust Assets, other than
interest received by the Trust in excess of the Class B Pass-Through Rate of
11.44% per annum. Only the Class A Certificates are being offered hereby.
 
                         ------------------------------
 
    The Underwriters have agreed to purchase from the Seller the Class A
Certificates at 99.63000% of the principal amount thereof, subject to the terms
and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement referred to herein under
"Underwriting". The aggregate proceeds to the Seller, after deducting expenses
payable by the Seller, estimated at $225,000 , will be $112,749,373.30.
 
                         ------------------------------
 
    The Underwriters propose to offer the Class A Certificates from time to time
in negotiated transactions or otherwise, at varying prices to be determined at
the time of sale. For further information with respect to the plan of
distribution and any discounts, commissions or profits that may be deemed
underwriting discounts or commissions, see "Underwriting" herein.
 
                         ------------------------------
 
    The Trust Assets will include a pool of retail installment sale contracts
and all rights thereunder, certain monies due or received thereunder, security
interests in the new and used automobiles, light trucks, vans and minivans
securing the Receivables (as defined herein), certain bank accounts and the
proceeds thereof, the Policy (as defined herein) with respect to the Class A
Certificates, and the right of CPS to receive certain insurance proceeds and
certain other property, as more fully described herein. The Receivables will be
purchased by the Seller from CPS and Samco (as defined herein) on or prior to
the date of the issuance of the Certificates.
 
                         ------------------------------
 
    FOR A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN FACTORS RELATING TO THE TRANSACTION, SEE "RISK
FACTORS" AT PAGE S-15 HEREIN AND PAGE 10 IN THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS.
                             ---------------------
 
    Full and complete payment of the Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amount (as
defined herein) on each Distribution Date (as defined herein) is unconditionally
and irrevocably guaranteed pursuant to a financial guaranty insurance policy
(the "Policy") to be issued by:
 
                                     [LOGO]
 
THE CLASS A CERTIFICATES REPRESENT INTERESTS IN THE TRUST AND DO NOT REPRESENT
    INTERESTS IN OR OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLER, THE SERVICER OR ANY AFFILIATE
  THEREOF. THE CLASS A CERTIFICATES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY
        THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
       COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY
      STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF
              THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS. ANY
                                 REPRESENTATION
<PAGE>
                     TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
                            ------------------------
 
    The Class A Certificates are offered hereby by the Underwriters when, as and
if issued by the Seller, delivered to and accepted by them and subject to the
right of the Underwriters to reject any order in whole or in part. It is
expected that delivery of the Class A Certificates will be made on or about May
30, 1997 only through The Depository Trust Company, Cedel Bank, societe anonyme,
and the Euroclear System.
                         ------------------------------
 
PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED    BLACK DIAMOND SECURITIES, LLC
                                ----------------
 
            THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT IS MAY 23, 1997.
<PAGE>
(COVER CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
    CPS has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
a Registration Statement (together with all amendments and exhibits thereto,
referred to herein as the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") with respect to the Class A Certificates
offered pursuant to this Prospectus Supplement. For further information,
reference is made to the Registration Statement which may be inspected and
copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 450
Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549; and at the Commission's regional
office at 500 West Madison, 14th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60661 and Seven World
Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of the Registration
Statement may be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at
450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. The
Commission also maintains a web site at http://www.sec.gov containing reports,
proxy statements, information statements and other information regarding
registrants, including CPS, that file electronically with the Commission. The
Servicer, on behalf of the Trust, will also file or cause to be filed with the
Commission such periodic reports as may be required under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder. Upon the receipt of a request by an
investor who has received an electronic Prospectus Supplement and Prospectus
from the Underwriters (as defined herein) or a request by such investor's
representative within the period during which there is an obligation to deliver
a Prospectus Supplement and Prospectus, CPS, the Seller or the Underwriters will
promptly deliver, or cause to be delivered, without charge, a paper copy of the
Prospectus Supplement and Prospectus.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
    All documents subsequently filed by CPS with the Registration Statement,
either on its own behalf or on behalf of the Trust, relating to the Class A
Certificates, with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d)
of the Exchange Act, after the date of this Prospectus Supplement and prior to
the termination of the offering of the Class A Certificates offered hereby,
shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus Supplement
and to be a part of this Prospectus Supplement from the date of the filing of
such documents. Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or
superseded for purposes of this Prospectus Supplement to the extent that a
statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which
also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or
replaces such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not
be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Prospectus.
 
    In addition to the documents described above and in the accompanying
Prospectus under "Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference", the
consolidated financial statements of Financial Security Assurance Inc. and its
Subsidiaries included in, or as exhibits to, the following documents, which have
been filed with the Commission by Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd.
("Holdings"), are hereby incorporated by reference in this Prospectus
Supplement:
 
        (a) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 1996,
 
        (b) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 1997.
 
    All financial statements of Financial Security Assurance Inc. ("Financial
Security") and Subsidiaries included in documents filed by Holdings pursuant to
Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of
this Prospectus Supplement and prior to the termination of the offering of the
Class A Certificates shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this
Prospectus Supplement and to be a part hereof from the respective dates of
filing of such documents.
 
                                      S-2
<PAGE>
    The Seller on behalf of the Trust hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Trust's
annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and each
filing of the financial statements of Financial Security included in or as an
exhibit to the annual report of Holdings filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or
15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
Class A Certificates offered hereby, and the offering of such Class A
Certificates at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
 
    CPS will provide without charge to each person to whom this Prospectus
Supplement is delivered, on the written or oral request of such person, a copy
of any or all of the documents referred to above that have been or may be
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus Supplement (not including exhibits
to the information that is incorporated by reference unless such exhibits are
specifically incorporated by reference into the information that this Prospectus
Supplement incorporates). Written requests for such copies should be directed
to: Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc., 2 Ada, Irvine, California 92618,
Attention: Jeffrey P. Fritz. Telephone requests for such copies should be
directed to Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. at (714) 753-6800.
 
                         REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
 
    Unless and until Definitive Certificates are issued, periodic reports
containing information concerning the Receivables will be prepared by the
Servicer and sent on behalf of the Trust only to Cede & Co., as nominee of The
Depository Trust Company ("DTC") and registered holder of the Class A
Certificates. Such reports will not constitute financial statements prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Servicer will file
with the Commission such periodic reports as are required under the Exchange
Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder and as are otherwise agreed to by
the Commission. Copies of such periodic reports may be obtained from the Public
Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20549, at prescribed rates.
 
                                      S-3
<PAGE>
                                    SUMMARY
 
    THIS SUMMARY IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO THE MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION APPEARING ELSEWHERE IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND IN THE
ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS. CERTAIN CAPITALIZED TERMS USED HEREIN ARE DEFINED
ELSEWHERE IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT ON THE PAGES INDICATED IN THE "INDEX OF
TERMS" OR, TO THE EXTENT NOT DEFINED HEREIN, HAVE THE MEANING ASSIGNED TO SUCH
TERMS IN THE PROSPECTUS.
 
<TABLE>
<S>                             <C>
Trust.........................  CPS Auto Grantor Trust 1997-2 (the "Trust") to be formed
                                pursuant to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of
                                May 1, 1997 among the Seller, the Servicer and the Trustee
                                and the Standby Servicer (the "Agreement").
 
Seller........................  CPS Receivables Corp. (the "Seller"). See "The Seller and
                                CPS" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
Servicer......................  Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. ("CPS" or, in its capacity
                                as the servicer, the "Servicer"). See "CPS's Automobile
                                Contract Portfolio" and "The Seller and CPS" in this
                                Prospectus Supplement.
 
Trustee and Standby
  Servicer....................  Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association, a national
                                banking association, located at Sixth Street and Marquette
                                Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
 
Certificate Insurer...........  Financial Security Assurance Inc., a financial guaranty
                                insurance company incorporated under the laws of the State
                                of New York (the "Certificate Insurer"). See "The
                                Certificate Insurer" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
Closing Date..................  On or about May 30, 1997 (the "Closing Date").
 
Description of the Securities
  Offered.....................  The Certificates consist of two classes, entitled 6.65%
                                Asset-Backed Certificates, Class A (the "Class A
                                Certificates") and 11.44% Asset-Backed Certificates, Class B
                                (the "Class B Certificates" and, together with the Class A
                                Certificates, the "Certificates"). The Class B Certificates
                                are not being offered hereby and the information herein with
                                respect thereto is provided only to permit a better
                                understanding of the Class A Certificates. Each Certificate
                                will evidence beneficial ownership of an undivided interest
                                in the Trust. The Class A Certificates will evidence, in the
                                aggregate, beneficial ownership of an undivided interest in
                                the Trust Assets equal to the Class A Percentage (as defined
                                herein) of the Trust Assets, but not including any interest
                                received by the Trust in excess of the Class A Pass-Through
                                Rate. The Class B Certificates will evidence, in the
                                aggregate, beneficial ownership of an undivided interest in
                                the Trust Assets equal to the Class B Percentage of the
                                Trust Assets (as defined herein), but not including any
                                interest received by the Trust in excess of the Class B
                                Pass-Through Rate.
 
                                The "Class A Percentage" as of any date of determination
                                will be 95%. The "Class B Percentage" as of any date of
                                determination will be 5%.
 
                                The rights of the Class B Certificates to receive
                                distributions will be subordinated to the rights of the
                                Class A Certificates and the Certificate Insurer to the
                                extent described herein.
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-4
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                                The Class A Certificates will be offered for purchase in
                                denominations of $1,000 and in integral multiples thereof.
 
Trust Assets..................  The property of the Trust (the "Trust Assets") will include
                                (i) a pool of retail installment sale contracts
                                (collectively, the "Receivables") secured by the new and
                                used automobiles, light trucks, vans and minivans financed
                                thereby (the "Financed Vehicles"), (ii) with respect to
                                Receivables that are Rule of 78's Receivables, all payments
                                due thereon after May 22, 1997 (the "Cutoff Date"), and,
                                with respect to Receivables that are Simple Interest
                                Receivables, all payments received thereunder after the
                                Cutoff Date, (iii) security interests in the Financed
                                Vehicles, (iv) certain bank accounts and the proceeds
                                thereof, (v) the right of the Seller to receive proceeds
                                from claims under, or refunds of unearned premiums from,
                                certain insurance policies and extended service contracts,
                                (vi) all right, title and interest of the Seller in and to
                                the CPS Purchase Agreement (the "CPS Purchase Agreement")
                                between the Seller and CPS, (vii) all right, title and
                                interest of the Seller in and to the Samco Purchase
                                Agreement (the "Samco Purchase Agreement" and, together with
                                the CPS Purchase Agreement, the "Purchase Agreements")
                                between the Seller and Samco (as defined herein), (viii) the
                                benefits of the Policy issued by the Certificate Insurer
                                with respect to the Class A Certificates only, and (ix)
                                certain other property, as more fully described herein. See
                                "Formation of the Trust" in this Prospectus Supplement and
                                "The Trust Assets" in the Prospectus. The Receivables will
                                be purchased by the Seller from CPS and Samco pursuant to
                                the Purchase Agreements on or prior to the Closing Date. The
                                Receivables arise from loans originated by automobile
                                dealers or IFCs (as defined herein) for assignment to CPS or
                                a subsidiary of CPS pursuant to CPS's auto loan programs.
 
The Receivables...............  As of the Cutoff Date, the aggregate outstanding Principal
                                Balance of the Receivables was $119,362,032.46 (the
                                "Original Pool Balance"). The Receivables consist of retail
                                installment sale contracts secured by new and used
                                automobiles, light trucks, vans and minivans including, with
                                respect to Rule of 78's Receivables, the rights to all
                                payments due with respect to such Receivables after the
                                Cutoff Date, and, with respect to Simple Interest
                                Receivables, the rights to all payments received with
                                respect to such Receivables after the Cutoff Date. As of the
                                Cutoff Date, approximately 89.96% of the aggregate principal
                                balance of the Receivables represented financing of used
                                vehicles. The Receivables arise from loans originated by
                                automobile dealers or independent finance companies ("IFCs")
                                for assignment to CPS or a subsidiary of CPS pursuant to
                                CPS's auto loan programs. The auto loan programs target
                                automobile purchasers with marginal credit ratings who are
                                generally unable to obtain credit from banks or other
                                low-risk lenders. See "CPS's Automobile Contract Portfolio--
                                General" in this Prospectus Supplement and "Risk
                                Factors--Nature of Obligors" in the Prospectus. The
                                Receivables have been selected from the contracts owned by
                                CPS and Samco based on the criteria specified in the
                                Agreement and described herein.
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-5
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                             <C>
                                Each Receivable will be a Rule of 78's Receivable or a
                                Simple Interest Receivable. As of the Cutoff Date, the
                                weighted average annual percentage rate (the "APR") of the
                                Receivables was approximately 20.59%, the weighted average
                                remaining term to maturity of the Receivables was
                                approximately 55.46 months and the weighted average original
                                term to maturity of the Receivables was approximately 56.49
                                months. As of the Cutoff Date, no Receivable had a scheduled
                                maturity later than June 12, 2002. See "The Receivables
                                Pool" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
Class A Certificate Balance...  The "Class A Certificate Balance" will equal, initially the
                                Class A Percentage of the Original Pool Balance as of the
                                close of business on the Cutoff Date, and thereafter will
                                equal the initial Class A Certificate Balance reduced by all
                                principal distributions on the Class A Certificates.
 
Class A Pass-Through Rate.....  Interest will accrue on the Class A Certificate Balance at a
                                rate of 6.65% per annum, calculated on the basis of a
                                360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months (the "Class
                                A Pass-Through Rate").
 
Class B Certificate Balance...  The "Class B Certificate Balance" will equal, initially the
                                Class B Percentage of the Original Pool Balance as of the
                                close of business on the Cutoff Date, and thereafter will
                                equal the initial Class B Certificate Balance reduced by all
                                principal distributions on the Class B Certificates.
 
Class B Pass-Through Rate.....  Interest will accrue on the Class B Certificate Balance at a
                                rate of 11.44% per annum, calculated on the basis of a
                                360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months (the "Class
                                B Pass-Through Rate").
 
Interest......................  On the 15th of each month (or the next following Business
                                Day) beginning June 16, 1997 (each, a "Distribution Date"),
                                the Trustee will, to the extent there are funds available
                                from the sources described herein, (i) distribute pro rata
                                to the holders of record of the Class A Certificates (the
                                "Class A Certificateholders") as of the related Record Date
                                thirty (30) days' interest at the Class A Pass-Through Rate
                                on the Class A Certificate Balance as of the close of
                                business on the last day of the related Collection Period
                                and (ii) distribute pro rata to the holders of record of the
                                Class B Certificates (the "Class B Certificateholders") as
                                of the related Record Date thirty (30) days' interest at the
                                Class B Pass-Through Rate on the Class B Certificate Balance
                                as of the close of business on the last day of the related
                                Collection Period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that on the first
                                Distribution Date, the Certificateholders will be entitled
                                to interest at the Class A Pass-Through Rate or the Class B
                                Pass-Through Rate, as applicable, on the initial Class A
                                Certificate Balance or the initial Class B Certificate
                                Balance, as applicable, from and including the Closing Date
                                through and including June 14, 1997. The final scheduled
                                Distribution Date on the Certificates will be the October,
                                2002 Distribution Date (the "Final Scheduled Distribution
                                Date").
 
Principal.....................  On each Distribution Date, the Trustee will, to the extent
                                that there are funds available from the sources described
                                herein, distribute to
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-6
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                             <C>
                                (i) the Class A Certificateholders as of the related Record
                                Date an amount equal to the Class A Percentage of the
                                Principal Distributable Amount and (ii) the Class B
                                Certificateholders as of the related Record Date an amount
                                equal to the Class B Percentage of the Principal
                                Distributable Amount. The "Principal Distributable Amount"
                                for a Distribution Date shall equal the sum of (a) the
                                principal portion of all Scheduled Payments received during
                                the preceding Collection Period on Rule of 78's Receivables
                                and all payments of principal received on Simple Interest
                                Receivables during the preceding Collection Period; (b) the
                                principal portion of all prepayments in full (including
                                prepayments in full resulting from collections with respect
                                to a Receivable received during the preceding Collection
                                Period plus any amounts applied from the Payahead Account
                                with respect to such Receivable) (without duplication of
                                amounts included in (a) above); (c) the portion of the
                                Purchase Amount allocable to principal of each Receivable
                                that was repurchased by CPS or purchased by the Servicer as
                                of the last day of the related Collection Period (without
                                duplication of the amounts referred to in (a) and (b)
                                above); (d) the Principal Balance of each Receivable that
                                first became a Liquidated Receivable during the preceding
                                Collection Period (without duplication of the amounts
                                included in (a) and (b) above); and (e) the aggregate amount
                                of Cram Down Losses that shall have occurred during the
                                preceding Collection Period (without duplication of amounts
                                included in (a) through (d) above). In addition, on the
                                Final Scheduled Distribution Date, to the extent amounts are
                                available therefor, the principal required to be distributed
                                to the Class A Certificateholders will equal the then
                                outstanding Class A Certificate Balance and the principal
                                required to be distributed to the Class B Certificateholders
                                will equal the then outstanding Class B Certificate Balance.
 
                                A "Collection Period" with respect to a Distribution Date
                                will be the calendar month preceding the month in which such
                                Distribution Date occurs; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that with
                                respect to the first Distribution Date, the "Collection
                                Period" will be the period from and excluding the Cutoff
                                Date to and including May 31, 1997.
 
Priority of Payments..........  On each Distribution Date, the Trustee shall make the
                                following distributions in the following order of priority:
 
                                (i)   to the Servicer, the Servicing Fee and all unpaid
                                Servicing Fees from prior Collection Periods; PROVIDED,
                                      HOWEVER, that as long as CPS is the Servicer and
                                      Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association is the
                                      Standby Servicer, the Trustee will first pay to the
                                      Standby Servicer out of the Servicing Fee otherwise
                                      payable to CPS an amount equal to the Standby Fee;
 
                                (ii)  in the event the Standby Servicer or any other party
                                becomes the successor Servicer, to the Standby Servicer or
                                      such other successor servicer, reasonable transition
                                      expenses (up to a maximum of $50,000) incurred in
                                      acting as successor Servicer;
 
                                (iii)  to the Trustee, the Trustee Fee (as defined herein)
                                and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and all unpaid Trustee
                                       Fees
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-7
<PAGE>
 
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<S>                             <C>
                                       and unpaid reasonable out-of-pocket expenses from
                                       prior Collection Periods;
 
                                (iv)  to the Collateral Agent, all fees and expenses payable
                                to the Collateral Agent with respect to such Distribution
                                      Date;
 
                                (v)  to the Class A Certificateholders, the Class A Interest
                                     Distributable Amount (as defined herein) and any Class
                                     A Interest Carryover Shortfall (as defined herein);
 
                                (vi)  to the Class B Certificateholders, the Class B
                                Interest Distributable Amount (as defined herein) and any
                                      Class B Interest Carryover Shortfall (as defined
                                      herein);
 
                                (vii)  to the Class A Certificateholders, the Class A
                                Principal Distributable Amount (as defined herein) and any
                                       Class A Principal Carryover Shortfall (as defined
                                       herein);
 
                                (viii) to the Certificate Insurer, any amounts due to the
                                Certificate Insurer under the terms of the Agreement and
                                       under the Insurance Agreement (as defined herein);
 
                                (ix)  to the Class B Certificateholders, the Class B
                                Principal Distributable Amount (as defined herein) and any
                                      Class B Principal Carryover Shortfall (as defined
                                      herein); and
 
                                (x)  to the Collateral Agent, for deposit into the Spread
                                Account, the remaining Total Distribution Amount, if any.
                                     See "Description of the Certificates--Distributions on
                                     Certificates--Priority of Distribution Amounts" in this
                                     Prospectus Supplement.
 
Spread Account................  As part of the consideration for the issuance of the Policy,
                                the Seller has agreed to cause the Spread Account to be
                                established with the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the
                                Certificate Insurer and the Trustee on behalf of the Class A
                                Certificateholders. Any portion of the Total Distribution
                                Amount remaining on any Distribution Date after payment of
                                all fees and expenses due on such date to the Servicer, the
                                Standby Servicer, the Trustee, the Collateral Agent, the
                                Certificate Insurer, any successor Servicer and all
                                principal and interest payments due to the
                                Certificateholders on such Distribution Date, will be
                                deposited in the Spread Account and held by the Collateral
                                Agent for the benefit of the Trustee, on behalf of the Class
                                A Certificateholders, and the Certificate Insurer. Amounts
                                on deposit in the Spread Account on any Distribution Date
                                which (after all payments required to be made on such date
                                have been made) are in excess of the requisite amount
                                determined from time to time in accordance with certain
                                portfolio performance tests agreed upon by the Certificate
                                Insurer and the Seller as a condition to the issuance of the
                                Policy (such requisite amount, the "Requisite Amount") will
                                not be held by the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the
                                Class B Certificateholders but will be available to make
                                payments due and payable to the Class B Certificateholders
                                as described in the following paragraph. If on any
                                Distribution Date, the Total Distribution Amount is
                                insufficient (taking into account the application of the
                                Total Distribution Amount to the payment of the Class B
                                Interest Distributable Amount and any Class B Interest
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-8
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                             <C>
                                Carryover Shortfall) to pay all distributions required to be
                                made on such day pursuant to priorities (i), (ii), (iii),
                                (iv), (v), (vii) and (viii) referred to above in "Priority
                                of Payments", amounts on deposit in the Spread Account will
                                be applied to pay the amounts due on such Distribution Date
                                pursuant to such priorities (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v),
                                (vii) and (viii). See "Description of the
                                Certificates--Distributions on Certificates--The Spread
                                Account" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                Amounts on deposit in the Spread Account on any Distribution
                                Date which (after all payments required to be made on such
                                date have been made) are in excess of the Requisite Amount
                                will be released to the Seller on such Distribution Date;
                                PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if, prior to such Distribution Date,
                                the Servicer has notified the Trustee that the Total
                                Distribution Amount is insufficient to make the payments
                                required to be made on such Distribution Date to the Class B
                                Certificateholders, including any Class B Interest Carryover
                                Shortfall and any Class B Principal Carryover Shortfall
                                (such deficiency, a "Class B Deficiency Amount"), then the
                                Trustee will direct the Collateral Agent to remit to the
                                Trustee, from such funds being otherwise released to the
                                Seller on such Distribution Date, an amount equal to such
                                Class B Deficiency Amount for application to pay the amounts
                                due to the Class B Certificateholders on such Distribution
                                Date. Because the Requisite Amount or the existence of the
                                Spread Account may be modified or terminated by the
                                Certificate Insurer prior to the occurrence and continuation
                                of an Insurer Default with the consent of CPS, the Seller
                                and the Collateral Agent (but without the consent of the
                                Certificateholders), Class A Certificateholders or Class B
                                Certificateholders should not rely on amounts in the Spread
                                Account for payments of principal of, or interest on, either
                                the Class A Certificates or the Class B Certificates;
                                PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Certificate Insurer will agree
                                that it will not reduce the Requisite Amount or modify or
                                terminate the Master Spread Account Agreement such that the
                                Class A Certificates, without the benefit of the Policy,
                                would be rated less than "BBB" by Standard & Poor's or
                                "Baa2" by Moody's. See "Description of the
                                Certificates--Distributions on Certificates--The Spread
                                Account" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
Subordination.................  Distributions of interest on the Class B Certificates will
                                be subordinated in priority of payment to interest due on
                                the Class A Certificates. Distributions of principal on the
                                Class B Certificates will be subordinated in priority of
                                payment to interest and principal due on the Class A
                                Certificates. Accordingly, the Class A Certificates will
                                receive the benefit of amounts otherwise due on the Class B
                                Certificates as credit enhancement. Funds representing the
                                interest of the Class B Certificateholders in the Trust
                                Assets will be applied first to the payment of any amounts
                                due to the Class A Certificateholders on account of the
                                Class A Interest Distributable Amount and any Class A
                                Interest Carryover Shortfall before any portion thereof is
                                paid to the Class B Certificateholders and funds otherwise
                                due to pay principal of the Class B Certificates will be
                                applied first to the payment of the Class A Principal
                                Distributable
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                                      S-9
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                                Amount and any Class A Principal Carryover Shortfall before
                                any portion thereof is paid to the Class B
                                Certificateholders.
 
Distribution and Record
  Dates.......................  A "Distribution Date" will be the 15th day of each month (or
                                if such 15th day is not a business day, the next following
                                business day) commencing June 16, 1997. The record date
                                applicable to each Distribution Date (each, a "Record Date")
                                will be the 10th day of the calendar month in which such
                                Distribution Date occurs.
 
Repurchases and Purchases of
  Certain Receivables.........  CPS has made certain representations and warranties relating
                                to the Receivables (including the Samco Receivables) to the
                                Seller in the CPS Purchase Agreement, and the Seller has
                                made such representations and warranties for the benefit of
                                the Trust and the Certificate Insurer in the Agreement. The
                                Trustee, as acknowledged assignee of the repurchase
                                obligations of CPS under the CPS Purchase Agreement, will be
                                entitled to require CPS to repurchase any Receivable if such
                                Receivable is materially and adversely affected by a breach
                                of any representation or warranty made by CPS with respect
                                to the Receivable and such breach has not been cured as of
                                the last day of the second (or, if CPS elects, the first)
                                month following discovery thereof by the Seller or CPS or
                                notice to the Seller or CPS. See "Description of the Pooling
                                and Servicing Agreements--Sale and Assignment of
                                Receivables" in the Prospectus.
 
                                The Servicer will be obligated to repurchase any Receivable
                                if, among other things, it extends the date for final
                                payment by the Obligor of such Receivable beyond the last
                                day of the penultimate Collection Period preceding the Final
                                Scheduled Distribution Date or fails to maintain a perfected
                                security interest in the Financed Vehicle. See "Description
                                of the Certificates--Servicing Procedures" in this
                                Prospectus Supplement and "Description of the Pooling and
                                Servicing Agreements--Servicing Procedures" in the
                                Prospectus.
 
The Policy....................  On the Closing Date, the Certificate Insurer will issue the
                                Policy to the Trustee for the benefit of the Class A
                                Certificateholders (the "Policy"). Pursuant to the Policy,
                                the Certificate Insurer will unconditionally and irrevocably
                                guarantee to the Class A Certificateholders payment of the
                                Class A Interest Distributable Amount and the Class A
                                Principal Distributable Amount (collectively, the "Class A
                                Guaranteed Distribution Amount") on each Distribution Date.
                                The Class B Certificates do not have the benefit of the
                                Policy.
 
Servicing.....................  The Servicer will be responsible for servicing, managing and
                                making collections on the Receivables. On or prior to the
                                next billing period after the Cutoff Date, the Servicer will
                                notify each Obligor to make payments with respect to the
                                Receivables after the Cutoff Date directly to a post office
                                box in the name of the Trustee for the benefit of the
                                Certificateholders and the Certificate Insurer (the "Post
                                Office Box"). On each Business Day, Cash Flex, L.P., as the
                                lock-box processor (the "Lock-Box Processor"), will transfer
                                any such payments received in the Post Office Box to a
                                segregated lock-box account at Bank of America (the
                                "Lock-Box Bank") in the name of
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                                      S-10
<PAGE>
 
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                                the Trustee for the benefit of the Certificateholders and
                                the Certificate Insurer (the "Lock-Box Account"). Within two
                                Business Days of receipt of funds into the Lock-Box Account,
                                the Servicer is required to direct the Lock-Box Bank to
                                effect a transfer of funds from the Lock-Box Account to one
                                or more accounts established with the Trustee. See
                                "Description of the Certificates--Accounts" in this
                                Prospectus Supplement and "Description of the Pooling and
                                Servicing Agreements--Payments on Receivables" in the
                                Prospectus.
 
Standby Servicer..............  Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association, a national
                                banking association, located at Sixth Street and Marquette
                                Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
 
                                If an Event of Default occurs and remains unremedied, (1)
                                provided no Insurer Default has occurred and is continuing,
                                then the Certificate Insurer in its sole and absolute
                                discretion, or (2) if an Insurer Default shall have occurred
                                and be continuing, then the Trustee or the holders of Class
                                A Certificates evidencing not less than 25% of the Class A
                                Certificate Balance, may terminate the rights and
                                obligations of the Servicer under the Agreement. If such
                                event occurs when CPS is the Servicer, or if CPS resigns as
                                Servicer or is terminated as Servicer by the Certificate
                                Insurer, Norwest Bank Minnesota, National Association (in
                                such capacity, the "Standby Servicer") has agreed to serve
                                as successor Servicer under the Agreement pursuant to a
                                Servicing Assumption Agreement dated as of May 1, 1997 among
                                CPS, the Standby Servicer and the Trustee (the "Servicing
                                Assumption Agreement"). The Standby Servicer will receive a
                                portion of the Servicing Fee (the "Standby Fee") for
                                agreeing to stand by as successor Servicer and for
                                performing other functions. If the Standby Servicer or any
                                other entity serving at the time as Standby Servicer becomes
                                the successor Servicer, it will receive compensation at a
                                Servicing Fee Rate not to exceed 2.12% per annum. See "The
                                Standby Servicer" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
Servicing Fee.................  The Servicer will be entitled to receive a Servicing Fee on
                                each Distribution Date equal to the product of one-twelfth
                                times 2.12% (the "Servicing Fee Rate") of the Pool Balance
                                as of the close of business on the last day of the second
                                preceding Collection Period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that with
                                respect to the first Distribution Date the Servicer will be
                                entitled to receive a Servicing Fee equal to the product of
                                one-twelfth times 2.12% of the Original Pool Balance. As
                                additional servicing compensation, the Servicer will also be
                                entitled to certain late fees, prepayment charges and other
                                administrative fees or similar charges. For so long as CPS
                                is Servicer, a portion of the Servicing Fee, equal to the
                                Standby Fee, will be payable to the Standby Servicer.
 
Optional Purchase.............  The Servicer may at its option purchase all the Receivables
                                as of the last day of any Collection Period on or after
                                which the aggregate Principal Balance of the Receivables is
                                equal to 10% or less of the Original Pool Balance, at a
                                purchase price equal to the aggregate principal balance of
                                the Receivables, plus accrued interest at the respective
                                APRs; provided that the Servicer's right to exercise such
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                                      S-11
<PAGE>
 
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                                option will be subject to the prior approval of the
                                Certificate Insurer, but only if, after giving effect
                                thereto, a claim on the Policy would occur or any amount
                                owing to the Certificate Insurer or the holders of the Class
                                A Certificates would remain unpaid.
 
Certain Legal Aspects of the
  Receivables; Purchase
  Obligations.................  In connection with the sale of the Receivables, security
                                interests in the Financed Vehicles securing the Receivables
                                will be assigned by CPS to the Seller pursuant to the CPS
                                Purchase Agreement, by Samco to the Seller pursuant to the
                                Samco Purchase Agreement and by the Seller to the Trustee
                                pursuant to the Agreement. Certain of the Receivables (the
                                "Samco Receivables"), representing approximately 3.99% of
                                the aggregate principal balance of the Receivables as of the
                                Cutoff Date, have been originated by CPS's 80% owned
                                subsidiary, Samco Acceptance Corp. ("Samco"), and will be
                                purchased by the Seller from Samco prior to consummation of
                                the transfer of Receivables contemplated in the Agreement.
                                The certificates of title to the Financed Vehicles securing
                                the Samco Receivables show Samco as the lienholder and the
                                certificates of title to the Financed Vehicles securing all
                                other Receivables show CPS as the lienholder. Due to the
                                administrative burden and expense, the certificates of title
                                to the Financed Vehicles securing the Receivables (including
                                those securing the Samco Receivables) will not be amended or
                                reissued to reflect the assignment thereof to the Seller,
                                nor will the certificates of title to any Financed Vehicles
                                (including those securing the Samco Receivables) be amended
                                or reissued to reflect the assignment thereof to the
                                Trustee. In the absence of such an amendment, the Trustee
                                may not have a perfected security interest in the Financed
                                Vehicles securing the Receivables in some states. The Seller
                                will be obligated to purchase any Receivable sold to the
                                Trust as to which there did not exist on the Closing Date a
                                perfected security interest in the name of CPS or Samco in
                                the Financed Vehicle, and the Servicer will be obligated to
                                purchase any Receivable sold to the Trust as to which it
                                failed to maintain a perfected security interest in the name
                                of CPS or Samco in the Financed Vehicle securing such
                                Receivable (which perfected security interest has been
                                assigned to, and is for the benefit of, the Trustee) if, in
                                either case, such breach materially and adversely affects
                                the interest of the Trust, the Trustee or the Certificate
                                Insurer in such Receivable and if such failure or breach is
                                not cured by the last day of the second (or, if CPS or the
                                Servicer, as the case may be, elects, the first) month
                                following the discovery by or notice to CPS or the Servicer,
                                as the case may be, of such breach. To the extent the
                                security interest of CPS or Samco is perfected, the Trustee
                                will have a prior claim over subsequent purchasers of such
                                Financed Vehicle and holders of subsequently perfected
                                security interests. However, as against liens for repairs of
                                a Financed Vehicle or for unpaid storage charges or for
                                taxes unpaid by an Obligor under a Receivable, or through
                                fraud, forgery or negligence or error, CPS or Samco, and
                                therefore the Trust, could lose its prior perfected security
                                interest in a Financed Vehicle. Neither CPS nor the Servicer
                                will have any
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                                      S-12
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                                obligation to purchase a Receivable as to which a lien for
                                repairs of a Financed Vehicle or for taxes unpaid by an
                                Obligor under a Receivable result in losing the priority of
                                the security interest in such Financed Vehicle after the
                                Closing Date. See "Risk Factors--Certain Legal Aspects" in
                                this Prospectus Supplement and in the Prospectus.
 
Book-Entry Certificates.......  The Class A Certificates initially will be represented by
                                one or more certificates registered in the name of Cede &
                                Co. ("Cede") as the nominee of The Depository Trust Company
                                ("DTC"), and will only be available in the form of
                                book-entries on the records of DTC and participating members
                                thereof. Persons acquiring beneficial ownership interests in
                                the Class A Certificates may elect to hold their Class A
                                Certificates through DTC, in the United States, or Centrale
                                de Livraison de Valeurs Mobilieres S.A. ("CEDEL") or the
                                Euroclear System ("Euroclear"), in Europe. Transfers within
                                DTC, CEDEL or Euroclear, as the case may be, will be in
                                accordance with the usual rules and operating procedures of
                                the relevant system. So long as the Class A Certificates are
                                book-entry certificates, such Certificates will be evidenced
                                by one or more Class A Certificates registered in the name
                                of Cede, as the nominee of DTC or one of the relevant
                                depositories (collectively, the "Europeran Depositaries").
                                Crossmarket transfers between persons holding directly or
                                indirectly through DTC, on the one hand, and counterparties
                                holding directly or indirectly through CEDEL or Euroclear,
                                on the other, will be effected in DTC through Chase
                                Manhattan Bank, N.A. or Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New
                                York, as depositories of CEDEL or Euroclear, respectively,
                                and each participating member of DTC. Class A Certificates
                                representing the Certificates will be issued in definitive
                                form only under the limited circumstances described herein.
                                All references herein to "holders" of the Class A
                                Certificates or "Class A Certificateholders" shall reflect
                                the rights of beneficial owners of the Class A Certificates
                                ("Class A Certificate Owners") as they may indirectly
                                exercise such rights through DTC and participating members
                                thereof, except as otherwise specified herein. See
                                "Description of the Certificates--Registration of
                                Certificates" in this Prospectus Supplement; "Annex I" to
                                the Prospectus Supplement and "Certain Information Regarding
                                the Certificates-- Book-Entry Registration" and
                                "--Definitive Certificates" in the Prospectus.
 
Tax Status....................  In the opinion of special tax counsel to the Seller, the
                                Trust will be classified for federal income tax purposes as
                                a grantor trust and not as an association taxable as a
                                corporation. Class A Certificateholders must report their
                                respective allocable shares of income earned on Trust Assets
                                and, subject to certain limitations applicable to
                                individuals, estates and trusts, may deduct their respective
                                allocable shares of reasonable servicing and other expenses.
                                Prospective investors should note that no rulings have been
                                or will be sought from the Internal Revenue Service (the
                                "Service") with respect to any of the federal income tax
                                consequences discussed herein, and no assurance can be given
                                that the Service will not take contrary
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                                      S-13
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                                positions. See "Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences" in
                                the Prospectus.
 
ERISA Considerations..........  As described herein, the Class A Certificates may be
                                purchased by employee benefit plans that are subject to the
                                Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
                                ("ERISA"). Any benefit plan fiduciary considering the
                                purchase of Class A Certificates should, among other things,
                                consult with its counsel in determining whether all required
                                conditions have been satisfied. See "ERISA Considerations"
                                in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
Rating of the Certificates....  It is a condition of issuance of the Class A Certificates
                                that the Class A Certificates be rated "Aaa" by Moody's
                                Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") and "AAA" by Standard &
                                Poor's Rating Services ("Standard & Poor's" and together
                                with Moody's, the "Rating Agencies"), on the basis of the
                                issuance of the Policy by the Certificate Insurer, and that
                                the Class B Certificates be rated at least "BB" or the
                                equivalent by a nationally recognized rating agency. A
                                security rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold
                                securities and may be revised or withdrawn at any time by
                                the assigning Rating Agency. See "Risk Factors--Ratings of
                                the Certificates" in this Prospectus Supplement.
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-14
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    In addition to the other information in this Prospectus Supplement and the
Prospectus, prospective Certificateholders should consider the following
factors, as well as those matters discussed in "Risk Factors" in the Prospectus,
in evaluating an investment in the Class A Certificates:
 
NATURE OF OBLIGORS; SERVICING
 
    CPS purchases loans originated for assignment to CPS or a subsidiary through
automobile dealers or IFCs. CPS services its dealers through a network of
employee and independent marketing representatives and through Samco. CPS's
customers are generally considered to have marginal credit and fall into one of
two categories: customers with moderate income, limited assets and other income
characteristics which cause difficulty in borrowing from banks, captive finance
companies of automakers or other traditional sources of auto loan financing; and
customers with a derogatory credit record including a history of irregular
employment, previous bankruptcy filings, repossessions of property, charged-off
loans and garnishment of wages. The payment experience on Receivables of
Obligors with marginal credit is likely to be different than that on receivables
of traditional auto financing sources and is likely to be more sensitive to
changes in the economic climate in the areas in which such Obligors reside.
 
    The servicing of receivables of customers with marginal credit requires
special skill and diligence. The Servicer believes that its credit loss and
delinquency experience reflects in part its trained staff and collection
procedures. If an Event of Default occurs and CPS is removed as Servicer or, if
CPS resigns or is terminated by the Certificate Insurer as Servicer, the Standby
Servicer has agreed to assume the obligations of successor Servicer under the
Agreement. See "Description of the Certificates--Rights Upon Event of Default"
in this Prospectus Supplement. There can be no assurance, however, that
collections with respect to the Receivables will not be adversely affected by
any change in Servicer. See "The Standby Servicer" in this Prospectus
Supplement.
 
    The Agreement provides that the rights and obligations of the Servicer
terminate after 90 days unless renewed by the Certificate Insurer for successive
90-day periods. The Certificate Insurer will agree to grant continuous renewals
so long as (i) no Event of Default under the Agreement has occurred and (ii) no
event of default under the insurance and indemnity agreement among CPS, the
Seller and the Certificate Insurer (the "Insurance Agreement") has occurred.
 
GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION
 
    As of the Cutoff Date, 17.65% of the Receivables by Principal Balance had
Obligors residing in the State of California. Economic conditions in the State
of California may affect the delinquency, loan loss and repossession experience
of the Trust with respect to the Receivables. See "The Receivables Pool" in this
Prospectus Supplement.
 
RATINGS OF THE CERTIFICATES
 
    It is a condition to the issuance of the Certificates that the Class A
Certificates be rated "Aaa" by Moody's and "AAA" by Standard & Poor's on the
basis of the issuance of the Policy by the Certificate Insurer and the Class B
Certificates be rated at least "BB" or the equivalent by a nationally recognized
rating agency. A rating is not a recommendation to purchase, hold or sell the
Class A Certificates, inasmuch as such rating does not comment as to market
price or suitability for a particular investor. The Rating Agencies do not
evaluate, and the ratings do not address, the possibility that
Certificateholders may receive a lower than anticipated yield. There is no
assurance that a rating will remain for any given period of time or that a
rating will not be lowered or withdrawn entirely by a Rating Agency if in its
judgment circumstances in the future so warrant. The ratings of the Class A
Certificates are based primarily on the rating of the Certificate Insurer. Upon
an Insurer Default the rating on the Class A Certificates may be lowered or
withdrawn entirely. In the event that any rating initially assigned to the Class
A Certificates
 
                                      S-15
<PAGE>
were subsequently lowered or withdrawn for any reason, including by reason of a
downgrading of the Certificate Insurer's claims-paying ability, no person or
entity will be obligated to provide any additional credit enhancement with
respect to the Class A Certificates. Any reduction or withdrawal of a rating may
have an adverse effect on the liquidity and market price of the Class A
Certificates.
 
LIMITED ASSETS
 
    The Trust does not have, nor is it permitted or expected to have, any
significant assets or sources of funds other than the Receivables and amounts on
deposit in certain accounts held by the Trustee on behalf of the
Certificateholders. The Certificates represent interests solely in the Trust and
the Certificates will not be insured or guaranteed by the Seller, the Servicer,
the Trustee or any other person or entity except for the guaranty provided with
respect to the Class A Certificates by the Certificate Insurer pursuant to the
Policy, as described herein. The Seller will take such steps as are necessary
for the Certificate Insurer to issue the Policy to the Trustee for the benefit
of the Class A Certificateholders. Under the Policy, the Certificate Insurer
will unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee to the Class A Certificateholders
full and complete payment of the Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amount on each
Distribution Date. In the event of an Insurer Default, the Class A
Certificateholders must rely on the collections on the Receivables, and the
proceeds from the repossession and sale of Financed Vehicles which secure
defaulted Receivables. In such event, certain factors, such as the Trustee not
having perfected security interests in the Financed Vehicles, may affect the
Trust's ability to realize on the collateral securing the Receivables and thus
may reduce the proceeds to be distributed to Certificateholders on a current
basis.
 
    Distributions of interest and principal on the Class A Certificates will be
dependent primarily upon collections on the Receivables and amounts paid
pursuant to the Policy. See "Description of the Certificates--Distributions on
Certificates" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
DELINQUENCY AND LOAN LOSS EXPERIENCE
 
    CPS began purchasing Contracts from Dealers in October 1991. Although CPS
has calculated and presented herein its net loss experience with respect to its
servicing portfolio, there can be no assurance that the information presented
will reflect actual experience with respect to the Receivables. In addition,
there can be no assurance that the future delinquency or loan loss experience of
the Trust with respect to the Receivables will be better or worse than that set
forth herein with respect to CPS's servicing portfolio. See "CPS's Automobile
Contract Portfolio--Delinquency and Loss Experience" in this Prospectus
Supplement. Although credit history on Samco's originations is limited, CPS
expects that the delinquency and net credit loss and repossession experience
with respect to the Receivables originated by Samco will be similar to that of
CPS's existing portfolio.
 
CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS
 
    Due to the administrative burden and expense, the certificates of title to
the Financed Vehicles securing the Receivables (including those securing the
Samco Receivables) will not be amended or reissued to reflect the assignment of
the Receivables to the Seller nor will the certificates of title to any of the
Financed Vehicles (including those securing the Samco Receivables) be amended or
reissued to reflect the assignment to the Trust. In the absence of such an
amendment or reissuance, the Trust may not have a perfected security interest in
the Financed Vehicles securing the Receivables in some states. By virtue of the
assignment of the CPS Purchase Agreement to the Trust, CPS will be obligated to
repurchase any Receivable sold to the Trust as to which there did not exist on
the Closing Date a perfected security interest in the name of CPS or Samco in
the Financed Vehicle, and the Servicer will be obligated to purchase any
Receivable sold to the Trust as to which it failed to maintain a perfected
security interest in the name of CPS or Samco in the Financed Vehicle securing
such Receivable if, in either case, such breach materially and adversely affects
such Receivable and if such failure or breach is not cured prior to the
expiration of the applicable cure period. To the extent the security interest of
CPS or Samco is perfected,
 
                                      S-16
<PAGE>
the Trust will have a prior claim over subsequent purchasers of such Financed
Vehicle and holders of subsequently perfected security interests. However, as
against liens for repairs of a Financed Vehicle or for taxes unpaid by an
Obligor under a Receivable, or through fraud, forgery, negligence or error, CPS
or Samco, and therefore the Trust, could lose the priority of its security
interest or its security interest in a Financed Vehicle. Neither CPS nor the
Servicer will have any obligation to purchase a Receivable as to which a lien
for repairs of a Financed Vehicle or for taxes unpaid by an Obligor under a
Receivable results in the loss of the priority of the security interest in such
Financed Vehicle after the Closing Date. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Receivables" in this Prospectus Supplement and "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Receivables--Security Interest in Vehicles" in the Prospectus.
 
                             FORMATION OF THE TRUST
 
    The Seller will establish the Trust by selling and assigning the Receivables
and the other Trust Assets (other than the Policy) to the Trustee in exchange
for the Certificates. Prior to such sale and assignment, the Trust will have no
assets or obligations or any operating history. The Trust will not engage in any
business. The Trust will hold the Receivables, issue the Certificates and
distribute payments on the Certificates.
 
    The Servicer will initially service the Receivables pursuant to the
Agreement and will be compensated for acting as the Servicer. See "Description
of the Certificates--Servicing Compensation" in this Prospectus Supplement. The
Trustee will be appointed custodian for the Receivables and the certificates of
title relating to the Financed Vehicles, and the Receivables and such
certificates of title will be delivered to and held in physical custody by the
Trustee. However, the Receivables will not be marked or stamped to indicate that
they have been sold to the Trust, and the certificates of title of the Financed
Vehicles will not be endorsed or otherwise amended to identify the Trust as the
new secured party. In the absence of amendments to the certificates of title,
the Trustee may not have perfected security interests in the Financed Vehicles
securing the Receivables originated in some states. See "Certain Legal Aspects
of the Receivables" in the Prospectus.
 
    The Trust will not acquire any assets other than the Trust Assets, and it is
not anticipated that the Trust will have any need for additional capital
resources. Because the Trust will have no operating history upon its
establishment and will not engage in any business other than acquiring and
holding the Trust Assets, issuing the Certificates and distributing payments on
the Certificates, no historical or pro forma financial statements or ratios of
earnings to fixed charges with respect to the Trust have been included herein.
 
    The Seller also will take such steps as are necessary for the Certificate
Insurer to issue the Policy to the Trustee for the benefit of the Class A
Certificateholders. Under the Policy, the Certificate Insurer will
unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee to the Class A Certificateholders full
and complete payment of the Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amount on each
Distribution Date. In the event of an Insurer Default, the Class A
Certificateholders must rely on amounts, if any, available in the Spread
Account, the amount otherwise due on the Class B Certificates, the Obligors on
the Receivables, and the proceeds from the repossession and sale of Financed
Vehicles which secure defaulted Receivables. In such event, certain factors,
such as the Trustee's not having perfected security interests in some of the
Financed Vehicles, may affect the Trust's ability to realize on the collateral
securing the Receivables and thus may reduce the proceeds to be distributed to
Class A Certificateholders on a current basis. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Receivables" in the Prospectus.
 
                                THE TRUST ASSETS
 
    Each Certificate will represent a fractional undivided interest in the
Trust, other than interest received by the Trust in excess of the Class A
Pass-Through Rate or the Class B Pass-Through Rate, as applicable. The Trust
Assets include retail installment sale contracts in new and used automobiles,
light trucks, vans
 
                                      S-17
<PAGE>
and minivans between dealers (the "Dealers") or IFCs and retail purchasers (the
"Obligors") and, with respect to Rule of 78's Receivables, certain monies due
thereunder after the Cutoff Date, and, with respect to Simple Interest
Receivables, certain monies received thereunder after the Cutoff Date. The
Receivables were originated by the Dealers or IFCs for assignment to CPS or
Samco. Pursuant to agreements between the Dealers and CPS ("Dealer Agreements")
or between the IFCs and Samco, the Receivables were purchased by CPS or Samco
and, prior to the Closing Date, evidenced financing made available by CPS or
Samco to the Obligors. The Trust Assets also include (i) such amounts as from
time to time may be held in one or more trust accounts established and
maintained by the Trustee pursuant to the Agreement, as described below; see
"Description of the Certificates--Accounts" in this Prospectus Supplement; (ii)
the rights of the Seller under the Purchase Agreements; (iii) security interests
in the Financed Vehicles; (iv) the rights of the Seller to receive any proceeds
with respect to the Receivables from claims on physical damage, credit life and
credit accident and health insurance policies covering the Financed Vehicles or
the Obligors, as the case may be; (v) the rights of the Seller to refunds for
the costs of extended service contracts and to refunds of unearned premiums with
respect to credit life and credit accident and health insurance policies
covering the Financed Vehicles or Obligors, as the case may be; and (vi) any and
all proceeds of the foregoing. The Trust Assets also will include the Policy for
the benefit of the Class A Certificateholders. The Payahead Account will be
maintained with the Trustee for the benefit of the Obligors, but will not be
part of the Trust.
 
                      CPS'S AUTOMOBILE CONTRACT PORTFOLIO
 
GENERAL
 
    CPS was incorporated in the State of California on March 8, 1991. CPS and
its subsidiaries engage primarily in the business of purchasing, selling and
servicing retail automobile installment sales contracts ("Contracts") originated
by Dealers located primarily in California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas,
Illinois and Nevada. CPS specializes in Contracts with borrowers ("Sub-Prime
Borrowers") who generally would not be expected to qualify for traditional
financing such as that provided by commercial banks or automobile manufacturers'
captive finance companies. Sub-Prime Borrowers generally have limited credit
history, lower than average income or past credit problems.
 
    On May 31, 1991, CPS acquired 100% of the stock of G&A Financial Services,
Inc., a consumer loan servicing company, whose assets consisted primarily of
servicing contracts with respect to loan portfolios owned by third parties. G&A
Financial Services, Inc. has subsequently been dissolved. On September 1, 1991,
CPS was engaged to act as a servicer for loan portfolios aggregating $16.5
million by two companies who had purchased such portfolios from the Resolution
Trust Corp. As of December 31, 1994, CPS had terminated all such third-party
servicing arrangements. On October 1, 1991, CPS began its program of purchasing
Contracts from Dealers and selling them to institutional investors. Through
March 31, 1997, CPS had purchased $843.2 million of Contracts from Dealers and
sold $815.3 million of Contracts to institutional investors. CPS continues to
service all of the Contracts it has purchased, including those it has re-sold.
 
    CPS has relationships and is party to Dealer Agreements with over 2,400
dealerships located in 43 states of the United States. CPS purchases Contracts
from Dealers for a fee ranging from $0 to $1,195. A Dealer Agreement does not
obligate a Dealer to submit Contracts for purchase by CPS, nor does it obligate
CPS to purchase Contracts offered by the Dealers.
 
    CPS purchases Contracts from Dealers with the intent to resell them. CPS
also purchases Contracts from third parties that have been originated by others.
Prior to the issuance of the Certificates, Contracts have been sold to
institutional investors either as bulk sales or as private placements or public
offerings of securities collateralized by the Contracts. Purchasers of the
Contracts receive a pass-through rate of interest set at the time of the sale,
and CPS receives a base servicing fee for its duties relating to the accounting
for and collection of the Contracts. In addition, CPS is entitled to certain
excess servicing fees
 
                                      S-18
<PAGE>
that represent collections on the Contracts in excess of those required to pay
principal and interest due to the investor and the base servicing fee to CPS.
Generally, CPS sells the Contracts to such institutional investors at face value
and without recourse except that the representations and warranties made to CPS
by the Dealers are similarly made to the investors by CPS. CPS has some credit
risk with respect to the excess servicing fees it receives in connection with
the sale of Contracts to investors and its continued servicing function since
the receipt by CPS of such excess servicing fees is dependent upon the credit
performance of the Contracts.
 
    In March 1996, CPS formed Samco Acceptance Corp. ("Samco"), an 80
percent-owned subsidiary based in Dallas, Texas. Samco's business plan is to
provide the Company's sub-prime auto finance products to rural areas through
independently owned finance companies. CPS believes that many rural areas are
not adequately served by other industry participants due to their distance from
large metropolitan areas where a Dealer marketing representative is most likely
to be based.
 
    Samco employees call on IFCs primarily in the southeastern United States and
present them with financing programs that are essentially identical to those
which CPS markets directly to Dealers through its marketing representatives. CPS
believes that a typical rural IFC has relationships with many local automobile
purchasers as well as Dealers but, because of limitations of financial resources
or capital structure, such IFCs generally are unable to provide 36, 48 or 60
month financing for an automobile. IFCs may offer Samco's financing programs to
borrowers directly or indirectly through local Dealers. Samco purchases
contracts from the IFCs after its credit personnel have performed all of the
same underwriting and verification procedures and have applied all the same
credit criteria that CPS performs and applies for Contracts it purchases from
Dealers. Samco purchases Contracts at a discount ranging from 0% to 8% of the
total amount financed under such Contracts. In addition, Samco generally charges
IFCs an acquisition fee to defray the direct administrative costs associated
with the processing of Contracts that are ultimately purchased by Samco.
Servicing and collection procedures on Contracts owned by Samco are performed by
CPS at its headquarters in Irvine, California. As of March 31, 1997, Samco had
purchased 854 Contracts with original balances of $9.5 million.
 
    The principal executive offices of CPS are located at 2 Ada, Irvine,
California 92618. CPS's telephone number is (714) 753-6800.
 
UNDERWRITING
 
    CPS markets its services to Dealers under four programs: the CPS standard
program (the "Standard Program"), the CPS First Time Buyer Program (the "First
Time Buyer Program"), the CPS Alpha Program (the "Alpha Program") and the CPS
Delta Program (the "Delta Program"). CPS applies underwriting standards in
purchasing loans on new and used vehicles from Dealers based upon the particular
program under which the loan was submitted for purchase. The Alpha Program
guidelines are designed to accommodate applicants who meet all the requirements
of the Standard Program and exceed such requirements in respect of job
stability, residence stability, income level or the nature of the credit
history. The Delta Program guidelines are designed to accommodate applicants who
may not meet all of the requirements of the Standard Program but who are deemed
by CPS to be generally as creditworthy as Standard Program applicants. The First
Time Buyer Program guidelines are designed to accommodate applicants who have
not previously financed an automobile; such applicants must meet all the
requirements of the Standard Program, as well as slightly higher income and down
payment requirements. CPS uses the degree of the applicant's creditworthiness
and the collateral value of the financed vehicle as the basic criteria in
determining whether to purchase an installment sales contract from a Dealer.
Each credit application provides current information regarding the applicant's
employment and residence history, bank account information, debts, credit
references, and other factors that bear on an applicant's creditworthiness. Upon
receiving from the Dealer the completed application of a prospective purchaser
and a one-page Dealer summary of the proposed financing, generally by facsimile
copy, CPS obtains a credit report compiling credit information on the applicant
from three credit bureaus. The credit report summarizes the
 
                                      S-19
<PAGE>
applicant's credit history and paying habits, including such information as open
accounts, delinquent payments, bankruptcy, repossessions, lawsuits and
judgments. At this point a CPS loan officer will review the credit application,
Dealer summary and credit report and will either conditionally approve or reject
the application. Such conditional approval or rejection by the loan officer
usually occurs within one business day of receipt of the credit application. The
loan officer determines the conditions to his or her approval of a credit
application based on many factors such as the applicant's residential situation,
downpayment, and collateral value with regard to the loan, employment history,
monthly income level, household debt ratio and the applicant's credit history.
Based on the stipulations of the loan officer, the Dealer and the applicant
compile a more complete application package which is forwarded to CPS and
reviewed by a processor for deficiencies. As part of this review, references are
checked, direct calls are made to the applicant and employment, income and
residence verification is done. Upon the completion of his or her review, the
processor forwards the application package to an underwriter for further review.
The underwriter will confirm the satisfaction of any remaining deficiencies in
the application package. Finally, before the loan is funded, the application
package is checked for deficiencies again by a loan review officer. CPS
conditionally approves approximately 50% of the credit applications it receives
and ultimately purchases approximately 10% of the received applications.
 
    CPS has purchased portfolios of Contracts in bulk from other companies that
had previously purchased the Contracts from Dealers. From July 1, 1994 to July
31, 1995, CPS made four such bulk purchases aggregating approximately $22.9
million. In considering bulk purchases, CPS carefully evaluates the credit
profile and payment history of each portfolio and negotiates the purchase price
accordingly. The credit profiles of the Contracts in each of the portfolios
purchased are consistent with those in the underwriting standards used by the
Company in its normal course of business. Bulk purchases were made at a purchase
price approximately equal to a 7.0% discount from the aggregate principal
balance of the Contracts. CPS has not purchased any portfolios of Contracts in
bulk since July 31, 1995, but may consider doing so in the future.
 
    Generally, the amount funded by CPS will not exceed, in the case of new
cars, 110% of the dealer invoice plus taxes, license fees, insurance and the
cost of the service contract, and in the case of used cars, 115% of the value
quoted in industry-accepted used car guides (such as the Kelley Wholesale Blue
Book) plus the same additions as are allowed for new cars. The maximum amount
that will be financed on any vehicle generally will not exceed $25,000. The
maximum term of the Contract depends primarily on the age of the vehicle and its
mileage. Vehicles having in excess of 80,000 miles will not be financed.
 
    The minimum downpayment required on the purchase of a vehicle is generally
10% to 15% of the purchase price. The downpayment may be made in cash, and/or
with a trade-in car and, if available, a proven manufacturer's rebate. The cash
and trade-in value must equal at least 50% of the minimum downpayment required,
with the proven manufacturer's rebate constituting the remainder of the
downpayment. CPS believes that the relatively high downpayment requirement will
result in higher collateral values as a percentage of the amount financed and
the selection of buyers with stronger commitment to the vehicle.
 
    Prior to purchasing any Contract, CPS verifies that the Obligor has arranged
for casualty insurance by reviewing documentary evidence of the policy or by
contacting the insurance company or agent. The policy must indicate that CPS is
the lien holder and loss payee. The insurance company's name and policy
expiration date are recorded in CPS' computerized system for ongoing monitoring.
 
    As loss payee, CPS receives all correspondence relevant to renewals or
cancellations on the policy. Information from all such correspondence is updated
to the computerized records. In the event that a policy reaches its expiration
date without a renewal, or if CPS receives a notice that the policy has been
cancelled prior to its expiration date, a letter is generated to advise the
borrower of its obligation to continue to provide insurance. If no action is
taken by the borrower to insure the vehicle, two successive and more forceful
letters are generated, after which the collection department will contact the
borrower
 
                                      S-20
<PAGE>
telephonically to further counsel the borrower, including possibly advising them
that CPS has the right to repossess the vehicle if the borrower refuses to
obtain insurance. Although it has the right, CPS rarely repossesses vehicles in
such circumstances. In addition, CPS does not force place a policy and add the
premium to the borrower's outstanding obligation, although it also has the right
to do so. Rather in such circumstances the account is flagged as not having
insurance and continuing efforts are made to get the Obligor to comply with the
insurance requirement in the Contract. CPS believes that handling non-compliance
with insurance requirements in this manner ultimately results in better
portfolio performance because it believes that the increased monthly payment
obligation of the borrower which would result from force placing insurance and
adding the premium to the borrower's outstanding obligation would increase the
likelihood of delinquency or default by such borrower on future monthly
payments.
 
    Samco offers financing programs to IFCs which are essentially identical to
those offered by CPS. The IFCs may offer Samco's financing programs to borrowers
directly or indirectly through local Dealers. Upon submission of applications to
Samco, Samco credit personnel, who have been trained by CPS, use CPS's
proprietary systems to evaluate the borrower and the proposed Contract terms.
Samco purchases contracts from the IFCs after its credit personnel have
performed all of the underwriting and verification procedures and have applied
all the same credit criteria that CPS performs and applies for Contracts it
purchases from Dealers. Prior to CPS purchasing a Contract from Samco, CPS
personnel perform procedures intended to verify that such Contract has been
underwritten and originated in conformity with the requirements applied by CPS
with respect to Contracts acquired by it directly from Dealers.
 
SERVICING AND COLLECTIONS
 
    CPS' servicing activities, both with respect to portfolios of Contracts sold
by it to investors and with respect to portfolios of other receivables owned or
originated by third parties, consist of collecting, accounting for and posting
of all payments received with respect to such Contracts or other receivables,
responding to borrower inquiries, taking steps to maintain the security interest
granted in the Financed Vehicle or other collateral, investigating
delinquencies, communicating with the borrower, repossessing and liquidating
collateral when necessary, and generally monitoring each Contract or other
receivable and related collateral. CPS maintains sophisticated data processing
and management information systems to support its Contract and other receivable
servicing activities.
 
    Upon the sale of a portfolio of Contracts to an investor, or upon the
engagement of CPS by another receivable portfolio owner for CPS' services, CPS
mails to borrowers monthly billing statements directing them to mail payments on
the Contracts or other receivables to a lock-box account which is unique for
each investor or portfolio owner. CPS engages an independent lock-box processing
agent to retrieve and process payments received in the lock-box account. This
results in a daily deposit to the investor or portfolio owner's account of the
day's lock-box account receipts and a simultaneous electronic data transfer to
CPS of the borrower payment data for posting to CPS' computerized records.
Pursuant to the various servicing agreements with each investor or portfolio
owner, CPS is required to deliver monthly reports reflecting all transaction
activity with respect to the Contracts or other receivables.
 
    If an account becomes six days past due, CPS's collection staff typically
attempts to contact the borrower with the aid of a high- penetration
auto-dialing computer. A collection officer tries to establish contact with the
customer and obtain a promise by the customer to make the overdue payment within
seven days. If payment is not received by the end of such seven-day period, the
customer is called again through the auto dialer system and the collection
officer attempts to elicit a second promise to make the overdue payment within
seven days. If a second promise to make the overdue payment is not satisfied,
the account automatically is referred to a supervisor for further action. In
most cases, if payment is not received by the tenth day after the due date, a
late fee of approximately 5% of the delinquent payment is imposed. If the
customer cannot be reached by a collection officer, a letter is automatically
generated and the customer's references are contacted. Field agents (who are
independent contractors) often make calls on customers who are unreachable or
whose payment is thirty days or more delinquent. A decision to
 
                                      S-21
<PAGE>
repossess the vehicle is generally made after 30 to 90 days of delinquency or
three unfulfilled promises to make the overdue payment. Other than granting such
limited extensions as are described under the heading "Description of the
Pooling and Servicing Agreements--Servicing Procedures" in the Prospectus, CPS
does not modify or rewrite delinquent Contracts.
 
    On April 1, 1997 CPS established a satellite collection facility in
Chesapeake, Virginia. The 16,000 square foot facility was opened with 35 staff
dedicated solely to collections. The Chesapeake facility is on-line with CPS's
automated collection system at its headquarters in Irvine, California.
Chesapeake staff have been trained by Irvine collection management at both the
Chesapeake facility and at CPS's headquarters. Irvine collection management have
the ability to allocate the collection workload between the two facilities as
well as monitor the effectiveness of the collection effort by office and
individual collector. CPS expects to add resources to both collection locations
as its servicing portfolio grows.
 
    Servicing and collection procedures on Contracts owned by Samco are
performed by CPS at its headquarters in Irvine, California and its Chesapeake,
Virginia collection facility. However, Samco may solicit aid from the related
IFC in collecting past due accounts with respect to which repossession may be
considered.
 
DELINQUENCY AND LOSS EXPERIENCE
 
    Set forth on the following page is certain information concerning the
experience of CPS pertaining to retail new and used automobile, light truck, van
and minivan receivables, including those previously sold, which CPS continues to
service. Contracts were first originated under the Delta Program in August 1994
and under the Alpha Program in April 1995. CPS has found that the delinquency
and net credit loss and repossession experience with respect to the Delta
Program is somewhat greater than under its Standard Program. CPS has found that
the delinquency and net credit loss and repossession experience with respect to
the Alpha Program is somewhat lower than that experienced under the Standard
Program. CPS has purchased Contracts representing financing for first-time
purchasers of automobiles since the inception of its Contract purchasing
activities in 1991. Prior to the establishment of the First Time Buyer Program
in July 1996, CPS purchased such Contracts under its Standard Program
guidelines. CPS expects that the delinquency and net credit loss and
repossession experience with respect to loans originated under the First Time
Buyer Program will be similar to that under the Standard Program. CPS began
servicing Contracts originated by Samco in March 1996. Although credit history
on Samco's originations is limited, CPS expects that the delinquency and net
credit loss and repossession experience with respect to the Receivables
originated by Samco will be similar to that of CPS's existing portfolio. There
can be no assurance, however, that the delinquency and net credit loss and
repossession experience on the Receivables will continue to be comparable to
CPS' experience shown in the following tables.
 
                                      S-22
<PAGE>
                       CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC.
                             DELINQUENCY EXPERIENCE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                            DECEMBER 31, 1994         DECEMBER 31, 1995         DECEMBER 31, 1996           MARCH 31, 1996
                         ------------------------  ------------------------  ------------------------  ------------------------
                           NUMBER                    NUMBER                    NUMBER                    NUMBER
                          OF LOANS      AMOUNT      OF LOANS      AMOUNT      OF LOANS      AMOUNT      OF LOANS      AMOUNT
                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
<S>                      <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
Portfolio(1)...........      14,235   $203,879,000     27,113   $355,965,000     47,187   $604,092,000     31,153   $405,276,000
Period of
  Delinquency(2)
    31-60..............         243     3,539,000         909    11,520,000       1,801    22,099,000         987    12,872,000
    61-90..............          68     1,091,000         203     2,654,000         724     9,068,000         317     3,982,000
    91+................          56       876,000         272     3,899,000         768     9,906,000         304     4,305,000
                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Total Delinquencies....         367     5,506,000       1,384    18,073,000       3,293    41,073,000       1,608    21,159,000
Amount in
  Repossession(3)......         271     3,759,000         834    10,151,000       1,168    14,563,000         776     8,705,000
                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Total Delinquencies and
  Amount in
  Repossession(4)......         638   $ 9,265,000       2,218   $28,224,000       4,461   $55,636,000       2,384   $29,864,000
                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
 
Delinquencies as a
  Percent of the
  Portfolio............       2.58%         2.70%       5.10%         5.08%       6.98%         6.80%       5.16%         5.22%
Repo Inventory as a
  Percent of the
  Portfolio............       1.90%         1.84%       3.08%         2.85%       2.48%         2.41%       2.49%         2.15%
                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Total Delinquencies and
  Amount in
  Repossession as a
  Percent of
  Portfolio............       4.48%         4.54%       8.18%         7.93%       9.45%         9.21%       7.65%         7.37%
                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
 
<CAPTION>
                              MARCH 31, 1997
                         ------------------------
                           NUMBER
                          OF LOANS      AMOUNT
                         -----------  -----------
<S>                      <C>          <C>
Portfolio(1)...........      54,212   $681,840,000
Period of
  Delinquency(2)
    31-60..............       1,661    20,524,000
    61-90..............         711     8,752,000
    91+................         658     8,175,000
                         -----------  -----------
Total Delinquencies....       3,030    37,451,000
Amount in
  Repossession(3)......       1,612    16,648,000
                         -----------  -----------
Total Delinquencies and
  Amount in
  Repossession(4)......       4,642   $54,099,000
                         -----------  -----------
                         -----------  -----------
Delinquencies as a
  Percent of the
  Portfolio............       5.59%         5.49%
Repo Inventory as a
  Percent of the
  Portfolio............       2.97%         2.44%
                         -----------  -----------
Total Delinquencies and
  Amount in
  Repossession as a
  Percent of
  Portfolio............       8.56%         7.93%
                         -----------  -----------
                         -----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) All amounts and percentages are based on the full amount remaining to be
    repaid on each Contract, including, for Rule of 78's Contracts, any unearned
    finance charges. The information in the table represents all Contracts
    originated by CPS including sold Contracts CPS continues to service.
 
(2) CPS considers a Contract delinquent when an obligor fails to make at least
    90% of a contractually due payment by the due date. The period of
    delinquency is based on the number of days payments are contractually past
    due.
 
(3) Amount in Repossession represents Financed Vehicles which have been
    repossessed but not yet liquidated.
 
(4) Amounts shown do not include Contracts which are less than 31 days
    delinquent.
 
                                      S-23
<PAGE>
                       CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC.
                    NET CREDIT LOSS/REPOSSESSION EXPERIENCE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         YEAR ENDED         YEAR ENDED         YEAR ENDED      THREE MONTHS ENDED   THREE MONTHS ENDED
                      DECEMBER 31, 1994  DECEMBER 31, 1995  DECEMBER 31, 1996    MARCH 31, 1996       MARCH 31, 1997
                      -----------------  -----------------  -----------------  -------------------  -------------------
<S>                   <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>                  <C>
Average Amount
  Outstanding During
  the Period (1)....    $  98,916,991      $ 221,926,489      $ 395,404,669       $ 307,718,319        $ 549,105,157
Average Number of
  Loans Outstanding
  During the
  Period............            9,171             20,809             36,998              28,594               51,577
Number of
  Repossessions.....              669              2,018              3,145                 562                1,219
Gross Charge-Offs
  (2)...............    $   3,166,408      $  11,658,461      $  23,296,775       $   4,597,320        $   8,631,291
Recoveries (3)......    $     347,519      $   1,028,378      $   2,969,143       $     554,591        $   1,158,029
Net Losses..........    $   2,818,889      $  10,630,083      $  20,327,632       $   4,042,729        $   7,473,262
Annualized
  Repossessions as a
  Percentage of
  Average Number of
  Loans
  Outstanding.......             7.29%              9.70%              8.50%               7.86%                9.45%
Annualized Net
  Losses as a
  Percentage of
  Average Amount
  Outstanding.......             2.85%              4.79%              5.14%               5.26%                5.44%
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) All amounts and percentages are based on the principal amount scheduled to
    be paid on each Contract. The information in the table represents all
    Contracts originated by CPS including sold Contracts which CPS continues to
    service.
 
(2) Amount charged off includes the remaining principal balance, after the
    application of the net proceeds from the liquidation of the vehicle,
    excluding accrued and unpaid interest.
 
(3) Recoveries are reflected in the period in which they are realized and may
    pertain to charge offs from prior periods.
 
                                      S-24
<PAGE>
                              THE RECEIVABLES POOL
 
    The Receivables Pool existing as of the Cutoff Date consists of Receivables
selected from CPS's Portfolio by several criteria, including the following: each
Receivable was originated, based on the billing address of the Obligors, in the
United States, has an original term of not more than 60 months, provides for
level monthly payments which fully amortize the amount financed over the
original term (except for the last payment, which may be different from the
level payment for various reasons, including late or early payments during the
term of the Contract), has a remaining maturity of 60 months or less as of the
Cutoff Date, has an outstanding principal balance of not more than $27,562.84 as
of the Cutoff Date, is not more than 30 days past due as of the Preliminary
Cutoff Date and has an APR of not less than 16.50%. As of the date of each
Obligor's application for the loan from which the related Receivable arises,
each Obligor (i) did not have any material past due credit obligations or any
repossessions or garnishments of property within one year prior to the date of
application, unless such amounts have been repaid or discharged through
bankruptcy, (ii) was not the subject of any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding
that is not discharged, and (iii) had not been the subject of more than one
bankruptcy proceeding. As of the Cutoff Date, the latest scheduled maturity of
any Receivable is not later than June 12, 2002.
 
    As of the Cutoff Date, approximately 89.96% of the aggregate Principal
Balance of the Receivables, constituting 92.20% of the number of Contracts,
represents financing of used vehicles; the remainder of the Receivables
represent financing of new vehicles. Approximately 10.06% of the aggregate
Principal Balance of the Receivables were originated under the Delta Program,
approximately 47.14% of the aggregate Principal Balance of the Receivables were
originated under the Alpha Program, approximately 9.17% of the aggregate
Principal Balance of the Receivables were originated under the First Time Buyer
Program and approximately 33.61% of the aggregate Principal Balance of the
Receivables represent financing under the Standard Program. As of the Cutoff
Date, approximately 0.02% of the aggregate Principal Balance of the Receivables
were originated by third parties and purchased by CPS in the ordinary course of
its business. As of the Cutoff Date, 3.99% of the aggregate Principal Balance of
the Receivables were Samco Receivables. The composition, geographic
distribution, distribution by APR, distribution by remaining term, distribution
by month of origination, distribution by original term, distribution by model
year and distribution by original Principal Balance of the Receivables as of the
Cutoff Date are set forth in the following tables.
 
              COMPOSITION OF THE RECEIVABLES AS OF THE CUTOFF DATE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   WEIGHTED          AGGREGATE        NUMBER OF      AVERAGE        WEIGHTED        WEIGHTED
  AVERAGE APR        PRINCIPAL       RECEIVABLES    PRINCIPAL        AVERAGE         AVERAGE
OF RECEIVABLES        BALANCE          IN POOL       BALANCE     REMAINING TERM   ORIGINAL TERM
- ---------------  -----------------  -------------  ------------  ---------------  -------------
<S>              <C>                <C>            <C>           <C>              <C>
       20.59%    $  119,362,032.46        9,697    $  12,309.17      55.46 mos.     56.49 mos.
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-25
<PAGE>
  GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THE RECEIVABLES AS OF THE PRELIMINARY CUTOFF DATE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       PERCENT OF                     PERCENT OF
                                                     AGGREGATE          AGGREGATE        NUMBER OF     NUMBER OF
STATE(1)                                         PRINCIPAL BALANCE  PRINCIPAL BALANCE   RECEIVABLES   RECEIVABLES
- -----------------------------------------------  -----------------  -----------------  -------------  -----------
<S>                                              <C>                <C>                <C>            <C>
Alabama........................................       4,922,764.84           4.12%             420          4.33%
California.....................................      21,066,042.36          17.65%           1,630         16.81%
Florida........................................       7,787,563.93           6.52%             618          6.37%
Georgia........................................       3,619,932.83           3.03%             297          3.06%
Hawaii.........................................       1,980,648.23           1.66%             157          1.62%
Illinois.......................................       5,497,375.95           4.61%             468          4.83%
Louisiana......................................       9,200,598.93           7.71%             720          7.42%
Maryland.......................................       3,454,656.60           2.89%             284          2.93%
Michigan.......................................       4,200,247.02           3.52%             341          3.52%
Minnesota......................................       1,510,984.47           1.27%             129          1.33%
Nevada.........................................       3,182,693.47           2.67%             253          2.61%
New Jersey.....................................       3,097,497.76           2.60%             243          2.51%
New Mexico.....................................       1,387,834.55           1.16%             118          1.22%
New York.......................................       7,945,487.93           6.66%             678          6.99%
North Carolina.................................       2,515,008.92           2.11%             215          2.22%
Ohio...........................................       2,357,857.95           1.98%             220          2.27%
Pennsylvania...................................      10,328,669.59           8.65%             852          8.79%
South Carolina.................................       1,327,661.81           1.11%             109          1.12%
Tennessee......................................       4,362,869.73           3.66%             369          3.81%
Texas..........................................      10,318,336.74           8.64%             794          8.19%
Virginia.......................................       1,673,241.46           1.40%             137          1.41%
all others(2)..................................       7,624,057.39           6.39%             645          6.65%
                                                 -----------------         ------            -----    -----------
TOTAL..........................................  $  119,362,032.46         100.00%(3)        9,697        100.00%(3)
                                                 -----------------         ------            -----    -----------
                                                 -----------------         ------            -----    -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Based on billing address of Obligor.
 
(2) No other state represents a percent of the aggregate Principal Balance as of
    the Cutoff Date in excess of one percent.
 
(3) Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding.
 
                                      S-26
<PAGE>
          DISTRIBUTION OF THE RECEIVABLES BY APR AS OF THE CUTOFF DATE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       PERCENT OF
                                                                       AGGREGATE                     PERCENT OF
APR                                                  AGGREGATE         PRINCIPAL        NUMBER OF     NUMBER OF
RANGE                                            PRINCIPAL BALANCE      BALANCE        RECEIVABLES   RECEIVABLES
- -----------------------------------------------  -----------------  ----------------  -------------  -----------
<S>                                              <C>                <C>               <C>            <C>
Below 17.00%...................................          34,804.57          0.03%               2         0.02%
17.00% to 17.99%...............................       4,260,211.50          3.57%             295         3.04%
18.00% to 18.99%...............................      19,879,786.55         16.66%           1,442        14.87%
19.00% to 19.99%...............................      19,214,642.13         16.10%           1,457        15.03%
20.00% to 20.99%...............................      23,889,756.36         20.01%           1,837        18.94%
21.00% to 21.99%...............................      24,713,531.54         20.70%           2,093        21.58%
22.00% to 22.99%...............................       5,888,922.85          4.93%             511         5.27%
23.00% to 23.99%...............................      10,008,413.66          8.38%             921         9.50%
24.00% to 24.99%...............................      10,569,454.59          8.85%           1,038        10.70%
25.00% to 25.99%...............................         793,839.63          0.67%              87         0.90%
26.00% and over................................         108,669.08          0.09%              14         0.14%
                                                 -----------------       --------           -----    -----------
TOTAL..........................................  $  119,362,032.46        100.00%(1)        9,697       100.00%(1)
                                                 -----------------       --------           -----    -----------
                                                 -----------------       --------           -----    -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding.
 
                DISTRIBUTION OF RECEIVABLES BY REMAINING TERM TO
 
                    SCHEDULED MATURITY AS OF THE CUTOFF DATE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       PERCENT OF
                                                                       AGGREGATE                     PERCENT OF
REMAINING TERM TO                                    AGGREGATE         PRINCIPAL        NUMBER OF     NUMBER OF
SCHEDULED MATURITY                               PRINCIPAL BALANCE      BALANCE        RECEIVABLES   RECEIVABLES
- -----------------------------------------------  -----------------  ----------------  -------------  -----------
<S>                                              <C>                <C>               <C>            <C>
Fewer than 21 months...........................           5,655.33          0.00%               2         0.02%
21-25 months...................................         352,871.08          0.30%              63         0.65%
26-30 months...................................         548,168.76          0.46%              75         0.77%
31-35 months...................................       2,699,232.13          2.26%             336         3.46%
36-40 months...................................       1,690,007.64          1.42%             198         2.04%
41-45 months...................................       2,123,708.62          1.78%             222         2.29%
46-50 months...................................      14,853,283.96         12.44%           1,449        14.94%
51-55 months...................................      13,094,598.07         10.97%           1,087        11.21%
56-60 months...................................      83,994,506.87         70.37%           6,265        64.61%
                                                 -----------------       --------           -----    -----------
TOTAL..........................................  $  119,362,032.46        100.00%(1)        9,697       100.00%(1)
                                                 -----------------       --------           -----    -----------
                                                 -----------------       --------           -----    -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding.
 
                                      S-27
<PAGE>
                         DISTRIBUTION OF RECEIVABLES BY
 
                   MONTH OF ORIGINATION AS OF THE CUTOFF DATE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       PERCENT OF
                                                                       AGGREGATE                     PERCENT OF
                                                     AGGREGATE         PRINCIPAL        NUMBER OF     NUMBER OF
MONTH OF ORIGINATION                             PRINCIPAL BALANCE      BALANCE        RECEIVABLES   RECEIVABLES
- -----------------------------------------------  -----------------  ----------------  -------------  -----------
<S>                                              <C>                <C>               <C>            <C>
Prior to January, 1997.........................         752,463.77          0.63%              64         0.66%
January, 1997..................................         444,401.25          0.37%              38         0.39%
February, 1997.................................       9,736,547.05          8.16%             800         8.25%
March, 1997....................................      47,921,625.04         40.15%           3,943        40.66%
April, 1997....................................      47,123,194.67         39.48%           3,788        39.06%
May, 1997......................................      13,383,800.68         11.21%           1,064        10.97%
                                                 -----------------       --------           -----    -----------
TOTAL..........................................  $  119,362,032.46        100.00%(1)        9,697       100.00%(1)
                                                 -----------------       --------           -----    -----------
                                                 -----------------       --------           -----    -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding.
 
                DISTRIBUTION OF RECEIVABLES BY ORIGINAL TERM TO
                    SCHEDULED MATURITY AS OF THE CUTOFF DATE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        PERCENT OF
                                                                        AGGREGATE                      PERCENT OF
ORIGINAL TERM TO                                      AGGREGATE         PRINCIPAL        NUMBER OF      NUMBER OF
SCHEDULED MATURITY                                PRINCIPAL BALANCE      BALANCE        RECEIVABLES    RECEIVABLES
- ------------------------------------------------  -----------------  ----------------  -------------  -------------
<S>                                               <C>                <C>               <C>            <C>
Fewer than 21 months............................           4,126.72            0.00%             1            0.01%
21-25 months....................................         333,547.19            0.28%            60            0.62%
26-30 months....................................         533,585.26            0.45%            74            0.76%
31-35 months....................................           8,034.48            0.01%             1            0.01%
36-40 months....................................       3,605,467.27            3.02%           451            4.65%
41-45 months....................................       2,499,337.75            2.09%           265            2.73%
46-50 months....................................      15,146,050.21           12.69%         1,481           15.27%
51-55 months....................................      12,909,885.65           10.82%         1,075           11.09%
56-60 months....................................      84,321,997.93           70.64%         6,289           64.86%
                                                  -----------------  ----------------        -----    -------------
TOTAL...........................................  $  119,362,032.46        100.00%(1)        9,697        100.00%(1)
                                                  -----------------  ----------------        -----    -------------
                                                  -----------------  ----------------        -----    -------------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding.
 
                                      S-28
<PAGE>
         DISTRIBUTION OF RECEIVABLES BY MODEL YEAR OF FINANCED VEHICLE
                             AS OF THE CUTOFF DATE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         PERCENT OF                     PERCENT OF
                                                       AGGREGATE          AGGREGATE        NUMBER OF     NUMBER OF
MODEL YEAR                                         PRINCIPAL BALANCE  PRINCIPAL BALANCE   RECEIVABLES   RECEIVABLES
- -------------------------------------------------  -----------------  -----------------  -------------  -----------
<S>                                                <C>                <C>                <C>            <C>
Prior to 1990                                             627,702.23           0.53%              95          0.98%
1990.............................................       1,791,480.75           1.50%             223          2.30%
1991.............................................       3,516,350.87           2.95%             397          4.09%
1992.............................................       7,189,625.46           6.02%             711          7.33%
1993.............................................      13,849,316.70          11.60%           1,261         13.00%
1994.............................................      24,855,287.60          20.82%           2,052         21.16%
1995.............................................      33,216,563.47          27.83%           2,583         26.64%
1996.............................................      22,778,659.72          19.08%           1,651         17.03%
1997.............................................      11,488,513.79           9.62%             721          7.44%
1998.............................................          48,531.87           0.04%               3          0.03%
                                                   -----------------         ------            -----    -----------
TOTAL............................................  $  119,362,032.46         100.00%(1)        9,697        100.00%(1)
                                                   -----------------         ------            -----    -----------
                                                   -----------------         ------            -----    -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding.
 
           DISTRIBUTION OF RECEIVABLES BY ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL BALANCE
                             AS OF THE CUTOFF DATE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          PERCENT OF                     PERCENT OF
RANGE OF ORIGINAL                                       AGGREGATE          AGGREGATE        NUMBER OF     NUMBER OF
PRINCIPAL BALANCES                                  PRINCIPAL BALANCE  PRINCIPAL BALANCE   RECEIVABLES   RECEIVABLES
- --------------------------------------------------  -----------------  -----------------  -------------  -----------
<S>                                                 <C>                <C>                <C>            <C>
$0 - 4,999........................................         250,369.03           0.21%              59          0.61%
 5,000 - 9,999....................................      19,307,750.49          16.18%           2,332         24.05%
 10,000 - 14,999..................................      66,403,932.43          55.63%           5,384         55.52%
 15,000 - 19,999..................................      27,686,776.52          23.20%           1,658         17.10%
 20,000 - 24,999..................................       5,376,534.36           4.50%             251          2.59%
 25,000 and over..................................         336,669.63           0.28%              13          0.13%
                                                    -----------------         ------            -----    -----------
TOTAL.............................................  $  119,362,032.46         100.00%(1)        9,697        100.00%(1)
                                                    -----------------         ------            -----    -----------
                                                    -----------------         ------            -----    -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
 
(1) Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding.
 
                                      S-29
<PAGE>
    As of the Cutoff Date, approximately 34.61% of the aggregate Principal
Balance of the Receivables in the Receivables Pool provide for allocation of
payments according to the "sum of periodic balances" or "sum of monthly
payments" method, similar to the "Rule of 78's" ("Rule of 78's Receivables")
and, approximately 65.39% of the aggregate Principal Balance of the Receivables
in the Receivables Pool provide for allocation of payments according to the
"simple interest" method ("Simple Interest Receivables"). A Rule of 78's
Receivable provides for payment by the Obligor of a specified total amount of
payments, payable in equal monthly installments on each due date, which total
represents the principal amount financed and add-on interest in an amount
calculated on the basis of the stated APR for the term of the Receivable. The
rate at which such amount of add-on interest is earned and, correspondingly, the
amount of each fixed monthly payment allocated to reduction of the outstanding
principal are calculated in accordance with the "Rule of 78's". A Simple
Interest Receivable provides for the amortization of the amount financed under
the Receivable over a series of fixed level monthly payments. Each monthly
payment consists of an installment of interest which is calculated on the basis
of the outstanding principal balance of the Receivable multiplied by the stated
APR and further multiplied by the period elapsed (as a fraction of a calendar
year) since the preceding payment of interest was made. As payments are received
under a Simple Interest Receivable, the amount received is applied first to
interest accrued to the date of payment and the balance is applied to reduce the
unpaid principal balance. Accordingly, if an Obligor pays a fixed monthly
installment before its scheduled due date, the portion of the payment allocable
to interest for the period since the preceding payment was made will be less
than it would have been had the payment been made as scheduled, and the portion
of the payment applied to reduce the unpaid principal balance will be
correspondingly greater. Conversely, if an Obligor pays a fixed monthly
installment after its scheduled due date, the portion of the payment allocable
to interest for the period since the preceding payment was made will be greater
than it would have been had the payment been made as scheduled, and the portion
of the payment applied to reduce the unpaid principal balance will be
correspondingly less. In either case, the Obligor pays a fixed monthly
installment until the final scheduled payment date, at which time the amount of
the final installment is increased or decreased as necessary to repay the then
outstanding principal balance.
 
    In the event of the prepayment in full (voluntarily or by acceleration) of a
Rule of 78's Receivable, under the terms of the contract, a "refund" or "rebate"
will be made to the Obligor of the portion of the total amount of payments then
due and payable under the contract allocable to "unearned" add-on interest,
calculated in accordance with a method equivalent to the Rule of 78's. If a
Simple Interest Receivable is prepaid, rather than receive a rebate, the Obligor
is required to pay interest only to the date of prepayment. The amount of a
rebate under a Rule of 78's Receivable generally will be less than the remaining
scheduled payments of interest that would have been due under a Simple Interest
Receivable for which all payments were made on schedule.
 
    The Trust will account for the Rule of 78's Receivables as if such
Receivables provided for amortization of the loan over a series of fixed level
payment monthly installments ("Actuarial Receivables"). Amounts received upon
prepayment in full of a Rule of 78's Receivable in excess of the then
outstanding Principal Balance of such Receivable and accrued interest thereon
(calculated pursuant to the actuarial method) will not be passed through to
Certificateholders but will be paid to the Servicer as additional servicing
compensation.
 
                                      S-30
<PAGE>
                              YIELD CONSIDERATIONS
 
    On each Distribution Date, interest on the Receivables will be passed
through to the Certificateholders, to the extent there are funds available, in
an amount equal to thirty (30) days' interest at the Class A Pass-Through Rate
applied to the Class A Certificate Balance on the last day of the preceding
Collection Period and to the Class B Certificateholders, to the extent there are
funds available, in an amount equal to thirty (30) days' interest at the Class B
Pass-Through Rate applied to the Class B Certificate Balance on the last day of
the preceding Collection Period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that on the first
Distribution Date, Certificateholders will be entitled to interest at the Class
A Pass-Through Rate or the Class B Pass-Through Rate, as applicable, on the
original Class A Certificate Balance or Class B Certificate Balance, as
applicable, from and including the Closing Date through and including June 14,
1997. In the event of prepayments on Receivables, Certificateholders will
nonetheless be entitled to receive interest for the full month on the
Certificates.
 
    All of the Receivables are prepayable at any time (for this purpose
"prepayments" include prepayments in full, liquidations due to default, as well
as receipts of proceeds from physical damage, credit life and credit accident
and health insurance policies and certain other Receivables repurchased for
administrative reasons). The rate of prepayments on the Receivables may be
influenced by a variety of economic, social, and other factors, including the
fact that an Obligor generally may not sell or transfer the Financed Vehicle
securing a Receivable without the consent of CPS. In addition, the rate of
prepayments on the Receivables may be affected by the nature of the Obligors and
the Financed Vehicles and servicing decisions. See "Risk Factors--Nature of
Obligors; Servicing" in this Prospectus Supplement. Any reinvestment risks
resulting from a faster or slower incidence of prepayment of Receivables will be
borne entirely by the Certificateholders. See also "Description of the
Certificates--Termination" in this Prospectus Supplement regarding the
Servicer's option to purchase the Receivables when the aggregate principal
balance thereof is less than or equal to 10% of the Original Pool Balance.
 
                       POOL FACTOR AND OTHER INFORMATION
 
    The "Pool Balance" at any time represents the aggregate principal balance of
the Receivables at the end of the preceding Collection Period, after giving
effect to all payments (other than Payaheads) received from Obligors, all
payments and Purchase Amounts remitted by CPS or the Servicer, as the case may
be, all for such Collection Period, all losses realized on Receivables
liquidated during such Collection Period and any Cram Down Losses with respect
to such Receivables. The Pool Balance is computed by allocating payments to
principal and to interest, with respect to Rule of 78's Receivables, using the
constant yield or actuarial method, and with respect to Simple Interest
Receivables, using the simple interest method. The "Class A Pool Factor" is a
seven-digit decimal which the Servicer will compute each month indicating the
Class A Certificate Balance as a fraction of the initial Class A Certificate
Balance. The Class A Pool Factor will be 1.0000000 as of the Closing Date;
thereafter, the Class A Pool Factor will decline to reflect reductions in the
Class A Certificate Balance. An individual Class A Certificateholder's share of
the Class A Certificate Balance is the product of (i) the original denomination
of the Class A Certificateholder's Certificate and (ii) the Class A Pool Factor.
The Class A Pool Factor will be made available on or about the eighth business
day of each month.
 
    Pursuant to the Agreement, the Certificateholders will receive monthly
reports concerning the payments received on the Receivables, the Pool Balance,
the Class A Pool Factor and various other items of information.
Certificateholders of record during any calendar year will be furnished
information for tax reporting purposes not later than the latest date permitted
by law. See "Description of the Certificates-- Statements to Certificateholders"
in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                      S-31
<PAGE>
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
    The net proceeds to be received by the Seller from the sale of the Class A
Certificates will be applied to the purchase of the Receivables from CPS and
Samco. CPS will apply the net proceeds received from the Seller to purchase new
Contracts or to repay debt incurred to purchase the Contracts.
 
                               THE SELLER AND CPS
 
    The Seller is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CPS. The Seller was incorporated
in the State of California in June of 1994. The Seller was organized for the
limited purpose of purchasing automobile installment sale contracts from CPS and
transferring such receivables to third parties and any activities incidental to
and necessary or convenient for the accomplishment of such purposes. The
principal executive offices of the Seller are located at 2 Ada, Irvine,
California 92618; telephone (714) 753-6800. For further information regarding
the Seller and CPS, see "The Seller and CPS" in the Prospectus.
 
                              THE STANDBY SERVICER
 
    If CPS is terminated or resigns as Servicer, Norwest Bank Minnesota,
National Association (in such capacity, the "Standby Servicer") will serve as
successor Servicer. The Standby Servicer will receive a fee on each Distribution
Date for agreeing to stand by as successor Servicer and for performing certain
other functions. Such fee will be payable to the Standby Servicer from the
Servicing Fee payable to CPS. If the Standby Servicer, or any other entity
serving at the time as Standby Servicer, becomes the successor Servicer, it will
receive compensation at a Servicing Fee Rate not to exceed 2.12% per annum.
 
                        DESCRIPTION OF THE CERTIFICATES
 
GENERAL
 
    The Class A Certificates initially will be represented by certificates
registered in the name of Cede as the nominee of The Depository Trust Company
("DTC"), and will only be available in the form of book-entries on the records
of DTC and participating members thereof in denominations of $1,000. All
references to "holders" or "Class A Certificateholders," and to authorized
denominations, when used with respect to the Class A Certificates, shall reflect
the rights of beneficial owners of the Class A Certificates ("Class A
Certificate Owners"), and limitations thereof, as they may be indirectly
exercised through DTC and its participating members, except as otherwise
specified herein. See "--Registration of Certificates" below.
 
    In general, it is intended that the Class A Certificateholders receive, on
each Distribution Date, a distribution equal to the Class A Distributable Amount
and that the Class B Certificateholders receive, on each Distribution Date, a
distribution equal to the Class B Distributable Amount, as applicable. See
 
"--Distributions on Certificates" below.
 
    Distributions of interest on the Class B Certificates will be subordinated
in priority of payment to interest due on the Class A Certificates.
Distributions of principal of the Class B Certificates will be subordinated in
priority of payment to interest and principal due on the Class A Certificates.
Accordingly, the Class A Certificates will receive, if necessary, the benefit of
amounts otherwise owing to the Class B Certificateholders as credit enhancement.
Funds representing the interest of the Class B Certificateholders in the Trust
Assets will be applied first to the payment of any amounts due to the Class A
Certificateholders on account of the Class A Interest Distributable Amount and
any Class A Interest Carryover Shortfall before any portion thereof is paid to
the Class B Certificateholders and funds otherwise due to pay principal of the
Class B Certificates will be applied first to the payment of the Class A
Principal Distributable Amount and any Class A Principal Carryover Shortfall
before any portion thereof is paid to the Class B Certificateholders.
 
                                      S-32
<PAGE>
REGISTRATION OF CERTIFICATES
 
    The Class A Certificates will initially be registered in the name of Cede &
Co. ("Cede"), the nominee of DTC. DTC is a limited-purpose trust company
organized under the laws of the State of New York, a member of the Federal
Reserve System, a "clearing corporation" within the meaning of the New York
Uniform Commercial Code, and a "clearing agency" registered pursuant to the
provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
DTC accepts securities for deposit from its participating organizations
("Participants") and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities
transactions between Participants in such securities through electronic
book-entry changes in accounts of Participants, thereby eliminating the need for
physical movement of certificates. Participants include securities brokers and
dealers, banks and trust companies and clearing corporations and may include
certain other organizations. Indirect access to the DTC system is also available
to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through
or maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or
indirectly. See "Annex I" to this Prospectus Supplement and "Certain Information
Regarding the Certificates--Book-Entry Registration" in the Prospectus.
 
    Persons acquiring beneficial ownership interests in the Class A Certificates
may elect to hold their Class A Certificates through DTC in the United States,
or CEDEL or Euroclear (in Europe) if they are participants of such systems, or
indirectly through organizations which are participants in such systems. The
book-entry certificates will be issued in one or more certificates which equal
the aggregate principal balance of the Class A Certificates and will initially
be registered in the name of Cede, the nominee of DTC. CEDEL and Euroclear will
hold omnibus positions on behalf of their participants through customers'
securities accounts in CEDEL's and Euroclear's names on the books of their
respective depositories which in turn will hold such positions in customers'
securities accounts in the depositories' names on the books of DTC. Chase
Manhattan Bank, N.A. will act as depositary for CEDEL and Morgan Guaranty Trust
Company of New York will act as depositary for Euroclear (in such capacities,
individually the "Relevant Depositary" and collectively the "European
Depositaries").
 
    The beneficial owner's ownership of a book-entry certificate will be
recorded on the records of the brokerage firm, bank, thrift institution or other
financial intermediary (each, a "Financial Intermediary") that maintains the
beneficial owner's account for such purpose. In turn, the Financial
Intermediary's ownership of such book-entry certificate will be recorded on the
records of DTC (or of a participating firm that acts as agent for the Financial
Intermediary, whose interest will in turn be recorded on the records of DTC, if
the beneficial owner's Financial Intermediary is not a DTC participant and on
the records of CEDEL or Euroclear, as appropriate).
 
    CEDEL is incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg as a professional
depository. CEDEL holds securities for its participating organizations ("CEDEL
Participants") and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities
transactions between CEDEL Participants through electronic book-entry changes in
accounts of CEDEL Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical
movement of certificates. Transactions may be settled in CEDEL in any of 28
currencies, including United States dollars. CEDEL provides to its CEDEL
Participants, among other things, services for safekeeping, administration,
clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and securities
lending and borrowing. CEDEL interfaces with domestic markets in several
countries. As a professional depository, CEDEL is subject to regulation by the
Luxembourg Monetary Institute. CEDEL participants are recognized financial
institutions around the world, including underwriters, securities brokers and
dealers, banks, trust companies, checkering corporations and certain other
organizations. Indirect access to CEDEL is also available to others, such as
banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a
custodial relationship with a CEDEL Participant, either directly or indirectly.
 
    Euroclear was created in 1968 to hold securities for participants of
Euroclear ("Euroclear Participants") and to clear and settle transactions
between Euroclear Participants through simultaneous electronic book-entry
delivery against payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of
 
                                      S-33
<PAGE>
certificates and any risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of securities and
cash. Transactions may now be settled in any of 27 currencies, including United
States dollars. Euroclear includes various other services, including securities
lending and borrowing and interfaces with domestic markets in several countries
generally similar to the arrangements for cross-market transfers with DTC
described above.
 
    Although DTC, CEDEL and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures in
order to facilitate transfers of Class A Certificates among participants of DTC,
CEDEL and Euroclear, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to
perform such procedures and such procedures may be discontinued at any time.
 
SALE AND ASSIGNMENT OF RECEIVABLES
 
    On or prior to the Closing Date, CPS will sell and assign to the Seller
pursuant to the CPS Purchase Agreement and Samco will sell and assign to the
Seller pursuant to the Samco Purchase Agreement without recourse, except as
provided in the CPS Purchase Agreement, the entirety of their respective
interests in the Receivables, together with their respective security interests
in the Financed Vehicles. At the time of issuance of the Certificates, the
Seller will sell and assign to the Trust, without recourse except as provided in
the Agreement, its entire interest in the Receivables, together with its
security interests in the Financed Vehicles. Each Receivable will be identified
in a schedule appearing as an exhibit to the Agreement. The Trustee will,
concurrently with such sale and assignment, execute, authenticate, and deliver
the Certificates to the Seller in exchange for the Receivables. The Seller will
sell the Class A Certificates to the Underwriters. See "Underwriting" in this
Prospectus Supplement.
 
    In the CPS Purchase Agreement, CPS will represent and warrant to the Seller
with respect to the Receivables (including the Samco Receivables), among other
things, that (i) the information provided with respect to the Receivables is
correct in all material respects; (ii) at the dates of origination of the
Receivables, physical damage insurance covering each Financed Vehicle was in
effect in accordance with CPS's normal requirements; (iii) at the date of
issuance of the Certificates, the Receivables are free and clear of all security
interests, liens, charges, and encumbrances and no offsets, defenses, or
counterclaims against Dealers or IFCs have been asserted or threatened; (iv) at
the date of issuance of the Certificates, each of the Receivables is or will be
secured by a first-priority perfected security interest in the Financed Vehicle
in favor of CPS or Samco; and (v) each Receivable, at the time it was
originated, complied and, at the date of issuance of the Certificates, complies
in all material respects with applicable federal and state laws, including,
without limitation, consumer credit, truth in lending, equal credit opportunity
and disclosure laws. As of the last day of the second (or, if CPS elects, the
first) month following the discovery by or notice to the Seller and CPS of a
breach of any representation or warranty that materially and adversely affects a
Receivable, unless the breach is cured, CPS will purchase such Receivable from
the Trust for the Purchase Amount. The repurchase obligation will constitute the
sole remedy available to the Certificateholders, the Certificate Insurer or the
Trustee for any such uncured breach.
 
    On or prior to the Closing Date, the Contracts will be delivered to the
Trustee as custodian, and the Trustee thereafter will maintain physical
possession of the Receivables except as may be necessary for the servicing
thereof by the Servicer. The Receivables will not be stamped to show the
ownership thereof by the Trust. However, CPS's and Samco's accounting records
and computer systems will reflect the sale and assignment of the Receivables to
the Seller, and Uniform Commercial Code ("UCC") financing statements reflecting
such sales and assignments will be filed. See "Formation of the Trust" in this
Prospectus Supplement and "Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables" in the
Prospectus.
 
ACCOUNTS
 
    A segregated lock-box account will be established and maintained with Bank
of America in the name of the Trustee for the benefit of the Certificateholders
and the Certificate Insurer, into which all payments made by Obligors on or with
respect to the Receivables must be deposited by the Lock-Box Processor (the
 
                                      S-34
<PAGE>
"Lock-Box Account"). See "Description of the Pooling and Servicing
Agreements--Payments on Receivables" in the Prospectus. The Trustee will also
establish and maintain initially with itself one or more accounts, in the name
of the Trustee on behalf of the Certificateholders and the Certificate Insurer,
into which all amounts previously deposited in the Lock-Box Account will be
transferred within two Business Days of the receipt of funds therein (the
"Collection Account"). Upon receipt, the Servicer will deposit all amounts
received by it in respect of the Receivables in the Lock-Box Account or the
Collection Account. The Trustee will also establish and maintain initially with
itself one or more accounts, in the name of the Trustee on behalf of the
Certificateholders and the Certificate Insurer, from which all distributions
with respect to the Certificates and payments to the Certificate Insurer will be
made (the "Certificate Account"). In addition, the Trustee will establish and
maintain initially with itself one or more accounts, in the name of the Trustee
on behalf of the Obligors, in which early payments with respect to Rule of 78's
Receivables by or on behalf of the Obligors which do not constitute current
scheduled payments, late fees or full repayments will be deposited until such
time as the payment falls due or until such funds are applied to shortfalls in
the scheduled payments with respect to Rule of 78's Receivables (the "Payahead
Account"). Until such time as payments are transferred from the Payahead Account
to the Certificate Account, they will not constitute collected interest or
collected principal, and will not be available for distribution to the
Certificateholders. The Collection Account, Certificate Account and Payahead
Account will be maintained with the Trustee so long as the Trustee's deposits
have a rating acceptable to the Certificate Insurer and the Rating Agencies. If
the deposits of the Trustee or its corporate parent no longer have such
acceptable rating, the Trustee shall cause such accounts to be moved to a bank
acceptable to the Certificate Insurer. In addition, the Trustee may transfer the
Payahead Account at any time to any depository bank or trust company which is
acceptable to the Certificate Insurer.
 
    The Collateral Agent will establish the Spread Account as a segregated trust
account at its office or at another depository institution or trust company.
 
SERVICING COMPENSATION
 
    The Servicer will be entitled to receive the Servicing Fee on each
Distribution Date, equal to the product of one-twelfth of the Servicing Fee Rate
and the Pool Balance as of the close of business on the last day of the second
preceding Collection Period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that with respect to the first
Distribution Date, the Servicing Fee will equal the product of one-twelfth of
the Servicing Fee Rate and the Pool Balance as of the Cutoff Date (the
"Servicing Fee"). So long as CPS is Servicer, a portion of the Servicing Fee,
equal to the Standby Fee, will be payable to the Standby Servicer for agreeing
to stand by as successor Servicer and for performing certain other functions. If
the Standby Servicer, or any other entity serving at the time as Standby
Servicer, becomes the successor Servicer, it will receive compensation at a
Servicing Fee Rate not to exceed 2.12% per annum. See "The Standby Servicer" in
this Prospectus Supplement. The Servicer will also collect and retain, as
additional servicing compensation, any late fees, prepayment charges and other
administrative fees or similar charges allowed by applicable law with respect to
the Receivables, and will be entitled to reimbursement from the Trust for
certain liabilities. Payments by or on behalf of Obligors will be allocated to
scheduled payments, late fees and other charges and principal and interest in
accordance with the Servicer's normal practices and procedures. The Servicing
Fee will be paid out of collections from the Receivables, prior to distributions
to Certificateholders.
 
    The Servicing Fee and additional servicing compensation will compensate the
Servicer for performing the functions of a third party servicer of automotive
receivables as an agent for their beneficial owner, including collecting and
posting all payments, responding to inquiries of Obligors on the Receivables,
investigating delinquencies, sending payment coupons to Obligors, reporting tax
information to Obligors, paying costs of disposition of defaults and policing
the collateral. The Servicing Fee also will compensate the Servicer for
administering the Receivables, including accounting for collections and
furnishing monthly and annual statements to the Trustee and the Certificate
Insurer with respect to distributions and generating federal income tax
information. The Servicing Fee also will reimburse the Servicer for certain
taxes, accounting fees, outside auditor fees, data processing costs and other
costs incurred in connection with administering the Receivables.
 
                                      S-35
<PAGE>
DISTRIBUTIONS ON CERTIFICATES
 
    No later than 10:00 a.m., Minneapolis time, on each Determination Date, the
Servicer will inform the Trustee of the amount of aggregate collections on the
Receivables, and the aggregate Purchase Amount of Receivables to be repurchased
by CPS or to be purchased by the Servicer, in each case, with respect to the
related Collection Period. The Servicer will advance any interest shortfall with
respect to Simple Interest Receivables (a "Simple Interest Advance") due to
early payments of the Scheduled Payment on any Determination Date on which the
Servicer determines that such shortfall cannot be covered in full by amounts on
deposit in the Spread Account.
 
    On or before each Distribution Date, the Trustee will cause to be
transferred from the Payahead Account to the Certificate Account the amounts
then on deposit in the Payahead Account that constitute scheduled payments due
during the related Collection Period or that may be applied to full prepayments
on the Rule of 78's Receivables.
 
    The Servicer will determine prior to such Determination Date the Total
Distribution Amount, the Class A Interest Distributable Amount, the Class B
Interest Distributable Amount, the Class A Principal Distributable Amount, the
Class B Principal Distributable Amount, the Class A Distributable Amount and the
Class B Distributable Amount.
 
    The "Determination Date" applicable to any Distribution Date will be the
earlier of (i) the seventh business day of the month of such Distribution Date
and (ii) the fifth business day preceding such Distribution Date.
 
    DETERMINATION OF TOTAL DISTRIBUTION AMOUNT.  The "Total Distribution Amount"
for a Distribution Date (being the funds available for distribution to the
Certificateholders with respect to such Distribution Date in accordance with the
priorities described below) will be the sum of the following amounts with
respect to the preceding Collection Period: (i) all collections on Receivables
(including amounts withdrawn from the Payahead Account but excluding amounts
deposited into the Payahead Account); (ii) all proceeds received during the
Collection Period with respect to Receivables that became Liquidated Receivables
during the Collection Period in accordance with the Servicer's customary
servicing procedures, net of the reasonable expenses incurred by the Servicer in
connection with such liquidation and any amounts required by law to be remitted
to the Obligor on such Liquidated Receivable ("Liquidation Proceeds") in
accordance with the Servicer's customary servicing procedures; (iii) proceeds
from Recoveries with respect to Liquidated Receivables and (iv) the Purchase
Amount of each Receivable that was repurchased by CPS or purchased by the
Servicer as of the last day of the related Collection Period.
 
    "Liquidated Receivable" means a Receivable (i) which has been liquidated by
the Servicer through the sale of the Financed Vehicle, or (ii) for which the
related Financed Vehicle has been repossessed and 90 days have elapsed since the
date of such repossession, or (iii) as to which an Obligor has failed to make
more than 90% of a scheduled payment of more than ten dollars for 120 or more
days as of the end of a Collection Period, or (iv) with respect to which
proceeds have been received which, in the Servicer's judgment, constitute the
final amounts recoverable in respect of such Receivable.
 
    "Purchase Amount" means, with respect to a Receivable, the amount, as of the
close of business on the last day of a Collection Period, required to prepay in
full such Receivable under the terms thereof including interest to the end of
the month of purchase.
 
    "Principal Balance" of a Receivable, as of the close of business on the last
day of a Collection Period, means the amount financed minus the sum of the
following amounts without duplication: (i) in the case of a Rule of 78's
Receivable, that portion of all Scheduled Payments received on or prior to such
day allocable to principal using the actuarial or constant yield method; (ii) in
the case of a Simple Interest Receivable, that portion of all Scheduled Payments
actually received on or prior to such day allocable to principal using
 
                                      S-36
<PAGE>
the Simple Interest Method; (iii) any payment of the Purchase Amount with
respect to the Receivable allocable to principal; (iv) any Cram Down Loss in
respect of such Receivable; and (v) any prepayment in full or any partial
prepayment applied to reduce the Principal Balance of the Receivable.
 
    "Recoveries" means, with respect to a Liquidated Receivable, the monies
collected from whatever source, during any Collection Period following the
Collection Period in which such Receivable became a Liquidated Receivable, net
of the reasonable costs of liquidation plus any amounts required by law to be
remitted to the Obligor.
 
    "Scheduled Payment" means, for any Collection Period for any Receivable, the
amount indicated in such Receivable as required to be paid by the Obligor in
such Collection Period (without giving effect to deferments of payments granted
to Obligors by the Servicer pursuant to the Agreement or any rescheduling of
payments in any insolvency or similar proceedings).
 
    CALCULATION OF DISTRIBUTION AMOUNTS.  The Class A Certificateholders will be
entitled to receive, to the extent funds are available therefor, the "Class A
Distributable Amount" with respect to each Distribution Date. The "Class A
Distributable Amount" with respect to a Distribution Date will be an amount
equal to the sum of:
 
    (i) the "Class A Principal Distributable Amount", consisting of the portion
of the Certificate Insurer Optional Deposit, if any, allocable to principal for
such Distribution Date, plus the Class A Percentage of the following:
 
        (a) the principal portion of all Scheduled Payments due during the
    preceding Collection Period and all prior Collection Periods and received
    during the preceding Collection Period on Rule of 78's Receivables and all
    payments of principal received on Simple Interest Receivables during such
    Collection Period (including amounts withdrawn from the Payahead Account but
    excluding amounts deposited into the Payahead Account);
 
        (b) the principal portion of all prepayments in full received during the
    preceding Collection Period, including amounts withdrawn from the Payahead
    Account with respect to such Distribution Date but excluding amounts
    deposited in the Payahead Account (except to the extent included in clause
    (a) above);
 
        (c) the portion of the Purchase Amount allocable to principal of each
    Receivable that was repurchased by CPS or purchased by the Servicer in each
    case as of the last day of the preceding Collection Period and at the option
    of the Certificate Insurer, the Principal Balance of each Receivable that
    was required to be but was not so purchased or repurchased (except to the
    extent included in (a) and (b) above);
 
        (d) the Principal Balance of each Liquidated Receivable which became
    such during the preceding Collection Period (except to the extent included
    in (a) and (b) above); and
 
        (e) the aggregate amount of Cram Down Losses that occurred during the
    preceding Collection Period (a "Cram Down Loss" means with respect to a
    Receivable, if a court of appropriate jurisdiction in an insolvency
    proceeding has issued an order reducing the amount owed on a Receivable or
    otherwise modifying or restructuring the Scheduled Payments to be made on a
    Receivable, an amount equal to such reduction in Principal Balance of such
    Receivable or the net present value (using as the discount rate the lower of
    the contract rate or the rate of interest specified by the court in such
    order) of the Scheduled Payments as so modified; a Cram Down Loss shall be
    deemed to have occurred on the date of issuance of such order) (the amounts
    set forth in (a) through (e), the "Principal Distributable Amount"); PLUS
 
                                      S-37
<PAGE>
    (ii) the "Class A Interest Distributable Amount", consisting of thirty (30)
days' interest at the Class A Pass-Through Rate on the Class A Certificate
Balance as of the close of business on the last day of the related Collection
Period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that on the first Distribution Date, the Class A
Interest Distributable Amount will include interest from and including the
Closing Date through and including June 14, 1997.
 
    The Class B Certificateholders will be entitled to receive, to the extent
funds are available therefor, the "Class B Distributable Amount" with respect to
each Distribution Date. The "Class B Distributable Amount" with respect to a
Distribution Date will be an amount equal to the sum of:
 
        (i) the "Class B Principal Distributable Amount", consisting of the
    Class B Percentage of the Principal Distributable Amount (excluding any
    Certificate Insurer Optional Deposit); plus
 
        (ii) the "Class B Interest Distributable Amount", consisting of thirty
    (30) days' interest at the Class B Pass-Through Rate on the Class B
    Certificate Balance as of the close of business on the last day of the
    related Collection Period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that on the first Distribution
    Date, the Class B Interest Distributable Amount will include interest from
    and including the Closing Date through and including June 14, 1997.
 
    On the Final Scheduled Distribution Date, the Class A Principal
Distributable Amount and the Class B Principal Distributable Amount will equal
the then outstanding Class A Certificate Balance and Class B Certificate
Balance, respectively.
 
    In addition to the foregoing, the Certificate Insurer may with respect to
any Distribution Date exercise its option to make a Certificate Insurer Optional
Deposit, to be distributed in accordance with the direction of the Certificate
Insurer.
 
    "Certificate Insurer Optional Deposit" means, with respect to a Distribution
Date, an amount delivered by the Certificate Insurer, at its sole option, to the
Trustee for deposit into the Collection Account for any of the following
purposes: (i) to provide funds in respect of the payment of fees or expenses of
any provider of services to the Trust with respect to such Distribution Date;
(ii) to distribute as a component of the Class A Principal Distributable Amount
to the extent that the Class A Certificate Balance as of the Determination Date
preceding such Distribution Date exceeds the Class A Percentage of the Pool
Balance as of such Determination Date; or (iii) to include such amount as part
of the Total Distribution Amount for such Distribution Date to the extent that
without such amount a draw would be required to be made on the Policy.
 
    PRIORITY OF DISTRIBUTION AMOUNTS.  On each Determination Date, the Servicer
will calculate the amount to be distributed to the Certificateholders.
 
    On each Distribution Date, the Trustee (based on the Servicer's
determination made on the related Determination Date) shall make the following
distributions in the following order of priority:
 
        (i) to the Servicer, from the Total Distribution Amount, the Servicing
    Fee and all unpaid Servicing Fees from prior Collection Periods; PROVIDED,
    HOWEVER, that as long as CPS is the Servicer and Norwest Bank Minnesota,
    National Association, is the Standby Servicer, the Trustee will first pay to
    the Standby Servicer out of the Servicing Fee otherwise payable to CPS an
    amount equal to the Standby Fee;
 
        (ii) in the event the Standby Servicer or any other party becomes the
    successor Servicer, to the Standby Servicer or such other successor
    servicer, from the Total Distribution Amount (as such Total Distribution
    Amount has been reduced by payments pursuant to clause (i) above), to the
    extent not
 
                                      S-38
<PAGE>
    previously paid by the predecessor Servicer pursuant to the Agreement,
    reasonable transition expenses (up to a maximum of $50,000) incurred in
    acting as successor Servicer;
 
       (iii) to the Trustee, from the Total Distribution Amount (as such Total
    Distribution Amount has been reduced by payments pursuant to clauses (i) and
    (ii) above), the fees payable to the Trustee for its services pursuant to
    the Agreement (the "Trustee Fee") and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of
    the Trustee, (including counsel fees and expenses) and all unpaid Trustee
    Fees and all unpaid reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including counsel
    fees and expenses) from prior Collection Periods; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
    unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, expenses
    payable to the Trustee pursuant to this clause (iii) and expenses payable to
    the Collateral Agent pursuant to clause (iv) below shall be limited to a
    total of $50,000 per annum;
 
        (iv) to the Collateral Agent, from the Total Distribution Amount (as
    such Total Distribution Amount has been reduced by payments pursuant to
    clauses (i) through (iii) above), all fees and expenses payable to the
    Collateral Agent with respect to such Distribution Date;
 
        (v) to the Class A Certificateholders, from the Total Distribution
    Amount (as such Total Distribution Amount has been reduced by payments
    pursuant to clauses (i) through (iv) above) the Class A Interest
    Distributable Amount and any Class A Interest Carryover Shortfall as of the
    close of the preceding Distribution Date;
 
        (vi) to the Class B Certificateholders, from the Total Distribution
    Amount (as such Total Distribution Amount has been reduced by payments
    pursuant to clauses (i) through (v) above) the Class B Interest
    Distributable Amount and any Class B Interest Carryover Shortfall as of the
    close of the preceding Distribution Date;
 
       (vii) to the Class A Certificateholders, from the Total Distribution
    Amount (as such Total Distribution Amount has been reduced by payments
    pursuant to clauses (i) through (vi) above), the Class A Principal
    Distributable Amount and any Class A Principal Carryover Shortfall as of the
    close of the preceding Distribution Date;
 
      (viii) to the Certificate Insurer, from the Total Distribution Amount (as
    such Total Distribution Amount has been reduced by payments made pursuant to
    clauses (i) through (vii) above), any amounts due to the Certificate Insurer
    under the terms of the Agreement and under the Insurance Agreement;
 
        (ix) to the Class B Certificateholders, from the Total Distribution
    Amount (as such Total Distribution Amount has been reduced by payments
    pursuant to clauses (i) through (viii) above) the Class B Principal
    Distributable Amount and any Class B Principal Carryover Shortfall as of the
    close of the preceding Distribution Date; and
 
        (x) to the Collateral Agent, for deposit into the Spread Account, the
    remaining Total Distribution Amount, if any.
 
    The right of the Class B Certificateholders to receive distributions of
interest pursuant to clause (vi) above will be subordinated to the prior payment
in full of all amounts payable pursuant to clauses (i) through (v). The right of
the Class B Certificateholders to receive distributions of principal pursuant to
clause (ix) above will be subordinated to the prior payment in full of all
amounts payable pursuant to clauses (i) through (viii).
 
    For purposes hereof, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
 
    "Class A Interest Carryover Shortfall" means, as of the close of any
Distribution Date, the excess of the Class A Interest Distributable Amount for
such Distribution Date, plus any outstanding Class A
 
                                      S-39
<PAGE>
Interest Carryover Shortfall from the preceding Distribution Date, plus interest
on such outstanding Class A Interest Carryover Shortfall, to the extent
permitted by law, at the Class A Pass-Through Rate from such preceding
Distribution Date through the current Distribution Date, over the amount of
interest that the holders of the Class A Certificates actually received on such
current Distribution Date.
 
    "Class A Principal Carryover Shortfall" means, as of the close of any
Distribution Date, the excess of the Class A Principal Distributable Amount plus
any outstanding Class A Principal Carryover Shortfall from the preceding
Distribution Date over the amount of principal that the holders of the Class A
Certificates actually received on such current Distribution Date.
 
    "Class B Interest Carryover Shortfall" means, as of the close of any
Distribution Date, the excess of the Class B Interest Distributable Amount for
such Distribution Date, plus any outstanding Class B Interest Carryover
Shortfall from the preceding Distribution Date, plus interest on such
outstanding Class B Interest Carryover Shortfall, to the extent permitted by
law, at the Class B Pass-Through Rate from such preceding Distribution Date
through the current Distribution Date, over the amount of interest that the
holders of the Class B Certificates actually received on such current
Distribution Date.
 
    "Class B Principal Carryover Shortfall" means, as of the close of any
Distribution Date, the excess of the Class B Principal Distributable Amount plus
any outstanding Class B Principal Carryover Shortfall from the preceding
Distribution Date over the amount of principal that the holders of the Class B
Certificates actually received on such current Distribution Date.
 
    On the third business day prior to a Distribution Date, the Trustee will
determine, based on a certificate from the Servicer, whether there are amounts
sufficient, after payment of amounts as set forth in the priorities of
distribution in the Agreement, to distribute the Class A Distributable Amount.
Pursuant to the Policy, the Certificate Insurer will unconditionally and
irrevocably guarantee to the Class A Certificateholders payment of the Class A
Guaranteed Distribution Amount. See "The Policy" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
    THE SPREAD ACCOUNT.  As part of the consideration for the issuance of the
Policy, the Seller has agreed to cause to be established with Norwest Bank
Minnesota, National Association (in such capacity, the "Collateral Agent") an
account (the "Spread Account") for the benefit of the Certificate Insurer and
the Trustee on behalf of the Class A Certificateholders. The Collateral Agent
will not hold the Requisite Amount for the benefit of the Class B
Certificateholders. Any portion of the Total Distribution Amount remaining on
any Distribution Date after payment of all fees and expenses due on such date to
the Servicer, the Standby Servicer, the Trustee and the Collateral Agent and all
principal and interest payments due to the Certificateholders on such
Distribution Date, will be deposited in the Spread Account and held by the
Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Certificate Insurer and the Trustee on
behalf of the Class A Certificateholders. If on any Distribution Date, the Total
Distribution Amount is insufficient (taking into account the application of the
Total Distribution Amount to the payment of the Class B Interest Distributable
Amount and any Class B Interest Carryover Shortfall) to pay all distributions
required to be made on such day pursuant to priorities (i), (ii), (iii), (iv),
(v), (vii) and (viii) under "-- Priority of Distribution Amounts", then amounts
on deposit in the Spread Account will be applied to pay the amounts due on such
Distribution Date pursuant to such priorities (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vii)
and (viii).
 
    Amounts on deposit in the Spread Account on any Distribution Date which
(after all payments required to be made on such Distribution Date have been
made) are in excess of the Requisite Amount will be released to the Seller on
such Distribution Date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if, prior to such Distribution
Date, the Servicer has notified the Trustee that there exists a Class B
Deficiency Amount, then the Trustee will direct the Collateral Agent to remit to
the Trustee from such funds being released on such Distribution Date an amount
equal to such Class B Deficiency Amount for application to pay the amounts due
to the Class B Certificateholders on such Distribution Date.
 
                                      S-40
<PAGE>
    So long as an Insurer Default shall not have occurred and be continuing, the
Certificate Insurer will be entitled to exercise in its sole discretion all
rights under the master spread account agreement among the Seller, the
Certificate Insurer, the Trustee and the Collateral Agent (the "Master Spread
Account Agreement") with respect to the Spread Account and any amounts on
deposit therein and will have no liability to the Trustee or the
Certificateholders for the exercise of such rights. The Certificate Insurer (so
long as an Insurer Default shall not have occurred and be continuing) may, with
the written consent of CPS, the Seller and the Collateral Agent but without the
consent of the Trustee or any Certificateholder, reduce the Requisite Amount or
modify any term of the Master Spread Account Agreement (including terminating
the Master Spread Account Agreement and releasing all funds on deposit in the
Spread Account); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Certificate Insurer will agree that
it will not reduce the Requisite Amount or modify or terminate the Master Spread
Account Agreement such that the Class A Certificates, without the benefit of the
Policy, would be rated less than "BBB" by Standard & Poor's or "Baa2" by
Moody's. Because the Requisite Amount or the existence of the Spread Account may
be modified or terminated by the Certificate Insurer as described above, there
is no assurance that funds will be available in the Spread Account to pay
principal of or interest on the Certificates in the event that collections on
the Receivables and other amounts available under the Agreement are insufficient
to make any distribution of principal of or interest on the Certificates on any
Distribution Date.
 
STATEMENTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
 
    On each Distribution Date, the Trustee will include with each distribution
to each Certificateholder of record as of the close of business on the
applicable Record Date and each rating agency that is currently rating the
Certificates a statement (prepared by the Servicer) setting forth the following
information with respect to the preceding Collection Period, to the extent
applicable:
 
        (i) the amount of the distribution allocable to principal of the Class A
    Certificates and the Class B Certificates, respectively;
 
        (ii) the amount of the distribution allocable to interest on the Class A
    Certificates and the Class B Certificates, respectively;
 
       (iii) the Pool Balance, the Class A Pool Factor as of the close of
    business on the last day of the preceding Collection Period;
 
        (iv) the aggregate Class A Certificate Balance as of the close of
    business on the last day of the preceding Collection Period, after giving
    effect to payments allocated to principal reported under (i) above;
 
        (v) the aggregate Class B Certificate Balance as of the close of
    business on the last day of the preceding Collection Period, after giving
    effect to payments allocated to principal reported under (i) above;
 
        (vi) the amount of the Servicing Fee paid to the Servicer with respect
    to the related Collection Period and the Class A Percentage and the Class B
    Percentage of the Servicing Fee (inclusive of the Standby Fee), the amount
    of any unpaid Servicing Fees and the change in such amount from that of the
    prior Distribution Date;
 
       (vii) the amount of the Class A Interest Carryover Shortfall, if
    applicable, and Class A Principal Carryover Shortfall, if applicable, on
    such Distribution Date and the change in such amounts from those on the
    prior Distribution Date;
 
                                      S-41
<PAGE>
      (viii) the amount of the Class B Interest Carryover Shortfall, if
    applicable, and Class B Principal Carryover Shortfall, if applicable, on
    such Distribution Date and the change in such amounts from those on the
    prior Distribution Date;
 
        (ix) the amount paid to the Class A Certificateholders under the Policy
    for such Distribution Date;
 
        (x) the amount distributable to the Certificate Insurer on such
    Distribution Date;
 
        (xi) the aggregate amount in the Payahead Account and the Spread Account
    and the change in such amount from the previous Distribution Date;
 
       (xii) the number of Receivables and the aggregate gross amount scheduled
    to be paid thereon, including unearned finance and other charges, for which
    the related Obligors are delinquent in making scheduled payments between 31
    and 59 days and 60 days or more;
 
      (xiii) the number and the aggregate Purchase Amount of Receivables
    repurchased by CPS or purchased by the Servicer; and
 
       (xiv) the cumulative Principal Balance of all Receivables that have
    become Liquidated Receivables, net of Recoveries, during the period from the
    Cutoff Date to the last day of the related Collection Period.
 
    Each amount set forth pursuant to subclauses (i), (ii), (vi), (vii) and
(viii) above shall be expressed in the aggregate and as a dollar amount per
$1,000 of original principal balance of a Certificate.
 
    Within the prescribed period of time for tax reporting purposes after the
end of each calendar year during the term of the Agreement, the Trustee will
mail to each person who at any time during such calendar year shall have been a
Certificateholder and received any payment on such holder's Certificates, a
statement (prepared by the Servicer) containing the sum of the amounts described
in (i), (ii) and (vi) above for the purposes of such Certificateholder's
preparation of federal income tax returns. See "Description of the
Certificates--Statements to Certificateholders" and "Certain Federal Income Tax
Consequences" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
EVIDENCE AS TO COMPLIANCE
 
    The Agreement will provide that a firm of independent certified public
accountants will furnish to the Trustee and the Certificate Insurer on or before
July 31 of each year, beginning July 31, 1998, a report as to compliance by the
Servicer during the preceding twelve months ended March 31 with certain
standards relating to the servicing of the Receivables (or in the case of the
first such certificate, the period from the Cutoff Date to March 31, 1998).
 
    The Agreement will also provide for delivery to the Trustee and the
Certificate Insurer, on or before July 31 of each year, commencing July 31, 1998
of a certificate signed by an officer of the Servicer stating that the Servicer
has fulfilled its obligations under the Agreement throughout the preceding
twelve months ended March 31 or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment
of any such obligation, describing each such default (or in the case of the
first such certificate, the period from the Cutoff Date to March 31, 1998). The
Servicer has agreed to give the Trustee and the Certificate Insurer notice of
any Events of Default under the Agreement.
 
    Copies of such statements and certificates may be obtained by
Certificateholders by a request in writing addressed to the Trustee.
 
                                      S-42
<PAGE>
CERTAIN MATTERS REGARDING THE SERVICER
 
    The Agreement will provide that the Servicer may not resign from its
obligations and duties as Servicer thereunder except upon determination that its
performance of such duties is no longer permissible under applicable law and
with the consent of the Certificate Insurer. No such resignation will become
effective until a successor servicer has assumed the servicing obligations and
duties under the Agreement. In the event CPS resigns as Servicer or is
terminated as Servicer, the Standby Servicer has agreed pursuant to the
Servicing Assumption Agreement to assume the servicing obligations and duties
under the Agreement.
 
    The Agreement will further provide that neither the Servicer nor any of its
directors, officers, employees, and agents will be under any liability to the
Trust or the Certificateholders for taking any action or for refraining from
taking any action pursuant to the Agreement, or for errors in judgment;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that neither the Servicer nor any such person will be
protected against any liability that would otherwise be imposed by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of duties or by
reason of reckless disregard of obligations and duties thereunder. In addition,
the Agreement will provide that the Servicer is under no obligation to appear
in, prosecute, or defend any legal action that is not incidental to its
servicing responsibilities under the Agreement and that, in its opinion, may
cause it to incur any expense or liability.
 
    Under the circumstances specified in the Agreement any entity into which the
Servicer may be merged or consolidated, or any entity resulting from any merger
or consolidation to which the Servicer is a party, or any entity succeeding to
the business of the Servicer which corporation or other entity in each of the
foregoing cases assumes the obligations of the Servicer, will be the successor
of the Servicer under the Agreement.
 
    The Servicer is retained for an initial term commencing on the Closing Date
and ending on September 30, 1997, which term may be extended in ninety day
increments by the Certificate Insurer. In the absence of an Event of Default
under the Agreement, the Certificate Insurer has agreed to extend such term. See
"Description of the Certificates--Certain Matters Regarding the Servicer" in the
Prospectus.
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 
    "Events of Default" under the Agreement will consist of (i) any failure by
the Servicer to deliver to the Trustee for distribution to the
Certificateholders any required payment, which failure continues unremedied for
two Business Days, or any failure to deliver to the Trustee the annual
accountants' report, the annual statement as to compliance or the statement to
the Certificateholders, in each case, within five days of the date it is due;
(ii) any failure by the Servicer or the Seller, as the case may be, duly to
observe or perform in any material respect any other covenant or agreement in
the Agreement which continues unremedied for 30 days after the giving of written
notice of such failure (1) to the Servicer or the Seller, as the case may be, by
the Certificate Insurer or by the Trustee, or (2) to the Servicer or the Seller,
as the case may be, and to the Trustee and the Certificate Insurer by the
holders of Class A Certificates evidencing not less than 25% of the Class A
Certificate Balance or, after the Class A Certificates have been paid in full
and all outstanding amounts due to the Certificate Insurer have been paid in
full, by the holders of Class B Certificates evidencing not less than 25% of the
Class B Certificate Balance; (iii) certain events of insolvency, readjustment of
debt, marshalling of assets and liabilities, or similar proceedings with respect
to the Servicer or the Seller, or, so long as CPS is Servicer, of any of its
affiliates, and certain actions by the Servicer, the Seller or, so long as CPS
is Servicer, of any of its affiliates, indicating its insolvency, reorganization
pursuant to bankruptcy proceedings, or inability to pay its obligations; or (iv)
the occurrence of an Event of Default under the Insurance Agreement.
 
                                      S-43
<PAGE>
RIGHTS UPON EVENT OF DEFAULT
 
    As long as an Event of Default under the Agreement remains unremedied, (x)
provided no Insurer Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the
Certificate Insurer in its sole and absolute discretion or (y) if an Insurer
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, then the Trustee or the holders
of Class A Certificates evidencing not less than 25% of the Class A Certificate
Balance or (z) if the Class A Certificates have been paid in full and either (i)
all outstanding amounts due to the Certificate Insurer have been paid in full or
(ii) an Insurer Default shall have occurred and be continuing, then either the
Trustee or the holders of Class B Certificates evidencing not less than 25% of
the Class B Certificate Balance, may terminate all the rights and obligations of
the Servicer under the Agreement, whereupon the Standby Servicer, or such other
successor Servicer as shall be or have been appointed by the Certificate Insurer
(or, if an Insurer Default shall have occurred and be continuing, by the Trustee
or the Class A or Class B Certificateholders, as described above) will succeed
to all the responsibilities, duties and liabilities of the Servicer under the
Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such successor Servicer shall have no
liability with respect to any obligation which was required to be performed by
the predecessor Servicer prior to the date such successor Servicer becomes the
Servicer or the claim of a third party (including a Certificateholder) based on
any alleged action or inaction of the predecessor Servicer as Servicer.
 
    "Insurer Default" shall mean any one of the following events shall have
occurred and be continuing: (i) the Certificate Insurer fails to make a payment
required under the Policy in accordance with its terms; (ii) the Certificate
Insurer (A) files any petition or commences any case or proceeding under any
provision or chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any other similar
federal or state law relating to insolvency, bankruptcy, rehabilitation,
liquidation or reorganization, (B) makes a general assignment for the benefit of
its creditors, or (C) has an order for relief entered against it under the
United States Bankruptcy Code or any other similar federal or state law relating
to insolvency, bankruptcy, rehabilitation, liquidation or reorganization which
is final and nonappealable; or (iii) a court of competent jurisdiction, the New
York Department of Insurance or other competent regulatory authority enters a
final and nonappealable order, judgment or decree (A) appointing a custodian,
trustee, agent or receiver for the Certificate Insurer or for all or any
material portion of its property or (B) authorizing the taking of possession by
a custodian, trustee, agent or receiver of the Certificate Insurer (or the
taking of possession of all or any material portion of the property of the
Certificate Insurer).
 
WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS
 
    With respect to the Trust, subject to the approval of the Certificate
Insurer, the holders of Certificates evidencing at least a majority of the
voting rights of such then outstanding Certificates may, on behalf of all
Certificateholders of the related Certificates, waive any default by the
Servicer in the performance of its obligations under the Agreement and its
consequences, except a default in making any required deposits to or payments
from any of the Trust Accounts in accordance with the Agreement. No such waiver
shall impair the Certificateholders' rights with respect to subsequent defaults.
 
TERMINATION
 
    The obligations of the Servicer, the Seller and the Trustee pursuant to the
Agreement will terminate upon (i) the maturity or other liquidation of the last
Receivable and the disposition of any amounts received upon liquidation of any
remaining Receivables and (ii) the payment to Certificateholders of all amounts
required to be paid to them pursuant to the Agreement and the expiration of any
preference period related thereto.
 
    In order to avoid excessive administrative expense, the Servicer, or its
successor, is permitted at its option to purchase from the Trust (with the
consent of the Certificate Insurer if such purchase would result in a claim
under the Policy or any amount owing to the Certificate Insurer or on the
Certificates would remain unpaid), as of the last day of any month as of which
the then outstanding Pool Balance is equal to
 
                                      S-44
<PAGE>
10% or less of the Original Pool Balance, all remaining Receivables at a price
equal to the aggregate of the Purchase Amounts thereof as of such last day.
Exercise of such right will effect early retirement of the Certificates. The
Trustee will give written notice of termination to each Certificateholder of
record. The final distribution to any Certificateholder will be made only upon
surrender and cancellation of such holder's Certificate at the office or agency
of the Trustee specified in the notice of termination. Any funds remaining with
the Trustee, after the Trustee has taken certain measures to locate a
Certificateholder and such measures have failed, will be distributed to The
American Red Cross.
 
                                   THE POLICY
 
    The following summary of the terms of the Policy does not purport to be
complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Policy.
 
    Simultaneously with the issuance of the Class A Certificates, the
Certificate Insurer will deliver the Policy to the Trustee for the benefit of
each Class A Certificateholder. Under the Policy, the Certificate Insurer
unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees to the Trustee for the benefit of
each Class A Certificateholder the full and complete payment of (i) the Class A
Guaranteed Distribution Amount with respect to the Class A Certificates; and
(ii) any Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amount which subsequently is avoided in
whole or in part as a preference payment under applicable law.
 
    "Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amount" means, with respect to each
Distribution Date, the distribution to be made to the Class A Certificateholders
in an amount equal to the Class A Interest Distributable Amount and the Class A
Principal Distributable Amount due and payable on such Distribution Date, in
each case in accordance with the original terms of the Class A Certificates when
issued and without regard to any amendment or modification of the Certificates
or the Agreement which has not been consented to by the Certificate Insurer. The
Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amount shall not include, nor shall coverage be
provided under the Policy in respect of, (i) any portion of a Class A Interest
Distributable Amount due to Class A Certificateholders because a notice and
certificate in proper form was not timely Received by Financial Security, (ii)
any portion of the Class A Interest Distributable Amount due to Class A
Certificateholders representing interest on any Class A Interest Carryover
Shortfall accrued from and including the date of payment of the amount of such
Class A Interest Carryover Shortfall pursuant to the Policy, or (iii) any taxes,
withholding or other charge imposed with respect to any Class A
Certificateholder by any governmental authority.
 
    Payment of claims on the Policy made in respect of the Class A Guaranteed
Distribution Amount will be made by the Certificate Insurer following Receipt by
the Certificate Insurer of the appropriate notice for payment on the later to
occur of (a) 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the third Business Day following
Receipt of such notice for payment, and (b) 12:00 noon, New York City time, on
the Distribution Date on which such payment was due on the Class A Certificates.
 
    If payment of any amount avoided as a preference under applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law is required to be made under
the Policy, the Certificate Insurer shall cause such payment to be made on the
later of the date when due to be paid pursuant to the Order referred to below or
the first to occur of (a) the fourth Business Day following Receipt by the
Certificate Insurer from the Trustee of (i) a certified copy of the order (the
"Order") of the court or other governmental body which exercised jurisdiction to
the effect that the Class A Certificateholder is required to return the amount
of any Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amount distributed with respect to the
Class A Certificates during the term of the Policy because such distributions
were avoidable as preference payments under applicable bankruptcy law, (ii) a
certificate of the Class A Certificateholder that the Order has been entered and
is not subject to any stay, and (iii) an assignment duly executed and delivered
by the Class A Certificateholder, in such form as is reasonably required by the
Certificate Insurer and provided to the Class A Certificateholder by the
Certificate Insurer, irrevocably assigning to the Certificate Insurer all rights
and claims of the Class A Certificateholder relating to or arising under the
Class A Certificates against the
 
                                      S-45
<PAGE>
debtor which made such preference payment or otherwise with respect to such
preference payment, or (b) the date of Receipt by the Certificate Insurer from
the Trustee of the items referred to in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above if, at
least four Business Days prior to such date of Receipt, the Certificate Insurer
shall have received written notice from the Trustee that such items were to be
delivered on such date and such date was specified in such notice. Such payment
shall be disbursed to the receiver, conservator, debtor-in-possession or trustee
in bankruptcy named in the Order and not to the Trustee or any Class A
Certificateholder directly (unless a Class A Certificateholder has previously
paid such amount to the receiver, conservator, debtor-in-possession or trustee
in bankruptcy named in the Order, in which such payment shall be disbursed to
the Trustee for distribution to such Class A Certificateholder upon proof of
such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Certificate Insurer). In connection
with the foregoing, the Certificate Insurer shall have the rights provided
pursuant to the Agreement.
 
    The terms "Receipt" and "Received" with respect to the Policy, shall mean
actual delivery to the Certificate Insurer and to its fiscal agent, if any,
prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on a Business Day; delivery either on a
day that is not a Business Day or after 12:00 noon, New York City time, shall be
deemed to be Receipt on the next succeeding Business Day. If any notice or
certificate given under the Policy by the Trustee is not in proper form or is
not properly completed, executed or delivered, it shall be deemed not to have
been Received, and the Certificate Insurer or its fiscal agent shall promptly so
advise the Trustee and the Trustee may submit an amended notice.
 
    Under the Policy, "Business Day" means any day other than (i) a Saturday or
Sunday or (ii) a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York, New
York or Minneapolis, Minnesota, or any other location of any successor Trustee
or successor Collateral Agent are authorized or obligated by law or executive
order to be closed.
 
    The Certificate Insurer's obligations under the Policy in respect of the
Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amount shall be discharged to the extent funds
are transferred to the Trustee as provided in the Policy whether or not such
funds are properly applied by the Trustee.
 
    The Certificate Insurer shall be subrogated to the rights of each Class A
Certificateholder to receive payments of principal and interest to the extent of
any payment by the Certificate Insurer under the Policy.
 
    Claims under the Policy constitute direct, unsecured and unsubordinated
obligations of the Certificate Insurer ranking not less than PARI PASSU with
other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Certificate Insurer for
borrowed money. Claims against the Certificate Insurer under the Policy and
claims against the Certificate Insurer under each other financial guaranty
insurance policy issued thereby constitute PARI PASSU claims against the general
assets of the Certificate Insurer. The terms of the Policy cannot be modified or
altered by any other agreement or instrument, or by the merger, consolidation or
dissolution of the Trust. The Policy may not be canceled or revoked prior to
distribution in full of all Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amounts with respect
to the Class A Certificates. The Policy is not covered by the Property/Casualty
Insurance Security Fund specified in Article 76 of the New York Insurance Law.
The Policy is governed by the laws of the State of New York.
 
                                      S-46
<PAGE>
                            THE CERTIFICATE INSURER
 
GENERAL
 
    Financial Security Assurance Inc. (the "Certificate Insurer" and, for
purposes of this Section, "Financial Security") is a monoline insurance company
incorporated in 1984 under the laws of the State of New York. Financial Security
is licensed, to engage in financial guaranty insurance business in all 50
states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
 
    Financial Security and its subsidiaries are engaged in the business of
writing financial guaranty insurance, principally in respect of securities
offered in domestic and foreign markets. In general, financial guaranty
insurance consists of the issuance of a guaranty of scheduled payments of an
issuer's securities-- thereby enhancing the credit rating of those
securities--in consideration for the payment of a premium to the insurer.
Financial Security and its subsidiaries principally insure asset-backed,
collateralized and municipal securities. Asset-backed securities are generally
supported by residential mortgage loans, consumer or trade receivables,
securities or other assets having an ascertainable cash flow or market value.
Collateralized securities include public utility first mortgage bonds and
sale/leaseback obligation bonds. Municipal securities consist largely of general
obligation bonds, special revenue bonds and other special obligations of state
and local governments. Financial Security insures both newly issued securities
sold in the primary market and outstanding securities sold in the secondary
market that satisfy Financial Security's underwriting criteria.
 
    Financial Security is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Financial Security
Assurance Holdings Ltd. ("Holdings"), a New York Stock Exchange listed company.
Major shareholders of Holdings include Fund American Enterprise Holdings, Inc.,
U S WEST Capital Corporation and The Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.
No shareholder of Holdings is obligated to pay any debt of Financial Security or
any claim under any insurance policy issued by Financial Security or to make any
additional contribution to the capital of Financial Security.
 
    The principal executive offices of Financial Security are located at 350
Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, and its telephone number at that location
is (212) 826-0100.
 
REINSURANCE
 
    Pursuant to an intercompany agreement, liabilities on financial guaranty
insurance written or reinsured from third parties by Financial Security or any
of its domestic operating insurance company subsidiaries are reinsured among
such companies on an agreed-upon percentage substantially proportional to their
respective capital, surplus and reserves, subject to applicable statutory risk
limitations. In addition, Financial Security reinsures a portion of its
liabilities under certain of its financial guaranty insurance policies with
other reinsurers under various quota share treaties and on a
transaction-by-transaction basis. Such reinsurance is utilized by Financial
Security as a risk management device and to comply with certain statutory and
rating agency requirements; it does not alter or limit Financial Security's
obligations under any financial guaranty insurance policy.
 
RATING OF CLAIMS-PAYING ABILITY
 
    Financial Security's claims-paying ability is rated "Aaa" by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. and "AAA" by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a
division of McGraw-Hill, Inc., Nippon Investors Service Inc. and Standard &
Poor's (Australia) Pty. Ltd. Such ratings reflect only the views of the
respective rating agencies, are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold
securities and are subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by such rating
agencies. See "Risk Factors--Ratings of the Certificates" in this Prospectus
Supplement.
 
                                      S-47
<PAGE>
CAPITALIZATION
 
    The following table sets forth the capitalization of Financial Security and
its wholly owned subsidiaries on the basis of generally accepted accounting
principles as of March 31, 1997 (in thousands):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                MARCH 31, 1997
                                                                                --------------
<S>                                                                             <C>
                                                                                 (UNAUDITED)
Deferred Premium Revenue (net of prepaid reinsurance premiums)................   $    361,589
                                                                                --------------
Shareholder's Equity:
  Common Stock................................................................         15,000
  Additional Paid-In Capital..................................................        654,127
  Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments (net of deferred income taxes)........         (2,030)
  Accumulated Earnings........................................................        157,842
                                                                                --------------
Total Shareholder's Equity....................................................        824,939
                                                                                --------------
Total Deferred Premium Revenue and Shareholder's Equity.......................   $  1,186,528
                                                                                --------------
                                                                                --------------
</TABLE>
 
    For further information concerning Financial Security, see the Consolidated
Financial Statements of Financial Security and Subsidiaries, and the notes
thereto, incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the statutory quarterly and
annual statements filed with the State of New York Insurance Department by
Financial Security are available upon request to the State of New York Insurance
Department.
 
INSURANCE REGULATION
 
    Financial Security is licensed and subject to regulation as a financial
guaranty insurance corporation under the laws of the State of New York, its
state of domicile. In addition, Financial Security and its insurance
subsidiaries are subject to regulation by insurance laws of the various other
jurisdictions in which they are licensed to do business. As a financial guaranty
insurance corporation licensed to do business in the State of New York,
Financial Security is subject to Article 69 of the New York Insurance Law which,
among other things, limits the business of each insurer to financial guaranty
insurance and related lines, requires that each such insurer maintain a minimum
surplus to policyholders, establishes contingency, loss and unearned premium
reserve requirements for each such insurer, and limits the size of individual
transactions ("single risks") and the volume of transactions ("aggregate risks")
that may be underwritten by each such insurer. Other provisions of the New York
Insurance Law, applicable to non-life insurance companies such as Financial
Security, regulate, among other things, permitted investments, payment of
dividends, transactions with affiliates, mergers, consolidations, acquisitions
or sales of assets and incurrence of liability for borrowings.
 
                                      S-48
<PAGE>
                    CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE RECEIVABLES
 
    In all states in which the Receivables have been originated, a security
interest in automobiles, light trucks, vans and minivans is perfected by
notation of the secured party's lien on the vehicles's certificate of title and
the filing of the certificate of title with the state motor vehicle department.
 
    The Contracts representing the Samco Receivables name Samco as obligee and
as the secured party. Samco also takes all actions necessary under the laws of
the state in which the financed vehicle is located to perfect Samco's security
interest in the Financed Vehicle, including, where applicable, having a notation
of its lien recorded on such vehicle's certificate of title and filed with the
state motor vehicle department.
 
    Pursuant to the CPS Purchase Agreement, CPS and pursuant to the Samco
Purchase Agreement, Samco, will each sell and assign their respective interests
in such Financed Vehicles to the Seller and pursuant to the Agreement, the
Seller will assign its interests in such Financed Vehicles to the Trustee.
However, because of the administrative burden and expense, the certificates of
title for the Financed Vehicles securing the Receivables (including those
securing the Samco Receivables) will not be amended or reissued to reflect the
assignment thereof to the Seller, nor will the certificates of title to any
Financed Vehicles (including those securing the Samco Receivables) be amended or
reissued to identify the Trust as the new secured party on the certificate of
title relating to the Financed Vehicles. The Agreement provides that the
Trustee, however, will hold any certificates of title relating to the Financed
Vehicles in its possession pursuant to the Agreement.
 
    In most states, an assignment such as that under the CPS Purchase Agreement,
the Samco Purchase Agreement and the Agreement is an effective conveyance of a
security interest without amendment of any lien noted on a vehicle's certificate
of title and the assignee succeeds thereby to the assignor's rights as secured
party. By not identifying the Seller as the secured party on the certificates of
title for the Financed Vehicles securing the Receivables, the security interest
of the Seller (and, therefore, the security interest of the Trust) could be
defeated through fraud or negligence on the part of CPS or Samco. Similarly, by
not identifying the Trust as the secured party on the certificate of title, the
security interest of the Trust in the Financed Vehicle securing the Receivables
could be defeated through fraud or negligence on the part of the Servicer. In
the absence of fraud or forgery by the vehicle owner, the Servicer or, with
respect to Samco Receivables, Samco, or administrative error by state or local
agencies, the notation of Samco's lien on the certificates of title for the
Financed Vehicles financed under the Samco Receivables, and the notation of
CPS's lien on the certificates of title for all other Financed Vehicles, will be
sufficient to protect the Trust against the rights of subsequent purchasers of a
vehicle or subsequent lenders who take a security interest in a vehicle securing
a Receivable. If there are any Financed Vehicles as to which CPS or Samco failed
to obtain and assign to the Seller or the Trust a perfected security interest,
the security interest of CPS or Samco would be subordinate to, among others,
subsequent purchasers of such Financed Vehicles and holders of perfected
security interests therein. Such a failure, however, would constitute a breach
of the warranties of CPS under the CPS Purchase Agreement and would create an
obligation of CPS to repurchase the related Receivables unless the breach is
cured. The Seller will assign its rights pursuant to the CPS Purchase Agreement
and the Samco Purchase Agreement to the Trust. See "Description of the
Certificates--Sale and Assignment of Receivables" in this Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                      S-49
<PAGE>
                              ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
 
    Section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended ("ERISA"), and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit a pension, profit
sharing or other employee benefit plan subject to ERISA and an individual
retirement account or other plan subject to Section 4975 of the Code
(collectively, "Benefit Plans") from engaging in certain transactions with
persons that are "parties in interest" under ERISA or "disqualified persons"
under the Code with respect to the plan. ERISA also imposes certain duties and
certain prohibitions on persons who are fiduciaries of plans subject to ERISA.
Generally, any person who exercises any authority or control with respect to the
management or disposition of the assets of a plan subject to ERISA is considered
to be a fiduciary of such plan. A violation of these "prohibited transaction"
rules may generate excise tax and other liabilities under ERISA and the Code.
 
    Pursuant to a regulation issued by the Department of Labor concerning the
definition of what constitutes the "plan assets" of a Benefit Plan, the assets
and properties of certain entities in which a Benefit Plan makes an equity
investment could be deemed to be assets of the Benefit Plan in certain
circumstances. Accordingly, if a Benefit Plan purchases a Certificate, the Trust
could be deemed to hold plan assets. If the assets of the Trust were deemed to
constitute plan assets of a Benefit Plan, the Benefit Plan's investment in the
Certificates might be deemed to constitute delegation under ERISA of the duty to
manage plan assets by the fiduciaries making the decision on behalf of the
Benefit Plan to make the investment, and transactions involving the Trust and
the Trust Assets might be viewed as transactions with the Benefit Plan for the
purpose of ERISA's fiduciary and prohibited transaction rules.
 
    The Department of Labor has granted PaineWebber Incorporated an
administrative exemption (Prohibited Transaction Exemption 90-36 (55 Fed. Reg.
25903, June 25, 1990), as amended, the "Exemption") from certain of the
prohibited transaction rules of ERISA with respect to the initial purchase, the
purchase in the secondary market and the holding and the subsequent resale by
Benefit Plans of certificates in certain trusts with respect to which
PaineWebber Incorporated is the sole underwriter or placement agent or the
managing or co-managing underwriter or placement agent in an underwriting
syndicate or selling group and that consist of certain receivables, loans and
other obligations that meet the conditions and requirements of the Exemption.
The obligations covered by the Exemption include retail installment sale
contracts such as the Receivables. The Exemption would apply to the acquisition,
holding and resale of the Class A Certificates by a Benefit Plan only if
specific conditions (certain of which are described below) are met. It is not
clear whether the Exemption applies to participant directed plans as described
in Section 404(c) of ERISA or plans that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code
but that are not subject to Title I of ERISA, such as certain Keogh plans and
certain individual retirement accounts.
 
    Among the conditions which must be satisfied for the Exemption to apply to
the acquisition by a Benefit Plan of the Class A Certificates are the following:
 
        (1) The acquisition of the Class A Certificates by a Benefit Plan is on
    terms (including the price for the Class A Certificates) that are at least
    as favorable to the Benefit Plan as they would be in an arm's-length
    transaction with an unrelated party;
 
        (2) The rights and interests evidenced by the Class A Certificates
    acquired by the Benefit Plan are not subordinated to the rights and
    interests evidenced by other certificates of the Trust;
 
        (3) The Class A Certificates acquired by the Benefit Plan have a rating
    at the time of such acquisition that is in one of the three highest generic
    rating categories from Standard & Poor's Structured Ratings Group, Moody's
    Investors Service, Inc., Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Company or Fitch
    Investors Service, L.P.;
 
        (4) The sum of all payments made to the Underwriters in connection with
    the distribution of the Class A Certificates represents not more than
    reasonable compensation for placement of the Class A Certificates. The sum
    of all payments made to and retained by the Seller pursuant to the sale of
    the
 
                                      S-50
<PAGE>
    Receivables to the Trust represents not more than the fair market value of
    such Receivables. The sum of all payments made to and retained by the
    Servicer represents not more than reasonable compensation for the Servicer's
    services under the Agreement and reimbursement of the Servicer's reasonable
    expenses in connection therewith;
 
        (5) The Trustee is not an "affiliate" (as defined in the Exemption) of
    the Seller, the Underwriters, the Servicer, the Certificate Insurer or any
    "obligor" (as defined in the Exemption) with respect to Receivables included
    in the Trust constituting more than 5% of the aggregate unamortized
    principal balance of the assets in the Trust (including the Trustee, the
    "Restricted Group");
 
        (6) The Benefit Plan investing in the Class A Certificates is an
    "accredited investor" as defined in Rule 501(a)(1) of Regulation D under the
    Securities Act; and
 
        (7) The Trust satisfies the following requirements:
 
           (a) the corpus of the Trust consists solely of assets of the type
       which have been included in other investment pools,
 
           (b) certificates in such other investment pools have been rated in
       one of the three highest generic rating categories of Standard & Poor's
       Structured Ratings Group, Moody's Investors Service, Inc., Duff & Phelps
       Credit Rating Company or Fitch Investors Service, L.P. for at least one
       year prior to the Benefit Plan's acquisition of Class A Certificates, and
 
           (c) certificates evidencing interests in such other investment pools
       have been purchased by investors other than Benefit Plans for at least
       one year prior to any Benefit Plan's acquisition of Class A Certificates.
 
    The Exemption does not provide an exemption from ERISA Sections
406(a)(1)(E), 406(a)(2) or 407 for the purchase or holding of Class A
Certificates to any person who has discretionary authority or renders investment
advice to Benefit Plans sponsored by any member of the Restricted Group or any
affiliate of such person.
 
    Exemptive relief from the self-dealing/conflict of interest prohibited
transaction rules of ERISA is available to an obligor acting as a fiduciary with
respect to the investment of a Benefit Plan's assets in the Class A Certificates
(or such person's affiliate) only if, among other requirements (i) such
fiduciary (or its affiliate) is an obligor with respect to 5% percent or less of
the fair market value of the Trust Assets, (ii) a Benefit Plan's investment in
Class A Certificates does not exceed 25% of all of the Class A Certificates
outstanding at the time of the acquisition, (iii) immediately after the
acquisition, no more than 25% of the assets of the Benefit Plan are invested in
certificates representing an interest in trusts (including the Trust) containing
assets sold or serviced by the same entity, and (iv) in the case of the
acquisition of the Class A Certificates in connection with their initial
issuance, at least 50% of the Class A Certificates are acquired by persons
independent of the Restricted Group and at least 50% of the aggregate interest
in the Trust is acquired by persons independent of the Restricted Group.
 
    The Exemption also applies to transactions in connection with the servicing,
management and operation of the Trust, provided that, in addition to the general
requirements described above, (a) such transactions are carried out in
accordance with the terms of a binding pooling and servicing agreement and (b)
the pooling and servicing agreement is provided to, or described in all material
respects in the prospectus or private placement memorandum provided to,
investing Benefit Plans before their purchase of certificates issued by the
Trust. The Agreement is a pooling and servicing agreement as defined in the
Exemption. The Agreement provides that all transactions relating to the
servicing, management, and operations of the Trust must be carried out in
accordance with the Agreement. See "Description of the Certificates" in this
Prospectus Supplement.
 
    Any Benefit Plan fiduciary considering the purchase of Class A Certificates
should consult with its counsel with respect to the applicability of the
Exemption and other issues and determine on its own
 
                                      S-51
<PAGE>
whether all conditions have been satisfied and whether the Certificates are an
appropriate investment for a Benefit Plan under ERISA and the Code. By its
purchase of a Class A Certificate, each Benefit Plan purchaser shall be deemed
to represent and warrant that it is an "accredited investor" as defined in Rule
501(a)(1) of Regulation D under the Securities Act, in accordance with condition
(6) above.
 
    The Class B Certificates may not be sold or transferred to a Benefit Plan, a
trustee of any Benefit Plan, or an entity, account or other pooled investment
fund the underlying assets of which include or are deemed to include a Benefit
Plan's assets by reason of a Benefit Plan's investment in the entity, account or
other pooled investment fund, other than an insurance company that purchases the
Class B Certificates on behalf of its general account, provided that the
insurance company confirms that Section III of Prohibited Transaction Class
Exemption 95-60 applies to the insurance company's acquisition and holding of
such Class B Certificates. Neither the Servicer, the Seller, the Trustee, the
Certificate Insurer, any Underwriter nor any of their respective affiliates
makes any representation or expresses any opinion as to whether an Insurer
constitutes a Benefit Plan or will be treated as managing Benefit Plan assets.
 
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
    Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an underwriting
agreement dated May  , 1997 (the "Underwriting Agreement") among CPS, the
Seller, PaineWebber Incorporated and Black Diamond Securities, L.L.C. (the
"Underwriters"), the Seller has agreed to sell to the Underwriters, and the
Underwriters have agreed to purchase, the Class A Certificates in the following
respective amounts:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 CLASS A
                                                                               CERTIFICATES
UNDERWRITERS                                                                 PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------  ------------------
<S>                                                                         <C>
PaineWebber Incorporated..................................................     113,293,930.84
Black Diamond Securities, LLC.............................................         100,000.00
Total.....................................................................     113,393,930.84
                                                                            ------------------
                                                                            ------------------
</TABLE>
 
    The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the Underwriters
are subject to certain conditions precedent and that the Underwriters will
purchase all the Class A Certificates offered hereby if any of such Class A
Certificates are purchased.
 
    CPS and the Seller have been advised by the Underwriters that the
Underwriters propose to offer the Class A Certificates from time to time for
sale in negotiated transactions or otherwise, at varying prices to be determined
at the time of sale. The Underwriters may effect such transactions by selling
the Class A Certificates to or through dealers and such dealers may receive
compensation in the form of underwriting discounts, concessions or commissions
from the Underwriters and any purchasers of Class A Certificates for whom they
may act as agents. The Underwriters and any dealers that participate with the
Underwriters in the distribution of the Class A Certificates may be deemed to be
underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them and any profit
on the resale of Class A Certificates by them may be deemed to be underwriting
discounts or commissions, under the Securities Act.
 
    The Class A Certificates are a new issue of securities with no established
trading market. The Underwriters have advised CPS and the Seller that they
intend to act as a market maker for the Class A Certificates. However, the
Underwriters are not obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at
any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of any
trading market for the Class A Certificates.
 
    CPS and the Seller have agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against certain
liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute
to payments which the Underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
 
                                      S-52
<PAGE>
                                 LEGAL OPINIONS
 
    Certain legal matters relating to the Certificates will be passed upon by
Mayer, Brown & Platt, New York, New York. Certain legal matters related to the
Policy will be passed upon for the Certificate Insurer by Bruce E. Stern, Esq.,
General Counsel of the Certificate Insurer.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
    The consolidated balance sheets of the Financial Security Assurance Inc. and
Subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996 and 1995 and the related consolidated
statements of income, changes in shareholder's equity and cash flows for each of
the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996, incorporated by reference
in this Prospectus Supplement, have been incorporated herein in reliance on the
report of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., independent accountants, given on the
authority of that firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
                                      S-53
<PAGE>
                                 INDEX OF TERMS
 
    Set forth below is a list of the defined terms used in this Prospectus
Supplement and the pages on which the definitions of such terms may be found
herein.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                       PAGE
                                                                                                ------------------
<S>                                                                                             <C>
 
Actuarial Receivables.........................................................................                S-30
Agreement.....................................................................................                 S-4
Alpha Program.................................................................................                S-19
APR...........................................................................................                 S-6
Benefit Plans.................................................................................                S-50
Business Day..................................................................................                S-46
Cede..........................................................................................            S-13, 33
CEDEL.........................................................................................                S-13
CEDEL Participants............................................................................                S-33
Certificate Account...........................................................................                S-35
Certificate Insurer Optional Deposit..........................................................                S-38
Certificate Insurer...........................................................................             S-4, 47
Certificates..................................................................................              S-1, 4
Class A Certificate Balance...................................................................                 S-6
Class A Certificate Owners....................................................................            S-14, 32
Class A Certificateholders....................................................................             S-7, 14
Class A Certificates..........................................................................              S-1, 4
Class A Distributable Amount..................................................................                S-37
Class A Guaranteed Distribution Amount........................................................            S-10, 45
Class A Interest Carryover Shortfall..........................................................                S-39
Class A Interest Distributable Amount.........................................................                S-38
Class A Pass-Through Rate.....................................................................                 S-6
Class A Percentage............................................................................                 S-4
Class A Pool Factor...........................................................................                S-31
Class A Principal Carryover Shortfall.........................................................                S-40
Class A Principal Distributable Amount........................................................                S-37
Class B Certificate Balance...................................................................                 S-6
Class B Certificateholders....................................................................                 S-7
Class B Certificates..........................................................................              S-1, 4
Class B Deficiency Amount.....................................................................                 S-9
Class B Distributable Amount..................................................................                S-38
Class B Interest Carryover Shortfall..........................................................                S-40
Class B Interest Distributable Amount.........................................................                S-38
Class B Percentage............................................................................                 S-4
Class B Principal Carryover Shortfall.........................................................                S-40
Class B Principal Distributable Amount........................................................                S-38
Collateral Agent..............................................................................                S-40
Collection Account............................................................................                S-35
Collection Period.............................................................................                 S-8
Commission....................................................................................                 S-2
Contracts.....................................................................................                S-18
CPS...........................................................................................              S-1, 4
CPS Purchase Agreement........................................................................                 S-5
Cram Down Loss................................................................................                S-37
Cutoff Date...................................................................................                 S-5
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-54
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                       PAGE
                                                                                                ------------------
<S>                                                                                             <C>
Dealer Agreements.............................................................................                S-18
Dealers.......................................................................................                S-18
Delta Program.................................................................................                S-19
Determination Date............................................................................                S-36
Distribution Date.............................................................................             S-7, 10
DTC...........................................................................................             S-3, 13
ERISA.........................................................................................            S-14, 50
Euroclear.....................................................................................                S-13
Euroclear Participants........................................................................                S-33
European Depositaries.........................................................................                S-14
Events of Default.............................................................................                S-45
Exchange Act..................................................................................                 S-2
Exemption.....................................................................................                S-50
Final Scheduled Distribution Date.............................................................                 S-7
Financed Vehicles.............................................................................                 S-5
Financial Intermediary........................................................................                S-33
Financial Security............................................................................             S-2, 47
First Time Buyer Program......................................................................                S-19
Holdings......................................................................................             S-2, 47
IFCs..........................................................................................                 S-6
Insurance Agreement...........................................................................                S-15
Insurer Default...............................................................................                S-44
Liquidated Receivable.........................................................................                S-36
Liquidation Proceeds..........................................................................                S-36
Lock-Box Account..............................................................................            S-11, 35
Lock-Box Bank.................................................................................                S-11
Lock-Box Processor............................................................................                S-11
Master Spread Account Agreement...............................................................                S-41
Moody's.......................................................................................                S-14
Obligors......................................................................................                S-18
Order.........................................................................................                S-45
Original Pool Balance.........................................................................                 S-5
Participants..................................................................................                S-33
Payahead Account..............................................................................                S-35
Policy........................................................................................             S-1, 11
Pool Balance..................................................................................                S-31
Post Office Box...............................................................................                S-11
Principal Balance.............................................................................                S-36
Principal Distributable Amount................................................................             S-7, 37
Priority of Payments..........................................................................                 S-9
Purchase Amount...............................................................................                S-36
Rating Agencies...............................................................................                S-14
Receipt.......................................................................................                S-46
Receivables...................................................................................                 S-5
Received......................................................................................                S-46
Record Date...................................................................................                S-10
Recoveries....................................................................................                S-37
Registration Statement........................................................................                 S-2
Relevant Depositary...........................................................................                S-33
Requisite Amount..............................................................................                 S-9
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-55
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                       PAGE
                                                                                                ------------------
<S>                                                                                             <C>
Restricted Group..............................................................................                S-51
Rule of 78's Receivables......................................................................                S-30
Rule of 78's..................................................................................                S-30
Samco.........................................................................................            S-12, 19
Samco Purchase Agreement......................................................................                 S-5
Samco Receivables.............................................................................                S-12
Scheduled Payment.............................................................................                S-37
Securities Act................................................................................                 S-2
Seller........................................................................................              S-1, 4
Servicer......................................................................................              S-1, 4
Service.......................................................................................                S-14
Servicing Assumption Agreement................................................................                S-12
Servicing Fee Rate............................................................................                S-12
Servicing Fee.................................................................................                S-35
Simple Interest Advance.......................................................................                S-36
Simple Interest Receivables...................................................................                S-30
Spread Account................................................................................                S-40
Standard & Poor's.............................................................................                S-14
Standard Program..............................................................................                S-19
Standby Fee...................................................................................                S-12
Standby Servicer..............................................................................         S-1, 12, 32
Sub-Prime Borrowers...........................................................................                S-18
Total Distribution Amount.....................................................................                S-36
Trust.........................................................................................              S-1, 4
Trust Assets..................................................................................                 S-5
Trustee.......................................................................................                 S-1
Trustee Fee...................................................................................                S-39
UCC...........................................................................................                S-34
Underwriters..................................................................................                S-52
Underwriting Agreement........................................................................                S-52
</TABLE>
 
                                      S-56
<PAGE>
                                    ANNEX I
 
         GLOBAL CLEARANCE, SETTLEMENT AND TAX DOCUMENTATION PROCEDURES
 
    Except in certain limited circumstances, the Certificates (the "Global
Securities") will be available only in book-entry form. Investors in the Global
Securities may hold such Global Securities through any of The Depository Trust
Company ("DTC"), CEDEL or Euroclear. The Global Securities will be tradeable as
home market instruments in both the European and U.S. domestic markets, initial
settlement and all secondary trades will settle in same-day funds.
 
    Secondary market trading between investors holding Global Securities through
CEDEL and Euroclear will be conducted in the ordinary way in accordance with
their normal rules and operating procedures and in accordance with conventional
eurobond practice (I.E., seven calendar day settlement).
 
    Secondary market trading between investors holding Global Securities through
DTC will be conducted according to the rules and procedures applicable to U.S.
corporate debt obligations and prior Asset Backed Certificates issues.
 
    Secondary cross-market trading between CEDEL or Euroclear and DTC
Participants holding Certificates will be effected on a delivery-against-payment
basis through the respective Depositaries of CEDEL and Euroclear (in such
capacity) and as DTC Participants.
 
    Non-U.S. holders (as described below) of Global Securities will be subject
to U.S. withholding taxes unless such holders meet certain requirements and
deliver appropriate U.S. tax documents to the securities clearing organizations
or their participants.
 
INITIAL SETTLEMENT
 
    All Global Securities will be held in book-entry form by DTC in the name of
Cede & Co. as nominee of DTC. Investors' interests in the Global Securities will
be represented through financial institutions acting on their behalf as direct
and indirect Participants in DTC. As a result, CEDEL and Euroclear will hold
positions on behalf of their participants through their respective Depositaries,
which in turn will hold such positions in accounts as DTC Participants.
 
    Investors electing to hold their Global Securities through DTC will follow
the settlement practices applicable to prior Asset Backed Certificates. Investor
securities custody accounts will be credited with their holdings against payment
in same-day funds on the settlement date.
 
    Investors electing to hold their Global Securities through CEDEL or
Euroclear accounts will follow the settlement procedures applicable to
conventional eurobonds, except that there will be no temporary global security
and no "lock-up" or restricted period. Global Securities will be credited to the
securities custody accounts on the settlement date against payment in same-day
funds.
 
SECONDARY MARKET TRADING
 
    Since the purchaser determines the place of delivery, it is important to
establish at the time of the trade where both the purchaser's and seller's
accounts are located to ensure that settlement can be made on the desired value
date.
 
    TRADING BETWEEN DTC PARTICIPANTS.  Secondary market trading between DTC
Participants will be settled using the procedures applicable to prior Asset
Backed Certificates issued in same-day funds.
 
    TRADING BETWEEN CEDEL AND/OR EUROCLEAR PARTICIPANTS.  Secondary market
trading between CEDEL Participants or Euroclear Participants will be settled
using the procedures applicable to conventional eurobonds in same-day funds.
 
                                      I-1
<PAGE>
    TRADING BETWEEN DTC SELLER AND CEDEL OR EUROCLEAR PURCHASER.  When Global
Securities are to be transferred from the account of a DTC Participant to the
account of a CEDEL Participant or a Euroclear Participant, the purchaser will
send instructions to CEDEL or Euroclear through a CEDEL Participant or Euroclear
Participant at least one business day prior to settlement. CEDEL or Euroclear
will instruct the respective Depositary, as the case may be, to receive the
Global Securities against payment. Payment will include interest accrued on the
Global Securities from and including the last Distribution Date to and excluding
the settlement date, on the basis of the actual number of days in such accrual
period and a year assumed to consist of 360 days. Payment will then be made by
the respective Depositary of the DTC Participant's account against delivery of
the Global Securities. After settlement has been completed, the Global
Securities will be credited to the respective clearing system and by the
clearing system, in accordance with its usual procedures, to the CEDEL
Participant's or Euroclear Participant's account. The securities credit will
appear the next day (European time) and the cash debt will be back-valued to,
and the interest on the Global Securities will accrue from, the value date If
settlement is not completed on the intended value date (I.E., the trade fails),
the CEDEL or Euroclear cash debt will be valued instead as of the actual
settlement date.
 
    CEDEL Participants and Euroclear Participants will need to make available to
the respective clearing systems the funds necessary to process same-day funds
settlement. The most direct means of doing so is to pre-position funds for
settlement, either from cash on hand or existing lines of credit, as they would
for any settlement occurring within CEDEL or Euroclear. Under this approach,
they may take on credit exposure to CEDEL or Euroclear until the Global
Securities are credited to their accounts one day later.
 
    As an alternative, if CEDEL or Euroclear has extended a line of credit to
them, CEDEL Participants or Euroclear Participants can elect not to pre-position
funds and allow that credit line to be drawn upon settlement. Under this
procedure, CEDEL Participants or Euroclear Participants purchasing Global
Securities would incur overdraft charges for one day, assuming they cleared the
overdraft when the Global Securities were credited to their accounts. However,
interest on the Global Securities would accrue from the value date. Therefore,
in many cases the investment income on the Global Securities earned during that
one-day period may substantially reduce or offset the amount of such overdraft
charges, although this result will depend on each CEDEL Participant's or
Euroclear Participant's particular cost of funds.
 
    Since the settlement is taking place during New York business hours, DTC
Participants can employ their usual procedures for sending Global Securities to
the respective European Depositary for the benefit of CEDEL Participants or
Euroclear Participants. The sale proceeds will be available to the DTC seller on
the settlement date. Thus, to the DTC Participants a cross-market transaction
will settle no differently than a trade between two DTC Participants.
 
    TRADING BETWEEN CEDEL OR EUROCLEAR SELLER AND DTC PURCHASER.  Due to time
zone differences in their favor, CEDEL Participants and Euroclear Participants
may employ their customary procedures for transactions in which Global
Securities are to be transferred by the respective clearing system, through the
respective Depositary, to a DTC Participant. The seller will send instructions
to CEDEL or Euroclear through a CEDEL Participant or Euroclear Participant at
least one business day prior to settlement. In these cases CEDEL or Euroclear
will instruct the respective Depositary, as appropriate, to deliver the Global
Securities to the DTC Participant's account against payment. Payment will
include interest accrued on the Global Securities from and including the last
coupon payment to and excluding the settlement date on the basis of the actual
number of days in such accrual period and a year assumed to consist of 360 days.
The payment will then be reflected in the account of the CEDEL Participant or
Euroclear Participant the following day, and receipt of the cash proceeds in the
CEDEL Participant's or Euroclear Participant's account would be back-valued to
the value date (which would be the preceding day, when settlement occurred in
New York). Should the CEDEL Participant or Euroclear Participant have a line of
credit with its respective clearing system and elect to be in debt in
anticipation of receipt of the sale proceeds in its account, the back-valuation
will extinguish any overdraft incurred over the one-day period. If settlement is
 
                                      I-2
<PAGE>
not completed on the intended value date (I.E., the trade fails), receipt of the
cash proceeds in the CEDEL Participant's or Euroclear Participant's account
would instead be valued as of the actual settlement date.
 
    Finally, day traders that use CEDEL or Euroclear and that purchase Global
Securities from DTC Participants for delivery to CEDEL Participants or Euroclear
Participants should note that these trades would automatically fail on the sale
side unless affirmative action were taken. At least three techniques should be
readily available to eliminate this potential problem:
 
        (a) borrowing through CEDEL or Euroclear for one day (until the purchase
    side of the day trade is reflected in their CEDEL or Euroclear accounts) in
    accordance with the clearing system's customary procedures;
 
        (b) borrowing the Global Securities in the U.S. from a DTC Participant
    no later than one day prior to settlement, which would give the Global
    Securities sufficient time to be reflected in their CEDEL or Euroclear
    account in order to settle the sale side of the trade; or
 
        (c) staggering the value dates for the buy and sell sides of the trade
    so that the value date for the purchase from the DTC Participant is at least
    one day prior to the value date for the sale to the CEDEL Participant or
    Euroclear Participant.
 
CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
 
    A beneficial owner of Global Securities holding securities through CEDEL or
Euroclear (or through DTC if the holder has an address outside the U.S.) will be
subject to the 30% U.S. withholding tax that generally applies to payments of
interest (including original issue discount) on registered debt issued by U.S.
Persons, unless (i) each clearing system, bank or other financial institution
that holds customers' securities in the ordinary course of its trade or business
in the chain of intermediaries between such beneficial owner and the U.S. entity
required to withhold tax complies with applicable certification requirements and
(ii) such beneficial owner takes one of the following steps to obtain an
exemption or reduced tax rate:
 
    EXEMPTION FOR NON-U.S. PERSONS (FORM W-8).  Beneficial owners of Global
Securities that are non-U.S. Persons can obtain a complete exemption from the
withholding tax by filing a signed Form W-8 (Certificate of Foreign Status). If
the information shown on Form W-8 changes, a new Form W-8 must be filed within
30 days of such change.
 
    EXEMPTION FOR NON-U.S. PERSONS WITH EFFECTIVELY CONNECTED INCOME (FORM
4224).  A non-U.S. Person, including a non-U.S. corporation or bank with a U.S.
branch, for which the interest income is effectively connected with its conduct
of a trade or business in the United States, can obtain an exemption from the
withholding tax by filing Form 4224 (Exemption from Withholding of Tax on Income
Effectively Connected with the Conduct of a Trade or Business in the United
States).
 
    EXEMPTION OR REDUCED RATE FOR NON-U.S. PERSONS RESIDENT IN TREATY COUNTRIES
(FORM 1001).  Non-U.S. Persons that are Certificate Owners residing in a country
that has a tax treaty with the United States can obtain an exemption or reduced
tax rate (depending on the treaty terms) by filing Form 1001 (Ownership,
Exemption or Reduced Rate Certificate). If the treaty provides only for a
reduced rate, withholding tax will be imposed at that rate unless the filer
alternatively files Form W-8. Form 1001 may be filed by the Certificate Owner or
his agent.
 
    EXEMPTION FOR U.S. PERSONS (FORM W-9).  U.S. Persons can obtain a complete
exemption from back-up withholding tax by filing Form W-9 (Payer's Request for
Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification).
 
    U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX REPORTING PROCEDURE.  The Certificate Owner of a
Global Security or, in the case of a Form 1001 or a Form 4224 filer, his agent,
files by submitting the appropriate form to the person
 
                                      I-3
<PAGE>
through whom it holds (the clearing agency, in the case of persons holding
directly on the books of the clearing agency). Form W-8 and Form 1001 are
effective for three calendar years and Form 4224 is effective for one calendar
year.
 
    The term "U.S. Person" means (i) a citizen or resident of the United States,
(ii) a corporation, partnership or other entity organized in or under the laws
of the United States or any political subdivision thereof (iii) an estate or
trust the income of which is includible in gross income for United States tax
purposes, regardless of its source or (iv) a trust for which a court within the
United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration
and for which one or more U.S. Fiduciaries have the authority to control all
substantial decisions. This summary does not deal with all aspects of U.S.
Federal income tax withholding that may be relevant to foreign holders of the
Global Securities. Investors are advised to consult their own tax advisors for
specific tax advice concerning their holding and disposing of the Global
Securities.
 
                                      I-4
<PAGE>
PROSPECTUS
 
                            CPS AUTO GRANTOR TRUSTS
            AUTO RECEIVABLES BACKED CERTIFICATES ISSUABLE IN SERIES
                             CPS RECEIVABLES CORP.
                                     SELLER
                       CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES, INC.
                              SPONSOR AND SERVICER
 
    This Prospectus describes certain Auto Receivables Backed Certificates (the
"Certificates") that may be sold from time to time in one or more series (each,
a "Series"), in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined at the time of
sale and to be set forth in a supplement to this Prospectus (each, a "Prospectus
Supplement"). Each Series of Certificates may include one or more classes of
Certificates, which will be issued by a trust to be formed by the Seller for the
purpose of issuing one or more Series of such Certificates (each, a "Trust").
 
    Each class of Certificates of any Series will evidence beneficial ownership
in a segregated pool of assets (the "Trust Assets"), as described herein and in
the related Prospectus Supplement. The Trust Assets may consist of any
combination of retail installment sales contracts between manufacturers, dealers
or certain other originators and retail purchasers secured by new and used
automobiles, light trucks, vans and minivans financed thereby, or participation
interests therein, together with all monies received relating thereto (the
"Contracts"). The Trust Assets may also include a security interest in the
underlying new and used automobiles, light trucks, vans and minivans and
property relating thereto, together with the proceeds thereof (the "Financed
Vehicles" and, together with the Contracts, the "Receivables"). If and to the
extent specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, credit enhancement with
respect to the Trust Assets or any class of Certificates may include any one or
more of the following: a financial guaranty insurance policy (a "Policy") issued
by an insurer specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, a reserve account,
a spread account, letters of credit, credit or liquidity facilities, third party
payments or other support, cash deposits or other arrangements. In addition to
or in lieu of the foregoing, credit enhancement may be provided by means of
subordination, cross-support among the Receivables or over-collateralization.
See "Description of the Pooling and Servicing Agreements--Credit and Cash Flow
Enhancement". Except to the extent the Prospectus Supplement for a Series
provides for a pre-funding period, the Receivables in the Trust Assets for a
Series will have been originated or acquired by CPS on or prior to the date of
issuance of the related Certificates, as described herein and in the related
Prospectus Supplement. The Receivables included in a Trust will be serviced by a
servicer (the "Servicer") described in the related Prospectus Supplement.
 
    Each Series of Certificates may include one or more classes (each, a
"class"). The rights of one or more classes of Certificates of any Series may be
senior or subordinate to the rights of one or more of the other classes of
Certificates. A Series may include two or more classes of Certificates which may
differ as to the timing, order or priority of payment, pass-through rate or
amount of distributions of principal or interest or both. Information regarding
each class of Certificates of a Series, together with certain characteristics of
the related Receivables, will be set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The rate of payment in respect of principal of the Certificates of any class
will depend on the priority of payment of such class and the rate and timing of
payments (including prepayments, defaults, liquidations or repurchases of
Receivables) on the related Receivables. A rate of payment lower or higher than
that anticipated may affect the weighted average life of each class of
Certificates in the manner described herein and in the related Prospectus
Supplement. See "Description of the Certificates".
 
    PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSIDER THE FACTORS SET FORTH UNDER "RISK
FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 10 HEREIN AND IN THE RELATED PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.
THE CERTIFICATES OF A GIVEN SERIES REPRESENT BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN THE RELATED
TRUST ONLY AND DO NOT REPRESENT INTERESTS IN OR OBLIGATIONS OF CPS, ANY SELLER,
ANY SERVICER OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES. NEITHER THE CERTIFICATES NOR
THE UNDERLYING RECEIVABLES WILL BE GUARANTEED OR INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENTAL
AGENCY OR INSTRUMENTALITY OR BY CPS, ANY SELLER, ANY SERVICER, ANY TRUSTEE OR
ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE RELATED
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT. THESE CERTIFICATES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED
BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR
HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO
THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
    Offers of the Certificates may be made through one or more different
methods, including offerings through underwriters as more fully described under
"Methods of Distribution" herein and in the related Prospectus Supplement. Prior
to issuance, there will have been no market for the Certificates of any Series,
and there can be no assurance that a secondary market for the Certificates will
develop, or if it does develop, that it will continue.
 
    Retain this Prospectus for future reference. This Prospectus may not be used
to consummate sales of Certificates unless accompanied by a Prospectus
Supplement.
 
                  THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS MAY 23, 1997.
<PAGE>
                             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
 
    The Prospectus Supplement relating to a Series of Certificates to be offered
hereunder, among other things, will set forth with respect to such Series of
Certificates: (i) a description of the class or classes of such Certificates,
(ii) the "Pass-Through Rate" or other applicable rate (or the manner of
determining such rate) and authorized denominations of each class of such
Certificates; (iii) certain information concerning the Receivables and insurance
polices, cash accounts, letters of credit, financial guaranty insurance
policies, third party guarantees or other forms of credit enhancement, if any,
relating to one or more pools of Receivables or all or part of the related
Certificates; (iv) the specified interest, if any, of each class of Certificates
in, and manner and priority of, the distributions from the Trust Assets; (v)
information as to the nature and extent of subordination with respect to such
Series of Certificates, if any; (vi) the payment date to Certificateholders;
(vii) information regarding the Servicer(s) for the related Receivables; (viii)
the circumstances, if any, under which the Trust may be subject to early
termination; (ix) information regarding tax considerations; and (x) additional
information with respect to the method of distribution of such Certificates.
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
    The Sponsor has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a Registration Statement (together with all amendments and
exhibits thereto, referred to herein as the "Registration Statement") under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the
Certificates offered pursuant to this Prospectus. For further information,
reference is made to the Registration Statement which may be inspected and
copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 450
Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549; and at the Commission's regional
offices at 500 West Madison, 14th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60661 and Seven World
Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of the Registration
Statement may be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at
450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates.
 
    No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any
representation other than those contained in this Prospectus and any Prospectus
Supplement with respect hereto and, if given or made, such information or
representations must not be relied upon. This Prospectus and any Prospectus
Supplement with respect hereto do not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the Certificates
offered hereby and thereby, nor an offer of the Certificates to any person in
any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer would be unlawful. The
delivery of this Prospectus at any time does not imply that information herein
is correct as of any time subsequent to its date.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
    All documents subsequently filed by the Sponsor with respect to the
Registration Statement, either on its own behalf or on behalf of a Trust,
relating to any Series of Certificates referred to in the accompanying
Prospectus Supplement, with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14
or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), after the date of this Prospectus and prior to the termination of any
offering of the Certificates issued by the Trust, shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and to be a part of this Prospectus
from the date of the filing of such documents. Any statement contained herein or
in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Prospectus to
the extent that a statement contained herein (or in the accompanying Prospectus
Supplement) or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or replaces such
statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
                         REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
 
    So long as the Certificates of a Series are in book-entry form, monthly and
annual reports concerning the Certificates and the related Trust will be sent by
the Trustee to Cede & Co., as the nominee of DTC and as registered holder of
such Certificates pursuant to the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement. DTC
will supply such reports to Certificateholders in accordance with its
procedures. To the extent required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the Trust will provide financial information to the Certificateholders
which has been examined and reported upon, with an opinion expressed by, an
independent public accountant; to the extent not so required, such financial
information will be unaudited. Each Trust will be formed to own the Receivables
related to the Certificates to be issued by such Trust, to issue the related
Certificates and to acquire Subsequent Receivables, if available. No Trust will
have any assets or obligations prior to issuance of the Certificates or will
engage in any activities other than those described herein. Accordingly, no
financial statements with respect to the related Trust will be included in any
Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
                                SUMMARY OF TERMS
 
    THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO THE
DETAILED INFORMATION APPEARING ELSEWHERE IN THIS PROSPECTUS AND BY REFERENCE TO
THE INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO THE CERTIFICATES OF ANY SERIES CONTAINED IN THE
RELATED PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT TO BE PREPARED AND DELIVERED IN CONNECTION WITH
THE OFFERING OF SUCH CERTIFICATES. CERTAIN CAPITALIZED TERMS USED IN THE SUMMARY
ARE DEFINED ELSEWHERE IN THIS PROSPECTUS ON THE PAGES INDICATED IN THE "INDEX OF
TERMS".
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
Issuer............................  With respect to any Series of Certificates, a Trust
                                    formed pursuant to a pooling and servicing agreement (a
                                    "Pooling and Servicing Agreement") among the Seller, the
                                    Servicer and the Trustee for such Trust.
 
Seller............................  CPS Receivables Corp. or another special-purpose
                                    subsidiary of CPS (each, a "Seller"). See "The Seller
                                    and CPS".
 
Sponsor...........................  Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. ("CPS" or the
                                    "Sponsor"). See "CPS's Automobile Contract Portfolio"
                                    and "The Seller and CPS".
 
Servicer..........................  The entity named as Servicer in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement (the "Servicer"). Each Prospectus Supplement
                                    will specify whether the Servicer will service the
                                    Receivables in the related Receivables Pool directly or
                                    indirectly through one or more subservicers (each, a
                                    "Subservicer").
 
Trustee...........................  The Trustee (the "Trustee") for each Series of
                                    Certificates will be specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement.
 
The Certificates..................  Each Series of Certificates will be issued pursuant to
                                    the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement. The related
                                    Prospectus Supplement will specify which class or
                                    classes of Certificates of the related Series are being
                                    offered thereby.
 
                                    Each class of Certificates will have a stated
                                    certificate balance (the "Certificate Balance") and will
                                    accrue interest on such Certificate Balance at a
                                    specified rate (with respect to each class of
                                    Certificates the "Pass-Through Rate") as set forth in
                                    the related Prospectus Supplement. Each class of
                                    Certificates may have a different Pass-Through Rate,
                                    which may be a fixed, variable or adjustable
                                    Pass-Through Rate, or any combination of the foregoing.
                                    The related Prospectus Supplement will specify the
                                    Pass-Through Rate, or the method for determining the
                                    applicable Pass-Through Rate, for each class of
                                    Certificates.
 
                                    A Series of Certificates may include two or more classes
                                    of Certificates that differ as to timing and priority of
                                    distributions, seniority, allocations of losses,
                                    Pass-Through Rate or amount of distributions in respect
                                    of principal or interest. Additionally, distributions in
                                    respect of principal or interest in respect of any
</TABLE>
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
                                    such class or classes may or may not be made upon the
                                    occurrence of specified events or on the basis of
                                    collections from designated portions of the related
                                    Receivables Pool. If specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement, one or more classes of Certificates ("Strip
                                    Certificates") may be entitled to (i) principal
                                    distributions with disproportionate, nominal or no
                                    interest distributions or (ii) interest distributions
                                    with disproportionate, nominal or no principal
                                    distributions. See "Description of the Certifi-
                                    cates--Distributions of Principal and Interest".
 
                                    Certificates will be available for purchase in the
                                    minimum denomination specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement and will be available in book-entry form
                                    unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement. Certificateholders will be able to receive
                                    Definitive Certificates only in the limited
                                    circumstances described herein or in the related
                                    Prospectus Supplement. See "Certain Information
                                    Regarding the Certificates--Definitive Certificates".
 
                                    If the Servicer or any Subservicer exercises its option
                                    to purchase the Receivables of a Trust (or if not and,
                                    if and to the extent provided in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement, satisfactory bids for the purchase of such
                                    Receivables are received), in the manner and on the
                                    respective terms and conditions described under
                                    "Description of the Pooling and Servicing
                                    Agreements--Termination", the Certificates will be
                                    prepaid as set forth in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement. In addition, if the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement provides that the property of a Trust will
                                    include a Pre-Funding Account that will be used to
                                    purchase additional Receivables after the applicable
                                    Closing Date, one or more classes of Certificates may be
                                    subject to a partial prepayment of principal at or
                                    immediately following the end of the period specified in
                                    such Prospectus Supplement for the purchase of such
                                    additional Receivables, in the manner and to the extent
                                    specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
 
The Trust Assets..................  The property of each Trust will include a pool of simple
                                    interest or precomputed interest motor vehicle
                                    installment sale contracts or motor vehicle installment
                                    loans secured by new and used automobiles, light trucks,
                                    vans and minivans (the "Receivables"), including the
                                    right to receive payments received or due on or with
                                    respect to such Receivables on or after the date or
                                    dates specified in the related Prospectus Supplement
                                    (each, a "Cutoff Date"), security interests in the
                                    vehicles financed thereby (the "Financed Vehicles"), and
                                    any proceeds from claims under certain related insurance
                                    policies. On the date of issuance of a Series of
                                    Certificates specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement (the "Closing Date" for such Series), the
                                    applicable Seller will convey Receivables having the
                                    aggregate principal balance specified in such Prospectus
                                    Supplement as of the Cutoff Date specified therein to
                                    such Trust pursuant to
</TABLE>
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
                                    a Pooling and Servicing Agreement among the Seller, the
                                    Servicer and the Trustee of such Trust. The property of
                                    each Trust also will include amounts on deposit in, or
                                    certain rights with respect to, certain trust accounts,
                                    including the related Collection Account, any
                                    Pre-Funding Account and any other account identified in
                                    the applicable Prospectus Supplement. See "Description
                                    of the Pooling and Servicing Agreements-- Accounts".
 
                                    If the related Prospectus Supplement provides that the
                                    property of a Trust will include monies initially
                                    deposited into an account (a "Pre-Funding Account") to
                                    purchase additional Receivables after the Closing Date,
                                    the Seller will be obligated pursuant to the Pooling and
                                    Servicing Agreement to sell additional Receivables (the
                                    "Subsequent Receivables") to the related Trust, subject
                                    only to the availability thereof, having an aggregate
                                    principal balance approximately equal to the amount
                                    deposited to the Pre-Funding Account on the Closing Date
                                    (the "Pre-Funded Amount"), and the Trust will be
                                    obligated to purchase such Subsequent Receivables
                                    (subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions set
                                    forth in such Pooling and Servicing Agreement) from time
                                    to time during the period (the "Funding Period")
                                    specified in such Prospectus Supplement for the purchase
                                    of such Subsequent Receivables. Any Subsequent
                                    Receivables conveyed to a Trust will have been acquired
                                    by the Seller, directly or indirectly, from CPS and will
                                    meet all of the credit and other criteria set forth set
                                    forth herein and in the related Prospectus Supplement.
                                    See "Risk Factors--Sales of Subsequent Receivables",
                                    "The Receivables", and "Description of the Pooling and
                                    Servicing Agreements--Sale and Assignment of
                                    Receivables" herein and "The Receivables Pool" in the
                                    related Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                    As used in this Prospectus, the term Receivables will
                                    include the Receivables transferred to a Trust on the
                                    related Closing Date (such Receivables, the "Initial
                                    Receivables") as well as any Subsequent Receivables
                                    transferred to such Trust during the related Funding
                                    Period, if any.
 
                                    Amounts on deposit in any Pre-Funding Account during the
                                    related Funding Period will be invested by the Trustee
                                    (as directed by the Servicer) in Eligible Investments,
                                    and any resultant investment income, less any related
                                    investment expenses ("Investment Income"), will be
                                    added, on the Distribution Date immediately following
                                    the date on which such Investment Income is paid to the
                                    Trust, to interest collections on the Receivables for
                                    the related Collection Period and distributed in the
                                    manner specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
                                    Any funds remaining in a Pre-Funding Account at the end
                                    of the related Funding Period will be distributed as a
                                    prepayment or early distribution of principal to holders
                                    of one or more classes
</TABLE>
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
                                    of the Certificates of the related Series of
                                    Certificates, in the amounts and in accordance with the
                                    payment priorities specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement. In no event will a Funding Period continue
                                    for more than 90 days after the related Closing Date.
                                    See "Risk Factors--Pre-Funding Accounts", "--Sales of
                                    Subsequent Receivables" and "Description of the Pooling
                                    and Servicing Agreements--Accounts--Pre-Funding
                                    Accounts".
 
Credit and Cash Flow
  Enhancement.....................  If and to the extent specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement, credit enhancement with respect to a Trust
                                    or any class or classes of Certificates may include any
                                    one or more of the following: subordination of one or
                                    more other classes of Certificates of the same Series,
                                    reserve funds, spread accounts, surety bonds, insurance
                                    policies, letters of credit, credit or liquidity
                                    facilities, cash collateral accounts,
                                    over-collateralization, guaranteed investment contracts,
                                    swaps or other interest rate protection agreements,
                                    repurchase obligations, other agreements with respect to
                                    third party payments or other support, cash deposits, or
                                    other arrangements. To the extent specified in the
                                    related Prospectus Supplement, a form of credit
                                    enhancement with respect to a Trust or a class or
                                    classes of Certificates may be subject to certain
                                    limitations and exclusions from coverage thereunder.
 
Pooling and Servicing
  Agreements......................  The applicable Seller will transfer the related
                                    Receivables to a Trust pursuant to a Pooling and
                                    Servicing Agreement. The Servicer will agree with each
                                    Trust to be responsible for servicing, managing,
                                    maintaining custody of and making collections on the
                                    Receivables, either directly or indirectly through one
                                    or more Subservicers.
 
                                    If so provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
                                    Servicer will advance scheduled payments under each Rule
                                    of 78s Receivable or Actuarial Receivable that are not
                                    timely made (a "Precomputed Advance") to the extent that
                                    the Servicer, in its sole discretion, expects to recoup
                                    such Precomputed Advance from subsequent payments on or
                                    with respect to such Receivable or from other
                                    Precomputed Receivables. If so provided in the related
                                    Prospectus Supplement, with respect to Simple Interest
                                    Receivables, the Servicer will advance any interest
                                    shortfall (a "Simple Interest Advance"). As used herein,
                                    "Advance" means any Precomputed Advance or Simple
                                    Interest Advance. The Servicer will be entitled to
                                    reimbursement of Advances from subsequent payments on or
                                    with respect to the Receivables to the extent described
                                    in the related Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                    Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement, the Servicer will receive a fee for
                                    servicing the Receivables of each Trust equal to the
                                    percentage specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement of the aggregate outstanding principal
</TABLE>
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
                                    balance of the related Receivables Pool, plus certain
                                    late fees, prepayment charges and other administrative
                                    fees or similar charges. Fees payable to any Subservicer
                                    as compensation for performing certain servicing
                                    functions with respect to all or a portion of the
                                    Receivables in a Receivables Pool will be the
                                    responsibility of the Servicer and will not be an
                                    additional expense of the Trust. See "Description of the
                                    Pooling and Servicing Agreements--Servicing
                                    Compensation" herein.
 
No Investment Companies...........  None of CPS, any Seller or any Trust will register as an
                                    "investment company" under the Investment Company Act of
                                    1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act").
 
Cross-Collateralization...........  As described in the related Pooling and Servicing
                                    Agreement and the related Prospectus Supplement, the
                                    source of payment for Certificates of each Series will
                                    be the assets of the related Trust Assets only. However,
                                    as may be described in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement, a Series or class of Certificates may
                                    include the right to receive moneys from a common pool
                                    of Credit Enhancement which may be available for more
                                    than one Series of Certificates, such as a master
                                    reserve account, master spread account, master insurance
                                    policy or a master collateral pool consisting of similar
                                    Receivables. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and as
                                    described in the related Prospectus Supplement, no
                                    payment received on any Receivable held by any Trust may
                                    be applied to the payment of Certificates issued by any
                                    other Trust (except to the limited extent that certain
                                    collections in excess of the amounts needed to pay the
                                    related Certificates may be deposited in a common master
                                    reserve account, common master spread account or
                                    over-collateralization account that provides credit
                                    enhancement for more than one Series of Certificates
                                    issued pursuant to the related Pooling and Servicing
                                    Agreement).
 
Registration of Certificates......  Certificates may be represented by global securities
                                    registered in the name of Cede & Co. ("Cede"), as
                                    nominee of The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), or
                                    another nominee. In such case, Certificateholders will
                                    not be entitled to receive definitive securities
                                    representing such Certificateholders' interests, except
                                    in certain circumstances described in the related
                                    Prospectus Supplement. See "Description of the
                                    Certificates--Book-Entry Registration" herein.
 
Optional Termination..............  The Servicer, CPS, or, if specified in the related
                                    Prospectus Supplement, certain other entities may, at
                                    their respective options, effect early retirement of a
                                    Series of Certificates under the circumstances and in
                                    the manner set forth herein under "Description of The
                                    Pooling and Servicing Agreements--Termination" and in
                                    the related Prospectus Supplement.
</TABLE>
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                 <C>
Mandatory Termination.............  The Trustee, the Servicer or certain other entities
                                    specified in the related Prospectus Supplement may be
                                    required to effect early retirement of all or any
                                    portion of a Series of Certificates by soliciting
                                    competitive bids for the purchase of the Trust Assets or
                                    otherwise, under other circumstances and in the manner
                                    specified in "Description of The Pooling and Servicing
                                    Agreement--Termination" herein and in the related
                                    Prospectus Supplement.
 
Tax Considerations................  Certificates of each Series offered hereby will, for
                                    federal income tax purposes, constitute interests in a
                                    Trust treated as a grantor trust and not as an
                                    association taxable as a corporation under applicable
                                    provisions of the Code. Investors are advised to consult
                                    their tax advisors and to review "Certain Federal Income
                                    Tax Consequences", which summarizes, subject to the
                                    limitations stated therein, federal income tax
                                    considerations relevant to the purchase, ownership and
                                    disposition of Certificates. The Prospectus Supplement
                                    for a Series may describe additional federal income tax
                                    considerations relevant to the purchase, ownership and
                                    disposition of the related Certificates.
 
ERISA Considerations..............  The Prospectus Supplement for each Series of
                                    Certificates will summarize, subject to the limitations
                                    discussed therein, considerations under the Employee
                                    Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
                                    ("ERISA"), relevant to the purchase of such Certificates
                                    by employee benefit plans and individual retirement
                                    accounts. See "ERISA Considerations" in the related
                                    Prospectus Supplement.
 
Ratings...........................  Each class of Certificates offered pursuant to this
                                    Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement will,
                                    unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus
                                    Supplement, be rated in one of the four highest rating
                                    categories by one or more "national statistical rating
                                    organizations", as defined in the Exchange Act, and
                                    commonly referred to as "Rating Agencies". Such ratings
                                    will address, in the opinion of such Rating Agencies,
                                    the likelihood that the Trust will be able to make
                                    timely payment of all amounts due on the related
                                    Certificates in accordance with the terms thereof. Such
                                    ratings will neither address any prepayment or yield
                                    considerations applicable to any Certificates nor
                                    constitute a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any
                                    Certificates. The ratings expected to be received with
                                    respect to any Certificates will be set forth in the
                                    related Prospectus Supplement.
</TABLE>
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    Prospective Certificateholders should consider, among other things, the
following factors in connection with the purchase of Certificates:
 
    LIMITED LIQUIDITY.  There can be no assurance that a secondary market for
the Certificates of any Series or class will develop or, if it does develop,
that it will provide Certificateholders with liquidity of investment or that it
will continue for the life of such Certificates. The Prospectus Supplement for
any Series of Certificates may indicate that an underwriter specified therein
intends to establish and maintain a secondary market in such Certificates;
however, no underwriter will be obligated to do so. The Certificates will not be
listed on any securities exchange.
 
    PRE-FUNDING ACCOUNTS.  If so provided in the related Prospectus Supplement,
on the Closing Date the Seller will deposit the Pre-Funded Amount specified in
such Prospectus Supplement into the Pre-Funding Account. In no event will the
Pre-Funded Amount exceed 25% of the initial aggregate principal amount of the
Certificates of the related Series. The Pre-Funded Amount will be used to
purchase Subsequent Receivables from the Seller (which, in turn, will acquire
such Subsequent Receivables from CPS or Originators specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement) from time to time during the related Funding Period.
During the related Funding Period and until such amounts are applied by the
Trustee to purchase Subsequent Receivables, amounts on deposit in the
Pre-Funding Account will be invested by the Trustee (as instructed by the
Servicer) in Eligible Investments, and any investment income with respect
thereto (net of any related investment expenses) will be added to amounts
received on or in respect of the Receivables during the related Collection
Period and allocated to interest and will be distributed on the Distribution
Date pursuant to the payment priorities specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement. No Funding Period will end more than 90 days after the related
Closing Date.
 
    To the extent that the entire Pre-Funded Amount has not been applied to the
purchase of Subsequent Receivables by the end of the related Funding Period, any
amounts remaining in the Pre-Funding Account will be distributed as a prepayment
of principal to Certificateholders on the Distribution Date at or immediately
following the end of the Funding Period, in the amounts and pursuant to the
priorities set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement. Any such prepayment
of principal could have the effect of shortening the weighted average life of
the Certificates of the related Series. In addition, holders of the related
Certificates will bear the risk that they may be unable to reinvest any such
principal prepayment at yields at least equal to the yield on such Certificates.
 
    SALES OF SUBSEQUENT RECEIVABLES.  If so provided in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Seller will be obligated pursuant to the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement to sell Subsequent Receivables to the Trust, and the Trust will be
obligated to purchase such Subsequent Receivables, subject only to the
satisfaction of certain conditions set forth in the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement and described in the related Prospectus Supplement. If the principal
amount of the eligible Subsequent Receivables acquired by the Seller from CPS
during a Funding Period is less than the Pre-Funded Amount, the Seller may have
insufficient Subsequent Receivables to transfer to a Trust and holders of one or
more classes of the related Series of Certificates may receive a prepayment or
early distribution of principal at the end of the Funding Period as described
above under "Pre-Funding Accounts".
 
    Any conveyance of Subsequent Receivables to a Trust is subject to the
satisfaction, on or before the related transfer date (each, a "Subsequent
Transfer Date"), of the following conditions precedent, among others: (i) each
such Subsequent Receivable must satisfy the eligibility criteria specified in
the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement; (ii) the Seller shall not have
selected such Subsequent Receivables in a manner that is adverse to the
interests of holders of the related Certificates; (iii) as of the respective
Cutoff Dates for such Subsequent Receivables, all of the Receivables in the
Trust, including the Subsequent Receivables to be conveyed to the Trust as of
such date, must satisfy the parameters described under "The Receivables Pools"
herein and "The Receivables Pool" in the related Prospectus Supplement; and (iv)
the
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
Seller must execute and deliver to such Trust a written assignment conveying
such Subsequent Receivables to such Trust. In addition, as and to the extent
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the conveyance of Subsequent
Receivables to a Trust is subject to the satisfaction of the condition
subsequent, among others, which must be satisfied within the applicable time
period specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, that the Seller deliver
certain legal opinions to the related Trustee with respect to the validity of
the conveyance of the Subsequent Receivables to the Trust. If any such
conditions precedent or conditions subsequent are not met with respect to any
Subsequent Receivables within the time period specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, CPS or the Seller, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, will be required to repurchase such Subsequent Receivables from the
related Trust, at a purchase price equal to the related Repurchase Amounts
therefor.
 
    Except as described herein and in the related Prospectus Supplement, there
will be no other required characteristics of Subsequent Receivables. Therefore,
the characteristics of the entire Receivables Pool included in any Trust may
vary significantly as Subsequent Receivables are conveyed to such Trust from
time to time during the Funding Period or Revolving Period. See "The
Receivables" herein.
 
    CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS--CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS.  Federal and state consumer
protection laws impose requirements on creditors in connection with extensions
of credit and collections of retail installment loans, and certain of these laws
make an assignee of such a loan (such as a Trust) liable to the obligor thereon
for any violation by the lender. To the extent specified herein and in the
related Prospectus Supplement, CPS will be obligated to repurchase any
Receivable that fails to comply with such legal requirements from the Seller and
the Seller from the Trust, and the Seller and the Servicer will undertake to
enforce such obligation on behalf of the Trust. See "Certain Legal Aspects of
the Receivables-- Consumer Protection Laws".
 
    NATURE OF OBLIGORS.  The Obligors on the Receivables to be conveyed to a
Trust will include "sub-prime" borrowers who have limited or adverse credit
histories, low income or past credit problems and, therefore, are unable to
obtain financing from traditional sources of consumer credit. The average
interest rate charged by CPS to such "sub-prime" borrowers is generally higher
than that charged to more creditworthy customers. The payment experience on
receivables of obligors with this credit profile is likely to be different from
that on receivables of traditional auto financing sources in that default rates
are likely to be higher. In addition, the payment experience on such receivables
is likely to be more sensitive to changes in the economic climate in the areas
in which such obligors reside. As a result of the credit profile of the obligors
and the APRs of such receivables, the historical credit loss and delinquency
rates on such receivables are generally higher than those experienced by banks
and the captive finance companies of the automobile manufacturers.
 
    SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND OTHER FACTORS.  The ability of the Obligors to make
payments on the Receivables, as well as the prepayment experience thereon, will
be affected by a variety of social and economic factors. Economic factors
include interest rates, unemployment levels, the rate of inflation and consumer
perceptions of economic conditions generally. However, the Seller is unable to
determine and has no basis to predict whether or to what extent economic or
social factors will affect the Receivables.
 
    OWNERSHIP OF RECEIVABLES.  In connection with the issuance of any Series of
Certificates, CPS will originate Receivables. CPS will warrant in a Pooling and
Servicing Agreement that the transfer of the Contracts to such Trust is either a
valid assignment, transfer and conveyance of the Receivables to the Trust or the
Trustee on behalf of the Certificateholders has a valid security interest in
such Receivables. As will be described in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
related Pooling and Servicing Agreement will provide that the Trustee will be
required to maintain possession of the original copies of all Receivables that
constitute chattel paper; provided that the Servicer may take possession of such
original copies as necessary for the enforcement of any Receivable. If the
Servicer, the Trustee or other third party, while in possession of any
Receivable, sells or pledges and delivers such Receivable to another party, in
violation of the Receivables Purchase Agreement or the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement, there is a risk that such
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
other party could acquire an interest in such Receivable having a priority over
the Trust's interest. Furthermore, if the Servicer or a third party, while in
possession of any Receivable, is rendered insolvent, such event of insolvency
may result in competing claims to ownership or security interests in such
Receivable. Such an attempt, even if unsuccessful, could result in delays in
payments on the Certificates. If successful, such attempt could result in losses
to the Certificateholders or an acceleration of the repayment of the
Certificates. CPS will be obligated to repurchase any Receivable if there is a
breach of CPS's representations and warranties that materially and adversely
affects the interests of the Trust in such Receivable and such breach has not
been cured.
 
    CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS.  The transfer of the Receivables by the applicable
Seller to the Trustee pursuant to the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement,
the perfection of the security interests in the Receivables and the enforcement
of rights to realize on the Financed Vehicles as collateral for the Receivables
are subject to a number of federal and state laws, including the UCC as in
effect in various states. As specified in each Prospectus Supplement, no action
will be taken to perfect the rights of the Trustee in proceeds of any VSI
insurance policy (as hereinafter defined) insurance policies covering individual
Financed Vehicles or Obligors. Therefore, the rights of a third party with an
interest in such proceeds could prevail against the rights of the Trust prior to
the time such proceeds are deposited by the Servicer into a Trust Account (as
hereinafter defined). See "Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables".
 
    In connection with each sale of Receivables, security interests in the
Financed Vehicles securing the Receivables will be assigned by CPS to the
Seller. Due to the administrative burden and expense, the certificates of title
to the Financed Vehicles will not be amended or reissued to reflect the
assignment to the Trust. In the absence of such an amendment or reissuance, the
Trust may not have a perfected security interest in the Financed Vehicles
securing the Receivables in some states. By virtue of the assignment of the
applicable Purchase Agreement to the related Trust, CPS will be obligated to
repurchase any Receivable sold to the Trust as to which there did not exist on
the Closing Date a perfected security interest in the name of CPS in the
Financed Vehicle, and the Servicer will be obligated to purchase any Receivable
sold to the Trust as to which it failed to maintain a perfected security
interest in the name of CPS in the Financed Vehicle securing such Receivable if,
in either case, such breach materially and adversely affects such Receivable and
if such failure or breach is not cured prior to the expiration of the applicable
cure period. To the extent the security interest of CPS is perfected, the Trust
will have a prior claim over subsequent purchasers of such Financed Vehicle and
holders of subsequently perfected security interests. However, as against liens
for repairs of a Financed Vehicle or for taxes unpaid by an Obligor under a
Receivable, or through fraud, forgery, negligence or error, CPS, and therefore
the Trust, could lose the priority of its security interest or its security
interest in a Financed Vehicle. Neither CPS nor the Servicer will have any
obligation to purchase a Receivable as to which a lien for repairs of a Financed
Vehicle or for taxes unpaid by an Obligor under a Receivable result in losing
the priority of the security interest in such Financed Vehicle after the Closing
Date. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables-- Security Interest in
Vehicles". Federal and state consumer protection laws impose requirements upon
creditors in connection with extensions of credit and collections of retail
installment loans and certain of these laws make an assignee of such a loan
liable to the obligor thereon for any violation by the lender. Pursuant to the
applicable Purchase Agreement, CPS will be obligated to repurchase any
Receivable materially and adversely affected by the failure to comply with such
requirements. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables".
 
    Each Seller has taken or will take steps in structuring the transactions
contemplated hereby that are intended to ensure that the voluntary or
involuntary application for relief by CPS under the United States Bankruptcy
Code or similar state laws ("Insolvency Laws") will not result in consolidation
of the assets and liabilities of the Seller with those of CPS. These steps
include the creation of each Seller as a separate, limited-purpose subsidiary
pursuant to articles of incorporation containing certain limitations (including
restrictions on the nature of the Seller's business and a restriction on the
Seller's ability to commence a voluntary case or proceeding under any Insolvency
Law without the prior unanimous affirmative vote of all
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
of its directors). However, there can be no assurance that the activities of a
Seller would not result in a court concluding that the assets and liabilities of
such Seller should be consolidated with those of CPS in a proceeding under any
Insolvency Law. If a court were to reach such a conclusion, then delays in
distributions on the related Certificates could occur or reductions in the
amounts of such distributions could result. See "The Seller and CPS".
 
    CPS will warrant to the Seller in each Purchase Agreement that the sale of
the Receivables by it to the Seller is a valid sale of such Receivables to such
Seller. In addition, CPS and each Seller will treat the transactions described
herein as a sale of the Receivables to the Seller, and each Seller has taken and
will take all actions that are required to perfect the Seller's ownership
interest in the Receivables. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if CPS were to
become a debtor in a bankruptcy case and a creditor or trustee-in-bankruptcy of
CPS or CPS itself were to take the position that the sale of Receivables to the
Seller should be recharacterized as a pledge of such Receivables to secure a
borrowing of such Seller, then delays in payments of collections of Receivables
to the Seller could occur or, should the court rule in favor of any such
trustee, debtor or creditor, reductions in the amount of such payments could
result. If the transfer of Receivables to the Seller is recharacterized as a
pledge, a tax or government lien on the property of CPS arising before the
transfer of a Receivable to the Seller may have priority over the Seller's
interest in such Receivable. If the transactions contemplated herein are treated
as a sale, the Receivables would not be part of CPS's bankruptcy estate and
would not be available to CPS's creditors.
 
    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued its opinion in
OCTAGON GAS SYSTEMS, INC. V. RIMMER (IN RE MERIDIAN RESERVE, INC.) (decided May
27, 1993) in which it concluded (noting that its position is in contrast to that
taken by another court) that accounts receivable sold by the debtor prior to the
filing for bankruptcy remain property of the debtor's bankruptcy estate.
Although the Receivables are likely to be viewed as "chattel paper", as defined
under the Uniform Commercial Code, rather than as accounts, the rationale behind
the OCTAGON holding is equally applicable to chattel paper. The circumstances
under which the OCTAGON ruling would apply are not fully known, and the extent
to which the OCTAGON decision will be followed in other courts or outside of the
Tenth Circuit is not certain. If the holding in the OCTAGON case were applied in
a CPS bankruptcy, however, even if the transfers of Receivables to the Seller
and to the Trust were treated as sales, the Receivables would be part of CPS's
bankruptcy estate and would be subject to claims of certain creditors and delays
and reductions in payments to the Certificateholders could result. CPS will
warrant in the Purchase Agreement that the sale of the Receivables to the Seller
is a valid sale of the Receivables to the Seller, and the Seller will warrant in
the Pooling and Servicing Agreement that the sale of the Receivables to the
Trust is a valid sale of the Receivables to the Trust.
 
    RESTRICTIONS ON RECOVERIES.  Unless specific limitations are described on
the related Prospectus Supplement with respect to specific Receivables, all
Receivables will provide that the obligations of the Obligors thereunder are
absolute and unconditional, regardless of any defense, set-off or abatement
which the Obligor may have against CPS or any other person or entity whatsoever.
CPS will warrant that no claims or defenses have been asserted or threatened
with respect to the Receivables and that all requirements of applicable law with
respect to the Receivables have been satisfied.
 
    In the event that CPS or the Trustee must rely on repossession and
disposition of Financed Vehicles to recover scheduled payments due on Defaulted
Receivables (as defined in the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement), the
Trust may not realize the full amount due on a Receivable (or may not realize
the full amount on a timely basis). Other factors that may affect the ability of
the Trust to realize the full amount due on a Receivable include whether
amendments to certificates of title relating to the Financed Vehicles had been
filed, depreciation, obsolescence, damage or loss of any financed Vehicle, and
the application of Federal and state bankruptcy and insolvency laws. As a
result, the Certificateholders may be subject to delays in receiving payments
and suffer loss of their investment in the Certificates.
 
    INSURANCE ON FINANCED VEHICLES.  Each Receivable generally requires the
Obligor to maintain insurance covering physical damage to the financed Vehicle
in an amount not less than the unpaid principal
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
balance of such Receivable pursuant to which CPS is named as a loss payee. Since
the Obligors select their own insurers to provide the requisite coverage, the
specific terms and conditions of their policies vary.
 
    In addition, although each Receivable generally gives CPS the right to force
place insurance coverage in the event the required physical damage insurance on
a Vehicle is not maintained by an Obligor, neither CPS nor the Servicer is
obligated to place such coverage. In the event insurance coverage is not
maintained by Obligors and coverage is not force placed, then insurance
recoveries may be limited in the event of losses or casualties to Financed
Vehicles included in the Trust Assets, as a result of which Certificateholders
could suffer a loss on their investment.
 
    DELINQUENCIES.  There can be no assurance that the historical levels of
delinquencies and losses experienced by CPS on its respective loan and vehicle
portfolio will be indicative of the performance of the Contracts included in the
Trust or that such levels will continue in the future. Delinquencies and losses
could increase significantly for various reasons, including changes in the
federal income tax laws, changes in the local, regional or national economies or
due to other events.
 
    SUBORDINATION; LIMITED ASSETS.  To the extent specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, distributions of interest and principal on one class of
Certificates of a Series may be subordinated in priority of payment to interest
and principal due on other classes of Certificates of a related Series.
Moreover, each Trust will not have, nor is it permitted or expected to have, any
significant assets or sources of funds other than the related Receivables and,
to the extent provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, the related reserve
account, spread account, and any other Credit Enhancement. The Certificates
represent beneficial interests in the related Trust only and will not represent
a recourse obligation to other assets of CPS or the Seller. No Certificates of
any Series will be insured or guaranteed by CPS, the Seller, the Servicer, or
the applicable Trustee. Consequently, holders of the Certificates of any Series
must rely for repayment primarily upon payments on the Receivables and, if and
to the extent available, any Credit Enhancement, all as specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement.
 
    BOOK-ENTRY REGISTRATION.  Issuance of the Certificates in book-entry form
may reduce the liquidity of such Certificates in the secondary trading market
since investors may be unwilling to purchase Certificates for which they cannot
obtain definitive physical securities representing such Certificateholders'
interests, except in certain circumstances described in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
 
    Since transactions in Certificates will, in most cases, be effected only
through DTC, direct or indirect participants in DTC's book-entry system ("Direct
Participants" or "Indirect Participants") or certain banks, the ability of a
Certificateholder to pledge a Security to persons or entities that do not
participate in the DTC system, or otherwise to take actions in respect to such
Certificates, may be limited due to lack of a physical security representing the
Certificates.
 
    Certificateholders may experience some delay in their receipt of
distributions of interest on and principal of the Certificates since
distributions may be required to be forwarded by the Trustee to DTC and, in such
case, DTC will be required to credit such distributions to the accounts of its
Participants which thereafter will be required to credit them to the accounts of
the applicable class of Certificateholders either directly or indirectly through
Indirect Participants. See "Certain Information Regarding the
Certificates--Book-Entry Registration".
 
    SECURITY RATING.  The rating of Certificates credit enhanced by a letter of
credit, financial guaranty insurance policy, reserve fund, credit or liquidity
facilities, cash deposits or other forms of credit enhancement (collectively
"Credit Enhancement") will depend primarily on the creditworthiness of the
issuer of such external Credit Enhancement device (a "Credit Enhancer"). Any
reduction in the rating assigned to the claims-paying ability of the related
Credit Enhancer to honor its obligations pursuant to any such Credit Enhancement
below the rating initially given to the Certificates would likely result in a
reduction in the rating of the Certificates.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
    MATURITY AND PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS.  All of the Receivables are
prepayable at any time. The rate of prepayments on the Receivables may be
influenced by a variety of economic, social and other factors, including the
fact that an Obligor generally may not sell or transfer the Financed Vehicle
securing a receivable without the consent of CPS. (For this purpose the term
"prepayments" includes prepayments in full, certain partial prepayments related
to refunds of extended service contract costs and unearned insurance premiums,
liquidations due to default, as well as receipts of proceeds from physical
damage, credit life and credit accident and health insurance policies and
certain other Receivables repurchased for administrative reasons.) The rate of
prepayment on the Receivables may also be influenced by the structure of the
loan, the nature of the Obligors and the Financed Vehicles and servicing
decisions as discussed above. In addition, under certain circumstances, CPS is
obligated to repurchase Receivables as a result of breaches of representations
and warranties, and under certain circumstances the Servicer is obligated to
purchase Receivables pursuant to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement as a result
of breaches of certain covenants. Subject to certain conditions, the Servicer
also has the right to purchase the Receivables when the aggregate principal
balance thereof is 10% or less of the aggregate principal balance thereof on the
Cutoff Date. Any reinvestment risks resulting from a faster or slower incidence
of prepayment of Receivables will be borne entirely by the Certificateholders.
 
    The rate of prepayments of Receivables cannot be predicted and is influenced
by a wide variety of economic, social, and other factors, including prevailing
interest rates, the availability of alternate financing and local and regional
economic conditions. Therefore, no assurance can be given as to the level of
prepayments that a Trust will experience.
 
    Certificateholders should consider, in the case of Certificates purchased at
a discount, the risk that a slower than anticipated rate of prepayments on the
Receivables could result in an actual yield that is less than the anticipated
yield and, in the case of any Certificates purchased at a premium, the risk that
a faster than anticipated rate of prepayments on the Receivables could result in
an actual yield that is less than the anticipated yield.
 
    LIMITATIONS ON INTEREST PAYMENTS AND FORECLOSURES.  Generally, under the
terms of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940, as amended (the
"Relief Act"), or similar state legislation, an Obligor who enters military
service after the origination of the related Receivable (including an Obligor
who is a member of the National Guard or is in reserve status at the time of the
origination of the Receivable and is later called to active duty) may not be
charged interest (including fees and charges) above an annual rate of 6% during
the period of such Obligor's active duty status, unless a court orders otherwise
upon application of the lender. It is possible that such action could have an
effect, for an indeterminate period of time, on the ability of the Servicer to
collect full amounts of interest on certain of the Receivables. In addition, the
Relief Act imposes limitations that would impair the ability of the Servicer to
foreclose on an affected Receivable during the Obligor's period of active duty
status. Thus, in the event that such a Receivable goes into default, there may
be delays and losses occasioned by the inability of the Servicer to realize upon
the Financed Vehicle in a timely fashion.
 
    FINANCIAL CONDITION OF CPS.  CPS is generally not obligated to make any
payments in respect of the Certificates or the Receivables of a specific Trust.
If CPS were to cease acting as Servicer, delays in processing payments on the
Receivables and information in respect thereof could occur and result in delays
in payments to the Certificateholders.
 
    In certain circumstances, CPS will be required to acquire Receivables from
the related Trust with respect to which such representations and warranties have
been breached. In the event that CPS is incapable of complying with its
repurchase obligations and no other party is obligated to perform or satisfy
such obligations, Certificateholders of the applicable Trust may be subject to
delays in receiving payments and suffer loss of their investment in the
Certificates.
 
    The related Prospectus Supplement will set forth certain information
regarding CPS. In addition, CPS is subject to the information requirements of
the Exchange Act and, in accordance therewith, file reports
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
and other information with the Commission. For further information regarding CPS
reference is made to such reports and other information which are available as
described under "Available Information".
 
                             FORMATION OF THE TRUST
 
    With respect to each Series of Certificates, the Seller will establish a
separate Trust pursuant to a Pooling and Servicing Agreement for the
transactions described herein and in the related Prospectus Supplement. The
Seller will establish each Trust by selling and assigning the Trust Assets, as
described below, to the applicable Trustee in exchange for Certificates issued
by such Trust. Prior to such sale and assignment, the Trust will have no assets
or obligations or any operating history. The Trust will not engage in any
business. The Trust will hold the Receivables, issue the Certificates and
distribute payments on the Certificates.
 
    The Servicer will initially service the Receivables comprising the Trust
Assets pursuant to the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement and will be
compensated for acting as the Servicer. See "Description of the Pooling and
Servicing Agreements--Servicing Compensation". The Trustee will be appointed
custodian for the Receivables and the certificates of title relating to the
Financed Vehicles, and the Receivables and such certificates of title will be
delivered to and held in physical custody by the Trustee. However, the
Receivables will not be marked or stamped to indicate that they have been sold
to the Trust, and the certificates of title of the Financed Vehicles will not be
endorsed or otherwise amended to identify the Trustee as the new secured party.
See "Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables".
 
    No Trust will acquire any assets other than the Trust Assets, and it is not
anticipated that any Trust will have any need for additional capital resources.
Because a Trust will have no operating history upon its establishment and will
not engage in any business other than acquiring and holding the Trust Assets,
issuing the Certificates and distributing payments on the Certificates, no
historical or PRO FORMA financial statements or ratios of earnings to fixed
charges with respect to any Trust have been included herein.
 
                                THE TRUST ASSETS
 
    Each Certificate issued by a Trust will represent a fractional undivided
interest in such Trust, other than interest received by the Trust in excess of
the applicable Pass-Through Rate for such Certificate, as specified in the
applicable Prospectus Supplement. To the extent specified in the Prospectus
Supplement for a Trust, the Trust Assets of a Trust will include a pool (a
"Receivables Pool") of retail installment sale contracts between dealers (the
"Dealers") in new and used automobiles, light trucks, vans and minivans and
retail purchasers (the "Obligors") and, with respect to Rule of 78's
Receivables, certain monies due thereunder after the applicable Cutoff Date,
and, with respect to Simple Interest Receivables, certain monies received
thereunder after the applicable Cutoff Date. Pursuant to agreements between the
Dealers and CPS ("Dealer Agreements"), the Receivables will be purchased by CPS.
As further described in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Trust Assets of a
Trust will also include (i) such amounts as from time to time may be held in one
or more trust accounts established and maintained by the Trustee pursuant to the
Agreement; (ii) the rights of the Seller under the Purchase Agreement; (iii)
security interests in the Financed Vehicles; (iv) the rights of the Seller to
receive any proceeds with respect to the Receivables from claims on physical
damage, credit life and credit accident and health insurance policies covering
the Financed Vehicles or the Obligors, as the case may be; (v) the rights of the
Seller to refunds for the costs of extended service contracts and to refunds of
unearned premiums with respect to credit life and credit accident and health
insurance policies covering the Financed Vehicles or Obligors, as the case may
be; and (vi) any and all proceeds of the foregoing. If so specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the Trust Assets also will include the Credit
Enhancement provided for the benefit of Certificateholders of such Trust. Any
Payahead Account will be maintained with the applicable Trustee for the benefit
of the Obligors, but will not be part of the Trust.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
    If so provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, the property of a Trust
may also include a Pre-Funded Amount, which the Seller will deposit to the
Pre-Funding Account on the Closing Date and which will be used by the Trust to
purchase Subsequent Receivables from the Seller during the related Funding
Period. Any Subsequent Receivables so conveyed to a Trust will also be assets of
such Trust.
 
    If the protection provided to Certificateholders, if any, by any such Credit
Enhancement is insufficient, such Certificateholders will have to look to
payments by or on behalf of Obligors on the related Receivables and the proceeds
from the repossession and sale of Financed Vehicles that secure defaulted
Receivables for distributions of principal and interest on the Certificates. In
such event, certain factors, such as the applicable Trust's not having perfected
security interests in all of the Financed Vehicles, may limit the ability of a
Trust to realize on the collateral securing the related Receivables, or may
limit the amount realized to less than the amount due under the related
Receivables. Certificateholders may thus be subject to delays in payment on, or
may incur losses on their investment in, such Certificates as a result of
defaults or delinquencies by Obligors and depreciation in the value of the
related Financed Vehicles. See "Description of the Pooling and Servicing
Agreements--Credit and Cash Flow Enhancement" and "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Receivables".
 
    The Receivables comprising the Trust Assets will, as specifically described
in the related Prospectus Supplement, be either (i) originated by CPS, (ii)
originated by various manufacturers (or their captive finance companies) and
acquired by CPS, (iii) originated by various Dealers and acquired by CPS or (iv)
acquired by CPS from other originators or owners of Receivables. Such
Receivables will generally have been originated by CPS or acquired by CPS in
accordance with CPS's specified underwriting criteria. The underwriting criteria
applicable to the Receivables included in any Trust will be described in all
material respects in the related Prospectus Supplement.
 
    The Receivables included in the Trust Assets will be selected from those
Receivables held by CPS based on the criteria specified in the applicable
Pooling and Servicing Agreement and described herein or in the related
Prospectus Supplement.
 
                    ACQUISITION OF RECEIVABLES BY THE SELLER
 
    On or prior to each Closing Date, CPS will sell and assign to the Seller,
without recourse, except as provided in the Purchase Agreement, its entire
interest in the applicable Receivables, together with its security interests in
the Financed Vehicles, pursuant to a purchase agreement between CPS and the
Seller (the "Purchase Agreement").
 
    In each Purchase Agreement, CPS will represent and warrant to the Seller,
among other things, that (i) the information provided with respect to the
applicable Receivables is correct in all material respects; (ii) at the date of
issuance of the Certificates, physical damage insurance covering each Financed
Vehicle is in effect in accordance with CPS's normal requirements; (iii) at the
date of issuance of the applicable Certificates, the related Receivables are
free and clear of all security interests, liens, charges, and encumbrances and
no offsets, defenses, or counterclaims against Dealers have been asserted or
threatened; (iv) at the date of issuance of the Certificates, each of the
Receivables is or will be secured by a first-priority perfected security
interest in the Financed Vehicle in favor of CPS; and (v) each Receivable, at
the time it was originated, complied and, at the date of issuance of the
Certificates, complies in all material respects with applicable federal and
state laws, including, without limitation, consumer credit, truth in lending,
equal credit opportunity and disclosure laws. As of the last day of the second
(or, if CPS elects, the first) month following the discovery by or notice to the
Seller and CPS of a breach of any representation or warranty that materially and
adversely affects a Receivable, unless the breach is cured, CPS will purchase
such Receivable from the Trust for the Purchase Amount. The "Purchase Amount"
equals the unpaid principal balance owed by the Obligor plus interest thereon at
the respective APR to the last day of the month of repurchase. The repurchase
obligation will constitute the sole remedy available to the Certificateholders,
the Credit Enhancer (if any) or the Trustee for any such uncured breach.
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
                                THE RECEIVABLES
 
RECEIVABLES POOLS
 
    Information with respect to the Receivables in the related Receivables Pool
will be set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement, including, to the extent
appropriate, the composition of such Receivables and the distribution of such
Receivables by geographic concentration, payment frequency and current principal
balance as of the applicable Cutoff Date.
 
    If so provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Seller will be
obligated pursuant to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement to sell Subsequent
Receivables to the Trust, and the Trust will be obligated to purchase such
Subsequent Receivables, subject only to the satisfaction of certain conditions
set forth in the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and described in the related
Prospectus Supplement. If the principal amount of the eligible Subsequent
Receivables acquired by the Seller from the CPS during a Funding Period is less
than the Pre-Funded Amount, the Seller may have insufficient Subsequent
Receivables to transfer to a Trust and holders of one or more classes of the
related Series of Certificates may receive a prepayment or early distribution of
principal at the end of the Funding Period as described above under "Risk
Factors--Pre-Funding Accounts".
 
    Any conveyance of Subsequent Receivables to a Trust is subject to the
satisfaction, on or before the related transfer date (each, a "Subsequent
Transfer Date"), of the following conditions precedent, among others: (i) each
such Subsequent Receivable must satisfy the eligibility criteria specified in
the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement; (ii) the Seller shall not have
selected such Subsequent Receivables in a manner that is adverse to the
interests of holders of the related Certificates; (iii) as of the respective
Cutoff Dates for such Subsequent Receivables, all of the Receivables in the
Trust, including the Subsequent Receivables to be conveyed to the Trust as of
such date, must satisfy the parameters described under "The Receivables Pool" in
the related Prospectus Supplement; and (iv) the Seller must execute and deliver
to such Trust a written assignment conveying such Subsequent Receivables to such
Trust. In addition, as and to the extent specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the conveyance of Subsequent Receivables to a Trust is subject to
the satisfaction of the condition subsequent, among others, which must be
satisfied within the applicable time period specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, that the Seller deliver certain legal opinions to the related
Trustee with respect to the validity of the conveyance of the Subsequent
Receivables to the Trust. If any such conditions precedent or conditions
subsequent are not met with respect to any Subsequent Receivables within the
time period specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, CPS or the Seller,
as specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, will be required to
repurchase such Subsequent Receivables from the related Trust, at a purchase
price equal to the related Repurchase Amounts therefor.
 
    Except as described herein and in the related Prospectus Supplement, there
will be no other required characteristics of Subsequent Receivables. Therefore,
the characteristics of the entire Receivables Pool included in any Trust may
vary significantly as Subsequent Receivables are conveyed to such Trust from
time to time during the Funding Period or Revolving Period.
 
THE RECEIVABLES
 
    As specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Receivables may
consist of any combination of Rule of 78s Receivables, Actuarial Receivables or
Simple Interest Receivables. Generally, "Rule of 78s Receivables" provide for
fixed level monthly payments which will amortize the full amount of the
Receivable over its term. The Rule of 78s Receivables provide for allocation of
payments according to the "sum of periodic balances" or "sum of monthly
payments" method (the "Rule of 78s"). Each Rule of 78s Receivable provides for
the payment by the Obligor of a specified total amount of payments, payable in
monthly installments on the related due date, which total represents the
principal amount financed and finance charges in an amount calculated on the
basis of a stated annual percentage rate ("APR") for the term of such
Receivable. The rate at which such amount of finance charges is earned and,
correspondingly,
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
the amount of each fixed monthly payment allocated to reduction of the
outstanding principal balance of the related Receivable are calculated in
accordance with the Rule of 78s. Under the Rule of 78s, the portion of each
payment allocable to interest is higher during the early months of the term of a
Receivable and lower during later months than that under a constant yield method
for allocating payments between interest and principal. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, as specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, all payments
received by the Servicer on or in respect of the Rule of 78s Receivables may be
allocated on an actuarial or simple interest basis.
 
    Generally, "Actuarial Receivables" provide for monthly payments with a final
fixed value payment which is greater than the scheduled monthly payments. An
Actuarial Receivable provides for amortization of the amount financed over a
series of fixed level payment monthly installments, but also requires a final
fixed value payment due after payment of such monthly installments which may be
satisfied by (i) payment in full in cash of such amount, (ii) transfer of the
Financed Vehicle to CPS, provided certain conditions are satisfied or (iii)
refinancing the fixed value payment in accordance with certain conditions.
 
    "Simple Interest Receivables" provide for the amortization of the amount
financed under the Receivable over a series of fixed level monthly payments.
However, unlike the monthly payment under Rule of 78s Receivables, each monthly
payment consists of an installment of interest which is calculated on the basis
of the outstanding principal balance of the receivable multiplied by the stated
APR and further multiplied by the period elapsed (as a fraction of a calendar
year) since the preceding payment of interest was made. As payments are received
under a Simple Interest Receivable, the amount received is applied first to
interest accrued to the date of payment and the balance is applied to reduce the
unpaid principal balance. Accordingly, if an Obligor pays a fixed monthly
installment before its scheduled due date, the portion of the payment allocable
to interest for the period since the preceding payment was made will be less
than it would have been had the payment been made as scheduled, and the portion
of the payment applied to reduce the unpaid principal balance will be
correspondingly greater. Conversely, if an Obligor pays a fixed monthly
installment after its scheduled due date, the portion of the payment allocable
to interest for the period since the preceding payment was made will be greater
than it would have been had the payment been made as scheduled, and the portion
of the payment applied to reduce the unpaid principal balance will be
correspondingly less. In either case, the Obligor pays a fixed monthly
installment until the final scheduled payment date, at which time the amount of
the final installment is increased or decreased as necessary to repay the then
outstanding principal balance.
 
    If an Obligor elects to prepay a Rule of 78s Receivable in full, it is
entitled to a rebate of the portion of the outstanding balance then due and
payable attributable to unearned finance charges. If a Simple Interest
Receivable is prepaid, rather than receive a rebate, the Obligor is required to
pay interest only to the date of prepayment. The amount of a rebate under a Rule
of 78s Receivable calculated in accordance with the Rule of 78s will always be
less than had such rebate been calculated on an actuarial basis and generally
will be less than the remaining scheduled payments of interest that would be due
under a Simple Interest Receivable for which all payments were made on schedule.
Distributions to Certificateholders may not be affected by Rule of 78s rebates
under the Rule of 78s Receivable because, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, such distributions may be determined using the actuarial or simple
interest method.
 
DELINQUENCIES, REPOSSESSIONS, AND NET LOSSES
 
    Certain information relating to CPS's delinquency, repossession and net loss
experience with respect to Receivables it has originated or acquired will be set
forth in each Prospectus Supplement. This information may include, among other
things, the experience with respect to all Receivables in CPS's portfolio during
certain specified periods. There can be no assurance that the delinquency,
repossession and net loss experience with respect to any Trust will be
comparable to CPS's prior experience.
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
MATURITY AND PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
 
    As more fully described in the related Prospectus Supplement, if a
Receivable permits prepayment, such payment, together with accelerated payments
resulting from defaults, will shorten the weighted average life of the related
pool of Receivables and the weighted average life of the related Certificates.
The rate of prepayments on the Receivables may be influenced by a variety of
economic, financial and other factors. In addition, under certain circumstances,
CPS will be obligated to acquire Receivables from the related Trust pursuant to
the applicable Pooling and Servicing Agreement or Purchase Agreement as a result
of breaches of representations and warranties. Any reinvestment risks resulting
from a faster or slower amortization of the related Certificates which results
from prepayments will be borne entirely by the related Certificateholders.
 
    The related Prospectus Supplement will set forth certain additional
information with respect to the maturity and prepayment considerations
applicable to a particular pool of Receivables and the related Series of
Certificates, together with a description of any applicable prepayment
penalties.
 
                      CPS'S AUTOMOBILE CONTRACT PORTFOLIO
 
GENERAL
 
    CPS was incorporated in the State of California on March 8, 1991. CPS and
its subsidiaries engage primarily in the business of purchasing, selling and
servicing retail automobile installment sales contracts ("Contracts") originated
by Dealers located primarily in California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas,
Illinois and Nevada. CPS specializes in Contracts with borrowers ("Sub-Prime
Borrowers") who generally would not be expected to qualify for traditional
financing such as that provided by commercial banks or automobile manufacturers'
captive finance companies. Sub-Prime Borrowers generally have limited credit
history, lower than average income or past credit problems.
 
    CPS purchases Contracts from Dealers with the intent to resell them. CPS
also purchases Contracts from third parties that have been originated by others.
Prior to the issuances of the Certificates, Contracts have been sold to
institutional investors either as bulk sales or as private placements or public
offerings of securities collateralized by the Contracts. Purchasers of Contracts
receive a pass-through rate of interest set at the time of the sale, and CPS
receives a base servicing fee for its duties relating to the accounting for and
collection of the Contracts. In addition, CPS is entitled to certain excess
servicing fees that represent collection on the Contracts in excess of those
required to pay principal and interest due to the investor at face value and
without recourse except that the representations and warranties made to CPS by
the Dealers are similarly made to the investors by CPS. CPS has some credit risk
with respect to the excess servicing fees it receives in connection with the
sale of contracts to investors and its continued servicing function since the
receipt by CPS of such excess servicing fees is dependent upon the credit
performance of the Contracts. Additional information with respect to CPS's
automobile contract portfolio, including information regarding CPS's
underwriting criteria and servicing and collection procedures, will be set forth
in each Prospectus Supplement.
 
    The principal executive offices of CPS are located at 2 Ada, Irvine,
California 92718. CPS's telephone number is (714) 753-6800.
 
    For further information about CPS see "CPS's Automobile Contract Portfolio"
in the Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                  POOL FACTORS
 
    The "Pool Factor" for each class of Certificates will be a seven-digit
decimal, which the Servicer will compute prior to each distribution with respect
to such class of Certificates, indicating the remaining outstanding principal
balance of such class of Certificates as of the applicable Distribution Date, as
a fraction of the initial outstanding principal balance of such class of
Certificates. Each Pool Factor will be
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
initially 1.0000000, and thereafter will decline to reflect reductions in the
outstanding principal balance of the applicable class of Certificates. A
Certificateholder's portion of the aggregate outstanding principal balance of
the related class of Certificates is the product of (i) the original aggregate
purchase price of such Certificateholder's Certificates and (ii) the applicable
Pool Factor.
 
    As more specifically described in the related Prospectus Supplement with
respect to each Series of Certificates, the related Certificateholders of record
will receive reports on or about each Distribution Date concerning the payments
received on the Receivables, the Pool Balance (as such term is defined in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the "Pool Balance"), each Pool Factor and various
other items of information. In addition, Certificateholders of record during any
calendar year will be furnished information for tax reporting purposes not later
than the latest date permitted by law.
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
    Unless otherwise provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, the net
proceeds from the sale of the Certificates of a Series will be applied by the
applicable Trust to the purchase of the Receivables from the applicable Seller
and to make the deposit of the Pre-Funded Amount, if any, to the Pre-Funding
Account. The Seller will use the portion of such proceeds paid to it for general
corporate purposes.
 
                               THE SELLER AND CPS
 
    Each Seller will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of CPS. CPS Receivables Corp.
was incorporated in the State of California in June of 1994. CPS Receivables
Corp. was, and each other Seller will be, organized for the limited purpose of
purchasing automobile installment sale contracts from CPS and transferring such
receivables to third parties and any activities incidental to and necessary or
convenient for the accomplishment of such purposes. The principal executive
offices of CPS Receivables Corp. are located at 2 Ada, Suite 100, Irvine,
California 92718; telephone (714) 753-6800.
 
    The Seller has taken steps in structuring the transaction contemplated
hereby that are intended to make it unlikely that the voluntary or involuntary
petition for relief by CPS under any Insolvency Law will result in consolidation
of the assets and liabilities of the Seller or the Trust with those of CPS.
These steps include the creation of the Seller as a separate, limited-purpose
subsidiary pursuant to articles of incorporation containing certain limitations
(including restrictions on the nature of the Seller's business and a restriction
on the Seller's ability to commence a voluntary case or proceeding under any
Insolvency Law without the prior unanimous affirmative vote of all of its
directors). However, there can be no assurance that the activities of the Seller
would not result in a court concluding that the assets and liabilities of the
Seller should be consolidated with those of CPS in a proceeding under any
Insolvency Law.
 
    The Seller has received the advice of counsel to the effect that, subject to
certain facts, assumptions and qualifications, in a properly presented case
under current law, in the event that CPS becomes a debtor in a case under the
Bankruptcy Code, a United States Bankruptcy Court would not order the
substantive consolidation of the assets and liabilities of the Seller with those
of CPS. Among other things, it is assumed by counsel that the Seller will follow
certain procedures in the conduct of its affairs, including maintaining records
and books of account separate from those of CPS, refraining from commingling its
assets with those of CPS and refraining from holding itself out as having agreed
to pay, or being liable for, the debts of CPS. The Seller intends to follow and
has represented to such counsel that it will follow these and other procedures
related to maintaining its separate corporate identity. However, in the event
that the Seller did not follow these procedures, and in certain other
circumstances, there can be no assurance that a court would not conclude that
the assets and liabilities of the Seller should be consolidated with those of
CPS. If a court were to reach such a conclusion, or a filing were made to
litigate any of the foregoing issues, delays in distributions on the
Certificates (and possible reductions in the amount of such distributions) could
occur. See "Risk Factors--Certain Legal Aspects".
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
    CPS was incorporated in the State of California on March 8, 1991. On October
22, 1992, CPS completed a public offering of 1,300,000 shares (approximately 31%
of the shares then outstanding) of its common stock at an initial price of $5.00
per share. Prior to that time, 100% of the common stock of CPS was owned by CPS
Holdings, Inc., a holding company the majority of the shares of which are owned
by Charles E. Bradley, Sr. On March 6, 1995, CPS completed a second public
offering of 1,000,000 shares (approximately 18.5% of the shares then
outstanding) of its common stock at $14.75 per share. CPS and its subsidiaries
engage primarily in the business of purchasing, selling and servicing Contracts
originated by Dealers located primarily in California, Florida, Pennsylvania,
Texas, Illinois and Nevada. CPS specializes in Contracts with Sub-Prime
Borrowers who generally would not be expected to qualify for traditional
financing such as that provided by commercial banks or automobile manufacturers'
captive finance companies. Sub-Prime Borrowers generally have limited credit
history, lower than average income or past credit problems. CPS also provides
accounting and collection services to third party owners of automobile loan
portfolios that were not originated by CPS. CPS's executive offices are located
at 2 Ada, Suite 100, Irvine, California 92718; telephone (714) 753-6800.
 
                        DESCRIPTION OF THE CERTIFICATES
 
GENERAL
 
    Each Trust will, if so provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, issue
one or more classes of Certificates pursuant to a Pooling and Servicing
Agreement. A form of Pooling and Servicing Agreement has been filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part. The
following summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to, the provisions of the related
Certificates and Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
 
    Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement and except
for the Certificates, if any, of a Series purchased by CPS, each class of
Certificates will initially be represented by one or more certificates
registered in the name of the Seller. Certificates will be available for
purchase in the minimum denominations specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement and, unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
in book-entry form only. The Seller has been informed by DTC that DTC's nominee
will be Cede, unless another nominee is specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement. Accordingly, such nominee is expected to be the holder of record of
the Certificates of any Series that are not purchased by CPS. Unless and until
Definitive Certificates are issued under the limited circumstances described
herein or in the related Prospectus Supplement, no Certificateholder (other than
CPS) will be entitled to receive a physical certificate representing a
Certificate. All references herein and in the related Prospectus Supplement to
actions by Certificateholders refer to actions taken by DTC upon instructions
from the Participants, and all references herein and in the related Prospectus
Supplement to distributions, notices, reports and statements to
Certificateholders refer to distributions, notices, reports and statements to
DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of the
Certificates, for distribution to Certificateholders in accordance with DTC's
procedures with respect thereto. See "Certain Information Regarding the
Certificates--Book-Entry Registration" and "--Definitive Certificates". Any
Certificate of a Series owned by CPS will be entitled to equal and proportionate
benefits under the applicable Pooling and Servicing Agreement, except that such
Certificates will be deemed not to be outstanding for the purpose of determining
whether the requisite percentage of Certificateholders has given any request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, or consent or taken any other action
under the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
 
DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST
 
    The timing and priority of distributions, seniority, allocations of losses,
Pass-Through Rate and amount of or method of determining distributions with
respect to principal and interest on each class of Certificates of a Series will
be described in the related Prospectus Supplement. Distributions of interest on
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
such Certificates will be made on the dates specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement (the "Distribution Date") and, if so specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, will be made prior to distributions with respect to
principal of such Certificates. To the extent provided in the related Prospectus
Supplement, a Series of Certificates may include one or more classes of Strip
Certificates entitled to (i) principal distributions with disproportionate,
nominal or no interest distributions or (ii) interest distributions with
disproportionate, nominal or no principal distributions. Each class of
Certificates may have a different Pass-Through Rate, which may be a fixed,
variable or adjustable Pass-Through Rate (and which may be zero for certain
classes of Strip Certificates) or any combination of the foregoing. The related
Prospectus Supplement will specify the Pass-Through Rate for each class of
Certificates of a Series or the method for determining such Pass-Through Rate.
 
    In the case of a Series of Certificates that includes two or more classes of
Certificates, the timing, sequential order, priority of payment or amount of
distributions in respect of interest and principal, and any schedule or formula
or other provisions applicable to the determination thereof, of each such class
shall be as set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement. Distributions in
respect of interest on and principal of any class of Certificates will be made
on a PRO RATA basis among all holders of Certificates of such class.
 
                 CERTAIN INFORMATION REGARDING THE CERTIFICATES
 
FIXED RATE CERTIFICATES
 
    Each class of Certificates (other than certain classes of Strip
Certificates) may bear interest at a fixed rate per annum ("Fixed Rate
Certificates") or at a variable or adjustable rate per annum ("Floating Rate
Certificates"), as more fully described below and in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement. Each class of Fixed Rate Certificates will bear interest at the
applicable per annum Pass-Through Rate specified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement. Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement,
interest on each class of Fixed Rate Certificates will be computed on the basis
of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
 
FLOATING RATE CERTIFICATES
 
    Each class of Floating Rate Certificates will bear interest for each
applicable Interest Reset Period (as such term is defined in the related
Prospectus Supplement with respect to a class of Floating Rate Certificates, the
"Interest Reset Period") at a rate per annum determined by reference to an
interest rate basis (the "Base Rate"), plus or minus the Spread, if any, or
multiplied by the Spread Multiplier, if any, in each case as specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. The "Spread" is the number of basis points (one
basis point equals one one-hundredth of a percentage point) that may be
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement as being applicable to such
class, and the "Spread Multiplier" is the percentage that may be specified in
the applicable Prospectus Supplement as being applicable to such class.
 
    The applicable Prospectus Supplement will designate one of the following
Base Rates as applicable to a given Floating Rate Certificate: (i) LIBOR (a
"LIBOR Certificate"), (ii) the Commercial Paper Rate (a "Commercial Paper Rate
Certificate"), (iii) the Treasury Rate (a "Treasury Rate Certificate"), (iv) the
Federal Funds Rate (a "Federal Funds Rate Certificate"), (v) the CD Rate (a "CD
Rate Certificate") or (vi) such other Base Rate as is set forth in such
Prospectus Supplement. The "Index Maturity" for any class of Floating Rate
Certificates is the period of maturity of the instrument or obligation from
which the Base Rate is calculated. "H.15(519)" means the publication entitled
"Statistical Release H.15(519), Selected Interest Rates", or any successor
publication, published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
"Composite Quotations" means the daily statistical release entitled "Composite
3:30 p.m. Quotations for U.S. Government Securities" published by the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York. "Interest Reset Date" will be the first day of the
applicable Interest Reset Period, or such other day as may be specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement with respect to a class of Floating Rate
Certificates.
 
                                       23
<PAGE>
    As specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, Floating Rate
Certificates of a given class may also have either or both of the following (in
each case expressed as a rate per annum): (i) a maximum limitation, or ceiling,
on the rate at which interest may accrue during any interest period and (ii) a
minimum limitation, or floor, on the rate at which interest may accrue during
any interest period. In addition to any maximum interest rate that may be
applicable to any class of Floating Rate Certificates, the interest rate
applicable to any class of Floating Rate Certificates will in no event be higher
than the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, as the same may be modified
by United States law of general application.
 
    Each Trust with respect to which a class of Floating Rate Certificates will
be issued will appoint, and enter into agreements with, a calculation agent
(each, a "Calculation Agent") to calculate interest rates on each such class of
Floating Rate Certificates issued with respect thereto. The applicable
Prospectus Supplement will set forth the identity of the Calculation Agent for
each such class of Floating Rate Certificates of a given Series, which may be
either the related Trustee or Indenture Trustee with respect to such Series. All
determinations of interest by the Calculation Agent shall, in the absence of
manifest error, be conclusive for all purposes and binding on the holders of
Floating Rate Certificates of a given class. All percentages resulting from any
calculation of the rate of interest on a Floating Rate Certificate will be
rounded, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100,000 of 1% (.0000001), with five
one-millionths of a percentage point rounded upward.
 
    CD RATE CERTIFICATES.  Each CD Rate Certificate will bear interest for each
Interest Reset Period at the interest rate calculated with reference to the CD
Rate and the Spread or Spread Multiplier, if any, specified in such Security and
in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
 
    The "CD Rate" for each Interest Reset Period shall be the rate as of the
second business day prior to the Interest Reset Date for such Interest Reset
Period (a "CD Rate Determination Date") for negotiable certificates of deposit
having the Index Maturity designated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement as
published in H.15(519) under the heading "Cds (Secondary Market)". In the event
that such rate is not published prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
Calculation Date (as defined below) pertaining to such CD Rate Determination
Date, then the "CD Rate" for such Interest Reset Period will be the rate on such
CD Rate Determination Date for negotiable certificates of deposit of the Index
Maturity designated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement as published in
Composite Quotations under the heading "Certificates of Deposit". If by 3:00
p.m., New York City time, on such Calculation Date such rate is not yet
published in either H.15(519) or Composite Quotations, then the CD Rate for such
Interest Reset Period will be calculated by the Calculation Agent for such CD
Rate Certificate and will be the arithmetic mean of the secondary market offered
rates as of 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such CD Rate Determination Date,
of three leading nonbank dealers in negotiable U.S. dollar certificates of
deposit in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent for such CD
Rate Certificate for negotiable certificates of deposit of major United States
money center banks of the highest credit standing (in the market for negotiable
certificates of deposit) with a remaining maturity closest to the Index Maturity
designated in the related Prospectus Supplement in a denomination of $5,000,000;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the dealers selected as aforesaid by such Calculation
Agent are not quoting offered rates as mentioned in this sentence, the CD Rate
for such Interest Reset Period will be the same as the CD Rate for the
immediately preceding Interest Reset Period.
 
    The "Calculation Date" pertaining to any CD Rate Determination Date shall be
the first to occur of (a) the tenth calendar day after such CD Rate
Determination Date or, if such day is not a business day, the next succeeding
business day or (b) the second business day preceding the date any payment is
required to be made for any period following the applicable Interest Reset Date.
 
    COMMERCIAL PAPER RATE CERTIFICATES.  Each Commercial Paper Rate Certificate
will bear interest for each Interest Reset Period at the interest rate
calculated with reference to the Commercial Paper Rate and
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
the Spread or Spread Multiplier, if any, specified in such Security and in the
applicable Prospectus Supplement.
 
    The "Commercial Paper Rate" for each Interest Reset Period will be
determined by the Calculation Agent for such Commercial Paper Rate Certificate
as of the second business day prior to the Interest Reset Date for such Interest
Reset Period (a "Commercial Paper Rate Determination Date") and shall be the
Money Market Yield (as defined below) on such Commercial Paper Rate
Determination Date for the rate for commercial paper having the Index Maturity
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, as such rate shall be
published in H.15(519) under the heading "Commercial Paper". In the event that
such rate is not published prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
Calculation Date (as defined below) pertaining to such Commercial Paper Rate
Determination Date, then the "Commercial Paper Rate" for such Interest Reset
Period shall be the Money Market Yield on such Commercial Paper Rate
Determination Date for the rate for commercial paper of the specified Index
Maturity as published in Composite Quotations under the heading "Commercial
Paper". If by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on such Calculation Date such rate
is not yet published in either H.15(519) or Composite Quotations, then the
"Commercial Paper Rate" for such Interest Reset Period shall be the Money Market
Yield of the arithmetic mean of the offered rates, as of 11:00 a.m., New York
City time, on such Commercial Paper Rate Determination Date of three leading
dealers of commercial paper in The City of New York selected by the Calculation
Agent for such Commercial Paper Rate Certificate for commercial paper of the
specified Index Maturity placed for an industrial issuer whose bonds are rated
"AA" or the equivalent by a nationally recognized rating agency; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if the dealers selected as aforesaid by such Calculation Agent are
not quoting offered rates as mentioned in this sentence, the "Commercial Paper
Rate" for such Interest Reset Period will be the same as the Commercial Paper
Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period.
 
    "Money Market Yield" shall be a yield calculated in accordance with the
following formula:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                    <C>                <C>
                            D X 360
Money Market Yield =   ----------------     X 100
                         360 - (D x M)
</TABLE>
 
where "D" refers to the applicable per annum rate for commercial paper quoted on
a bank discount basis and expressed as a decimal, and "M" refers to the actual
number of days in the specified Index Maturity.
 
    The "Calculation Date" pertaining to any Commercial Paper Rate Determination
Date shall be the first to occur of (a) the tenth calendar day after such
Commercial Paper Rate Determination Date or, if such day is not a business day,
the next succeeding business day or (b) the second business day preceding the
date any payment is required to be made for any period following the applicable
Interest Reset Date.
 
    FEDERAL FUNDS RATE CERTIFICATES.  Each Federal Funds Rate Certificate will
bear interest for each Interest Reset Period at the interest rate calculated
with reference to the Federal Funds Rate and the Spread or Spread Multiplier, if
any, specified in such Security and in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
 
    The "Federal Funds Rate" for each Interest Reset Period shall be the
effective rate on the Interest Reset Date for such Interest Reset Period (a
"Federal Funds Rate Determination Date") for Federal Funds as published in H.
15(519) under the heading "Federal Funds (Effective)". In the event that such
rate is not published prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Calculation
Date (as defined below) pertaining to such Federal Funds Rate Determination
Date, the "Federal Funds Rate" for such Interest Reset Period shall be the rate
on such Federal Funds Rate Determination Date as published in Composite
Quotations under the heading "Federal Funds/Effective Rate". If by 3:00 p.m.,
New York City time, on such Calculation Date such rate is not yet published in
either H. 15(519) or Composite Quotations, then the "Federal Funds Rate" for
such Interest Reset Period shall be the rate on such Federal Funds Rate
Determination Date made publicly available by the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York which is equivalent
 
                                       25
<PAGE>
to the rate which appears in H.15(519) under the heading "Federal Funds
(Effective)"; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such rate is not made publicly
available by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York by 3:00 p.m., New York City
time, on such Calculation Date, the "Federal Funds Rate" for such Interest Reset
Period will be the same as the Federal Funds Rate in effect for the immediately
preceding Interest Reset Period. In the case of a Federal Funds Rate Certificate
that resets daily, the interest rate on such Security for the period from and
including a Monday to but excluding the succeeding Monday will be reset by the
Calculation Agent for such Certificate on such second Monday (or, if not a
business day, on the next succeeding business day) to a rate equal to the
average of the Federal Funds Rates in effect with respect to each such day in
such week.
 
    The "Calculation Date" pertaining to any Federal Funds Rate Determination
Date shall be the next succeeding business day.
 
    LIBOR CERTIFICATES.  Each LIBOR Certificate will bear interest for each
Interest Reset Period at the interest rate calculated with reference to LIBOR
and the Spread or Spread Multiplier, if any, specified in such Certificate and
in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
 
    With respect to LIBOR indexed to the offered rates for U.S. dollar deposits,
"LIBOR" for each Interest Reset Period will be determined by the Calculation
Agent for any LIBOR Certificate as follows:
 
        (i) On the second London Banking Day prior to the Interest Reset Date
    for such Interest Reset Period (a "LIBOR Determination Date"), the
    Calculation Agent for such LIBOR Certificate will determine the arithmetic
    mean of the offered rates for deposits in U.S. dollars for the period of the
    Index Maturity specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, commencing
    on such Interest Reset Date, which appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page at
    approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date. For
    purposes of calculating LIBOR, "London Banking Day" means any business day
    on which dealings in deposits in United States dollars are transacted in the
    London interbank market and "Reuters Screen LIBO Page" means the display
    designated as page "LIBO" on the Reuters Monitor Money Rates Service (or
    such other page as may replace the LIBO page on that service for the purpose
    of displaying London interbank offered rates of major banks). If at least
    two such offered rates appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page, "LIBOR" for
    such Interest Reset Period will be the arithmetic mean of such offered rates
    as determined by the Calculation Agent for such LIBOR Certificate.
 
        (ii) If fewer than two offered rates appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO
    Page on such LIBOR Determination Date, the Calculation Agent for such LIBOR
    Certificate will request the principal London offices of each of four major
    banks in the London interbank market selected by such Calculation Agent to
    provide such Calculation Agent with its offered quotations for deposits in
    U.S. dollars for the period of the specified Index Maturity, commencing on
    such Interest Reset Date, to prime banks in the London interbank market at
    approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date and
    in a principal amount equal to an amount of not less than $1,000,000 that is
    representative of a single transaction in such market at such time. If at
    least two such quotations are provided, "LIBOR" for such Interest Reset
    Period will be the arithmetic mean of such quotations. If fewer than two
    such quotations are provided, "LIBOR" for such Interest Reset Period will be
    the arithmetic mean of rates quoted by three major banks in The City of New
    York selected by the Calculation Agent for such LIBOR Certificate at
    approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such LIBOR Determination
    Date for loans in U.S. dollars to leading European banks, for the period of
    the specified Index Maturity, commencing on such Interest Reset Date, and in
    a principal amount equal to an amount of not less than $1,000,000 that is
    representative of a single transaction in such market at such time;
    PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the banks selected as aforesaid by such
    Calculation Agent are not quoting rates as mentioned in this sentence,
    "LIBOR" for such Interest Reset Period will be the same as LIBOR for the
    immediately preceding Interest Reset Period.
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
    TREASURY RATE CERTIFICATES.  Each Treasury Rate Certificate will bear
interest for each Interest Reset Period at the interest rate calculated with
reference to the Treasury Rate and the Spread or Spread Multiplier, if any,
specified in such Security and in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
 
    The "Treasury Rate" for each Interest Period will be the rate for the
auction held on the Treasury Rate Determination Date (as defined below) for such
Interest Reset Period of direct obligations of the United States ("Treasury
bills") having the Index Maturity specified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement, as such rate shall be published in H.15(519) under the heading "U.S.
Government Securities-Treasury bills-auction average (investment)" or, in the
event that such rate is not published prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on
the Calculation Date (as defined below) pertaining to such Treasury Rate
Determination Date, the auction average rate (expressed as a bond equivalent on
the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and applied on a daily
basis) on such Treasury Rate Determination Date as otherwise announced by the
United States Department of the Treasury. In the event that the results of the
auction of Treasury bills having the specified Index Maturity are not published
or reported as provided above by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on such
Calculation Date, or if no such auction is held on such Treasury Rate
Determination Date, then the "Treasury Rate" for such Interest Reset Period
shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent for such Treasury Rate Certificate
and shall be the yield to maturity (expressed as a bond equivalent on the basis
of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and applied on a daily basis) of
the arithmetic mean of the secondary market bid rates, as of approximately 3:30
p.m., New York City time, on such Treasury Rate Determination Date, of three
leading primary United States government securities dealers selected by such
Calculation Agent for the issue of Treasury bills with a remaining maturity
closest to the specified Index Maturity; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the dealers
selected as aforesaid by such Calculation Agent are not quoting bid rates as
mentioned in this sentence, then the "Treasury Rate" for such Interest Reset
Period will be the same as the Treasury Rate for the immediately preceding
Interest Reset Period.
 
    The "Treasury Rate Determination Date" for each Interest Reset Period will
be the day of the week in which the Interest Reset Date for such Interest Reset
Period falls on which Treasury bills would normally be auctioned. Treasury bills
are normally sold at auction on Monday of each week, unless that day is a legal
holiday, in which case the auction is normally held on the following Tuesday,
except that such auction may be held on the preceding Friday. If, as the result
of a legal holiday, an auction is so held on the preceding Friday, such Friday
will be the Treasury Rate Determination Date pertaining to the Interest Reset
Period commencing in the next succeeding week. If an auction date shall fall on
any day that would otherwise be an Interest Reset Date for a Treasury Rate
Certificate, then such Interest Reset Date shall instead be the business day
immediately following such auction date.
 
    The "Calculation Date" pertaining to any Treasury Rate Determination Date
shall be the first to occur of (a) the tenth calendar day after such Treasury
Rate Determination Date or, if such a day is not a business day, the next
succeeding business day or (b) the second business day preceding the date any
payment is required to be made for any period following the applicable Interest
Reset Date.
 
BOOK-ENTRY REGISTRATION
 
    As may be described in the related Prospectus Supplement, Certificateholders
of a given Series may hold their Certificates through DTC (in the United States)
or CEDEL or Euroclear (in Europe) if they are participants of such systems, or
indirectly through organizations that are participants in such systems.
 
    Cede, as nominee for DTC, will hold the global Certificates in respect of a
given Series. CEDEL and Euroclear will hold omnibus positions on behalf of the
CEDEL Participants (as defined below) and the Euroclear Participants (as defined
below) (collectively, the "Participants"), respectively, through customers'
securities accounts in CEDEL's and Euroclear's names on the books of their
respective depositaries (collectively, the "Depositaries") which in turn will
hold such positions in customers' securities accounts in the Depositaries' names
on the books of DTC.
 
                                       27
<PAGE>
    DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State
of New York, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation"
within the meaning of the New York UCC and a "clearing agency" registered
pursuant to Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities
for its Participants and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of
securities transactions between Participants through electronic book-entries,
thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of notes or certificates.
Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and
clearing corporations. Indirect access to the DTC system also is available to
others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or
maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or
indirectly ("Indirect Participants").
 
    Transfers between DTC Participants will occur in accordance with DTC rules.
Transfers between CEDEL Participants and Euroclear Participants will occur in
the ordinary way in accordance with their applicable rules and operating
procedures.
 
    Cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly
through DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through CEDEL
Participants or Euroclear Participants, on the other, will be effected in DTC in
accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European international
clearing system by its Depository; however, such cross-market transactions will
require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing
system by the counterparty in such system in accordance with its rules and
procedures and within its established deadlines (European time). The relevant
European international clearing system will, if the transaction meets its
settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its Depository to take action
to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving securities
in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for
same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. CEDEL Participants and Euroclear
Participants may not deliver instructions directly to the Depositaries.
 
    Because of time-zone differences, credits of securities in CEDEL or
Euroclear as a result of a transaction with a DTC Participant will be made
during the subsequent securities settlement processing, dated the business day
following the DTC settlement date, and such credits or any transactions in such
securities settled during such processing will be reported to the relevant CEDEL
Participant or Euroclear Participant on such business day. Cash received in
CEDEL or Euroclear as a result of sales of securities by or through a CEDEL
Participant or a Euroclear Participant to a DTC Participant will be received
with value on the DTC settlement date but will be available in the relevant
CEDEL or Euroclear cash account only as of the business day following settlement
in DTC.
 
    The Certificateholders of a given Series that are not Participants or
Indirect Participants but desire to purchase, sell or otherwise transfer
ownership of, or other interests in, Certificates of such Series may do so only
through Participants and Indirect Participants. In addition, Certificateholders
of a given Series will receive all distributions of principal and interest
through the Participants who in turn will receive them from DTC. Under a
book-entry format, Certificateholders of a given Series may experience some
delay in their receipt of payments, since such payments will be forwarded by the
applicable Trustee to Cede, as nominee for DTC. DTC will forward such payments
to its Participants, which thereafter will forward them to Indirect Participants
or such Certificateholders. It is anticipated that the only "Certificateholder"
in respect of any Series will be Cede, as nominee of DTC. Certificateholders of
a given Series will not be recognized as Certificateholders of such Series, and
such Certificateholders will be permitted to exercise the rights of
Certificateholders of such Series only indirectly through DTC and its
Participants.
 
    Under the rules, regulations and procedures creating and affecting DTC and
its operations (the "Rules"), DTC is required to make book-entry transfers of
Certificates of a given Series among Participants on whose behalf it acts with
respect to such Certificates and to receive and transmit distributions of
principal of, and interest on, such Certificates. Participants and Indirect
Participants with which the Certificateholders of a given Series have accounts
with respect to such Certificates similarly are required to
 
                                       28
<PAGE>
make book-entry transfers and receive and transmit such payments on behalf of
their respective Certificateholders of such Series. Accordingly, although such
Certificateholders will not possess Certificates, the Rules provide a mechanism
by which Participants will receive payments and will be able to transfer their
interests.
 
    Because DTC can only act on behalf of Participants, who in turn act on
behalf of Indirect Participants and certain banks, the ability of a
Certificateholder of a given Series to pledge Certificates of such Series to
persons or entities that do not participate in the DTC system, or to otherwise
act with respect to such Certificates, may be limited due to the lack of a
physical certificate for such Certificates.
 
    DTC will advise the Trustee in respect of each Series that it will take any
action permitted to be taken by a Certificateholder of the related Series only
at the direction of one or more Participants to whose accounts with DTC the
Certificates of such Series are credited. DTC may take conflicting actions with
respect to other undivided interests to the extent that such actions are taken
on behalf of Participants whose holdings include such undivided interests.
 
    CEDEL is incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg as a professional
depository. CEDEL holds securities for its participating organizations ("CEDEL
Participants") and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities
transactions between CEDEL Participants through electronic book-entry changes in
accounts of CEDEL Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical
movement of certificates. Transactions may be settled in CEDEL in any of 28
currencies, including United States dollars. CEDEL provides to its CEDEL
Participants, among other things, services for safekeeping, administration,
clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and securities
lending and borrowing. CEDEL interfaces with domestic markets in several
countries. As a professional depository, CEDEL is subject to regulation by the
Luxembourg Monetary Institute. CEDEL Participants are recognized financial
institutions around the world, including underwriters, securities brokers and
dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other
organizations. Indirect access to CEDEL is also available to others, such as
banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a
custodial relationship with a CEDEL Participant, either directly or indirectly.
 
    Euroclear was created in 1968 to hold securities for participants of the
Euroclear System ("Euroclear Participants") and to clear and settle transactions
between Euroclear Participants through simultaneous electronic book-entry
delivery against payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of
certificates and any risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of securities and
cash. Transactions may now be settled in any of 28 currencies, including United
States dollars. The Euroclear System includes various other services, including
securities lending and borrowing and interfaces with domestic markets in several
countries generally similar to the arrangements for cross-market transfers with
DTC described above. Euroclear is operated by Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of
New York, Brussels, Belgium office, under contract with Euroclear Clearance
System, S.C., a Belgian cooperative corporation (the "Cooperative"). All
operations are conducted by the "Euroclear Operator" (as defined below), and all
Euroclear securities clearance accounts and Euroclear cash accounts are accounts
with the Euroclear Operator, not the Cooperative. The Cooperative establishes
policy for the Euroclear System on behalf of Euroclear Participants. Euroclear
Participants include banks (including central banks), securities brokers and
dealers and other professional financial intermediaries and may include the
Underwriters. Indirect access to the Euroclear System is also available to other
firms that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear
Participant, either directly or indirectly.
 
    The "Euroclear Operator" is the Belgian branch of a New York banking
corporation which is a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. As such, it is
regulated and examined by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
and the New York State Banking Department, as well as the Belgian Banking
Commission.
 
    Securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with the Euroclear Operator
are governed by the Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear and the
related Operating Procedures of the Euroclear
 
                                       29
<PAGE>
System and applicable Belgian law (collectively, the "Terms and Conditions").
The Terms and Conditions govern transfers of securities and cash within the
Euroclear System, withdrawal of securities and cash from the Euroclear System,
and receipts of payments with respect to securities in the Euroclear System. All
securities in the Euroclear System are held on a fungible basis without
attribution of specific certificates to specific securities clearance accounts.
The Euroclear Operator acts under the Terms and Conditions only on behalf of
Euroclear Participants and has no record of relationship with persons holding
through Euroclear Participants.
 
    Except as required by law, the Trustee in respect of a Series will not have
any liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made or
account of beneficial ownership interests of the related Certificates held by
Cede, as nominee for DTC, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any
records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.
 
DEFINITIVE CERTIFICATES
 
    Unless otherwise stated in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Certificates of a Series will be issued in fully registered, certificated form
("Definitive Certificates") to Certificateholders or their nominees, rather than
to DTC or its nominee, only if (i) the Trustee in respect of the related Series
advises in writing that DTC is no longer willing or able to discharge properly
its responsibilities as depository with respect to such Certificates and such
Trustee is unable to locate a qualified successor, (ii) such Trustee, at its
option, elects to terminate the book-entry-system through DTC or (iii) after the
occurrence of a default by the Servicer under the related Pooling and Servicing
Agreement, Certificateholders representing at least a majority of the
outstanding principal amount of such Certificates advise the applicable Trustee
through DTC in writing that the continuation of a book-entry system through DTC
(or a successor thereto) is no longer in such Certificateholders' best interest.
 
    Upon the occurrence of any event described in the immediately preceding
paragraph, the applicable Trustee will be required to notify all such
Certificateholders through Participants of the availability of Definitive
Certificates. Upon surrender by DTC of the definitive certificates representing
such Certificates and receipt of instructions for re-registration, the
applicable Trustee will reissue such Certificates as Definitive Certificates to
such Certificateholders.
 
    Distributions of principal of, and interest on, such Definitive Certificates
will thereafter be made by the applicable Trustee in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement directly to
holders of Definitive Certificates in whose names the Definitive Certificates
were registered at the close of business on the applicable Record Date specified
for such Certificates in the related Prospectus Supplement. Such distributions
will be made by check mailed to the address of such holder as it appears on the
register maintained by the applicable Trustee. The final payment on any such
Security, however, will be made only upon presentation and surrender of such
Security at the office or agency specified in the notice of final distribution
to the applicable Certificateholders.
 
    Definitive Certificates in respect of a given Series of Certificates will be
transferable and exchangeable at the offices of the applicable Trustee or of a
certificate registrar named in a notice delivered to holders of such Definitive
Certificates. No service charge will be imposed for any registration of transfer
or exchange, but the applicable Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection therewith.
 
REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
 
    With respect to each Series of Certificates, on or prior to each
Distribution Date for such Series, the Servicer or the related Trustee will
forward or cause to be forwarded to each holder of record of such class of
Certificates a statement or statements with respect to the related Trust Assets
setting forth the information specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                       30
<PAGE>
    In addition, within the prescribed period of time for tax reporting purposes
after the end of each calendar year, the applicable Trustee will provide to the
Certificateholders a statement containing information required by applicable tax
laws, for the purpose of the Certificateholders' preparation of federal income
tax returns.
 
              DESCRIPTION OF THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENTS
 
    The following summary describes certain terms of each Pooling and Servicing
Agreement pursuant to which a Trust will be created and the related Certificates
in respect of such Trust will be issued. For purposes of this Prospectus, the
term "Pooling and Servicing Agreement" as used with respect to a Trust means,
collectively, and except as otherwise specified, any and all agreements relating
to the establishment of the related Trust, the servicing of the related
Receivables and the issuance of the related Certificates. Forms of the Pooling
and Servicing Agreement have been filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part. The summary does not purport to
be complete. It is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions of
the Pooling and Servicing Agreements.
 
SALE AND ASSIGNMENT OF RECEIVABLES
 
    On or prior to the closing date specified with respect to any given Series
of Certificates (the "Closing Date"), CPS will sell and assign to a Seller,
without recourse, except as otherwise provided in the applicable Purchase
Agreement, its entire interest in the Receivables to be included in such Trust,
together with its security interests in the related Financed Vehicles. At the
time of issuance of the Certificates, such Seller will sell and assign to the
Trust, without recourse, except as provided in the applicable Pooling and
Servicing Agreement, its entire interest in such Receivables, together with its
security interests in the related Financed Vehicles. Each Receivable will be
identified in a schedule appearing as an exhibit to the applicable Pooling and
Servicing Agreement. The Trustee will concurrently with such sale and
assignment, execute, authenticate, and deliver the Certificates to the
applicable Seller in exchange for the Receivables.
 
    In each Purchase Agreement, CPS will represent and warrant to the applicable
Seller, among other things with respect to the Receivables being sold and
assigned therein, that (i) the information provided with respect to the
Receivables is correct in all material respects: (ii) at the date of origination
of each Receivable, physical damage insurance covering the related Financed
Vehicle is in effect in accordance with CPS's normal requirements; (iii) at the
applicable Cutoff Date, the Receivables are free and clear of all security
interests, liens, charges, and encumbrances and no offsets, defenses, or
counterclaims against Dealers have been asserted or threatened; (iv) at the
applicable Cutoff Date, each of the Receivables is or will be secured by a
first-priority perfected security interest in the Financed Vehicle in favor of
CPS; and (v) each Receivable, at the time it was originated, complied in all
material respects with applicable federal and state laws, including, without
limitation, consumer credit, truth in lending, equal credit opportunity and
disclosure laws. As of the last day of the second (or, if CPS elects, the first)
month following the discovery by or notice to the applicable Seller and CPS of a
breach of any representation or warranty that materially and adversely affects a
Receivable, unless the breach is cured, CPS will purchase such Receivable from
the applicable Seller who will purchase from the applicable Trust for the
Purchase Amount. The repurchase obligation will constitute the sole remedy
available to the Certificateholders, the Credit Enhancer (if any), a Seller or a
Trustee for any such uncured breach.
 
    On or prior to a Closing Date, the Contracts will be delivered to the
applicable Trustee as custodian, and such Trustee thereafter will maintain
physical possession of the Receivables except as may be necessary for the
servicing thereof by CPS. The Receivables will not be stamped to show the
ownership thereof by the applicable Trust. However, CPS's accounting records and
computer systems will reflect the sale and assignment of the Receivables to the
applicable Seller, and Uniform Commercial Code ("UCC") financing statements
reflecting such sales and assignments will be filed. See "Formation of the
Trust" in the related Prospectus Supplement and "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Receivables" herein.
 
                                       31
<PAGE>
PRE-FUNDING ACCOUNTS
 
    If so provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Seller will be
obligated pursuant to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement to sell Subsequent
Receivables to the Trust, and the Trust will be obligated to purchase such
Subsequent Receivables, subject only to the satisfaction of certain conditions
set forth in the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and described in the related
Prospectus Supplement. If the principal amount of the eligible Subsequent
Receivables acquired by the Seller from the CPS during a Funding Period is less
than the Pre-Funded Amount, the Seller may have insufficient Subsequent
Receivables to transfer to a Trust and holders of one or more classes of the
related Series of Certificates may receive a prepayment or early distribution of
principal at the end of the Funding Period. See "Risk Factors--Pre-Funding
Accounts".
 
    Amounts on deposit in a Pre-Funding Account during the Funding Period will
be invested by the Trustee in Eligible Investments and any Investment Income
thereon received during a Collection Period will be included in the interest
distribution amount on the following Distribution Date for the related Series.
See "--Accounts".
 
    Any conveyance of Subsequent Receivables to a Trust is subject to the
satisfaction, on or before the related transfer date (each, a "Subsequent
Transfer Date"), of the following conditions precedent, among others: (i) each
such Subsequent Receivable must satisfy the eligibility criteria specified in
the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement; (ii) the Seller shall not have
selected such Subsequent Receivables in a manner that is adverse to the
interests of holders of the related Certificates; (iii) as of the respective
Cutoff Dates for such Subsequent Receivables, all of the Receivables in the
Trust, including the Subsequent Receivables to be conveyed to the Trust as of
such date, must satisfy the parameters described under "The Receivables Pools"
herein and "The Receivables Pool" in the related Prospectus Supplement; and (iv)
the Seller must execute and deliver to such Trust a written assignment conveying
such Subsequent Receivables to such Trust. In addition, as and to the extent
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the conveyance of Subsequent
Receivables to a Trust is subject to the satisfaction of the condition
subsequent, among others, which must be satisfied within the applicable time
period specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, that the Seller deliver
certain legal opinions to the related Trustee with respect to the validity of
the conveyance of the Subsequent Receivables to the Trust. If any such
conditions precedent or conditions subsequent are not met with respect to any
Subsequent Receivables within the time period specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, CPS or the Seller, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, will be required to repurchase such Subsequent Receivables from the
related Trust, at a purchase price equal to the related Repurchase Amounts
therefor.
 
    Except as described herein and in the related Prospectus Supplement, there
will be no other required characteristics of Subsequent Receivables. Therefore,
the characteristics of the entire Receivables Pool included in any Trust may
vary significantly as Subsequent Receivables are conveyed to such Trust from
time to time during the Funding Period or Revolving Period.
 
ACCOUNTS
 
    With respect to each Series of Certificates issued by a Trust, the Servicer
will establish and maintain with the applicable Trustee one or more accounts, in
the name of such Trustee on behalf of the related Certificateholders, into which
all payments made on or with respect to the related Receivables will be
deposited (the "Collection Account"). The Servicer will also establish and
maintain with such Trustee separate accounts, in the name of such Trustee on
behalf of such Certificateholders, into which amounts released from the
Collection Account and the reserve account or other Credit Enhancement, if any,
for distribution to such Certificateholders will be deposited and from which
distributions to such Certificateholders will be made (the "Distribution
Account").
 
    PAYAHEAD ACCOUNT.  If so provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Servicer will establish for each Series of Securities an additional account (the
"Payahead Account"), in the name of the related
 
                                       32
<PAGE>
Trustee, into which, to the extent required in the related Pooling and Servicing
Agreement, early payments made by or on behalf of Obligors on Actuarial
Receivables or Rule of 78s Receivables will be deposited until such time as such
payments become due. Until such time as payments are transferred from the
Payahead Account to the Collection Account, they will not constitute collected
interest or collected principal and will not be available for distribution to
Certificateholders.
 
    PRE-FUNDING ACCOUNT.  If so provided in the related Prospectus Supplement,
the Servicer will establish and maintain a Pre-Funding Account, in the name of
the related Trustee on behalf of the related Certificateholders, into which the
Seller will deposit the Pre-Funded Amount on the related Closing Date. The
Pre-Funded Amount will not exceed 25% of the initial aggregate principal amount
of the Certificates of the related Series. The Pre-Funded Amount will be used by
the related Trustee to purchase Subsequent Receivables from the Seller from time
to time during the Funding Period. The amounts on deposit in the Pre-Funding
Account during the Funding Period will be invested by the Trustee in Eligible
Investments. Any Investment Income received on the Eligible Investments during a
Collection Period will be included in the interest distribution amount on the
following Distribution Date. The Funding Period, if any, for a Trust will begin
on the related Closing Date and will end on the date specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, which in no event will be later than the date that is 90
days after the related Closing Date. Any amounts remaining in the Pre-Funding
Account at the end of the Funding Period will be distributed to the related
Certificateholders in the manner and priority specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, as a prepayment of principal of the related Certificates.
 
    OTHER ACCOUNTS.  Any other accounts to be established with respect to a
Trust, including any reserve account, will be described in the related
Prospectus Supplement.
 
    INVESTMENTS.  For any Series of Certificates, funds in the Collection
Account, the Distribution Account, any reserve account and other accounts
identified as such in the related Prospectus Supplement (collectively, the
"Trust Accounts") shall be invested as provided in the related Pooling and
Servicing Agreement in Eligible Investments. "Eligible Investments" are
generally limited to investments acceptable to the Rating Agencies as being
consistent with the rating of such Certificates. Subject to certain conditions,
Eligible Investments may include securities issued by CPS, the Servicer or their
respective affiliates or other trusts created by CPS or its affiliates. Except
as described below or in the related Prospectus Supplement, Eligible Investments
are limited to obligations or securities that mature not later than the business
day immediately preceding the related Distribution Date. However, subject to
certain conditions, funds in the reserve account may be invested in securities
that will not mature prior to the date of the next distribution and will not be
sold to meet any shortfalls. Thus, the amount of cash in any reserve account at
any time may be less than the balance of such reserve account. If the amount
required to be withdrawn from any reserve account to cover shortfalls in
collections on the related Receivables exceeds the amount of cash in such
reserve account, a temporary shortfall in the amounts distributed to the related
Certificateholders could result, which could, in turn, increase the average life
of the Certificates of such Series. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, investment earnings on funds deposited in the applicable
Trust Accounts, net of losses and investment expenses (collectively, "Investment
Earnings"), shall be deposited in the applicable Collection Account on each
Distribution Date and shall be treated as collections of interest on the related
Receivables.
 
    ELIGIBLE DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS.  The Trust Accounts will be maintained as
Eligible Deposit Accounts. "Eligible Deposit Account" means either (a) a
segregated account with an Eligible Institution or (b) a segregated trust
account with the corporate trust department of a depository institution
organized under the laws of the United States of America or any one of the
states thereof or the District of Columbia (or any domestic branch of a foreign
bank), having corporate trust powers and acting as trustee for funds deposited
in such account, so long as any of the securities of such depository institution
has a credit rating from each Rating Agency in one of its generic rating
categories which signifies investment grade. "Eligible Institution" means, with
respect to a Trust, (a) the corporate trust department of the related Trustee,
or
 
                                       33
<PAGE>
(b) a depository institution organized under the laws of the United States of
America or any one of the states thereof or the District of Columbia (or any
domestic branch of a foreign bank), which (i) (A) has either (w) a long-term
unsecured debt rating acceptable to the Rating Agencies or (x) a short-term
unsecured debt rating or certificate of deposit rating acceptable to the Rating
Agencies or (B) the parent corporation of which has either (y) a long-term
unsecured debt rating acceptable to the Rating Agencies or (z) a short-term
unsecured debt rating or certificate of deposit rating acceptable to the Rating
Agencies and (ii) whose deposits are insured by the FDIC.
 
THE SERVICER
 
    The Servicer under each Pooling and Servicing Agreement will be named in the
related Prospectus Supplement. The entity serving as Servicer may be CPS or an
affiliate of CPS and may have other business relationships with CPS or CPS's
affiliates. The Servicer with respect to each Series will service the
Receivables contained in the Trust for such Series. Any Servicer may delegate
its servicing responsibilities to one or more subservicers, but will not be
relieved of its liabilities with respect thereto.
 
    The Servicer will make certain representations and warranties regarding its
authority to enter into, and its ability to perform its obligations under, the
related Pooling and Servicing Agreement. An uncured breach of such a
representation or warranty that in any respect materially and adversely affects
the interests of the Certificateholders will constitute a default by the
Servicer under the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
 
    A Pooling and Servicing Agreement may contain provisions providing for a
standby servicer ("Standby Servicer") to serve as successor servicer in the
event the Servicer is terminated or resigns as Servicer pursuant to the terms of
such Pooling and Servicing Agreement. A Standby Servicer will receive a fee on
each Distribution Date for agreeing to stand by as successor Servicer and for
performing certain other functions. If the Standby Servicer becomes the Servicer
under a Pooling and Servicing Agreement, it will receive compensation as a
Servicer in an amount set forth in such Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
 
SERVICING PROCEDURES
 
    Each Pooling and Servicing Agreement will provide that the Servicer will
follow its then-employed standards, or such more exacting standards as the
Servicer employs in the future, in servicing the Receivables that are part of
the Trust. Each Pooling and Servicing Agreement will provide that the Servicer
will make reasonable efforts to collect all payments due with respect to the
Receivables that are part of the Trust and, in a manner consistent with such
Pooling and Servicing Agreement, will continue such collection procedures as it
follows with respect to automotive retail installment sale contracts it services
for itself and others. Consistent with its normal procedures, the Servicer may,
in its sole discretion, arrange with the Obligor on a Receivable to extend the
payment schedule; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Servicer may be limited as to the
number of times an extension may be granted and as to the timing of such
extensions. No such arrangement will, for purposes of a Pooling and Servicing
Agreement, modify the original due dates or the amount of the scheduled
payments, or extend the final payment date on any Receivable beyond the last day
of the penultimate Collection Period before the Final Scheduled Distribution
Date under such Pooling and Servicing Agreement. If the Servicer grants an
extension with respect to a Receivable other than in accordance with the
aforementioned limitations, the Servicer will be required to purchase the
Receivable. Following any such purchase of a Receivable by the Servicer, such
Receivable will be released from the Trust and conveyed to the Servicer. The
Servicer may sell the Vehicle securing the respective defaulted Receivable, if
any, at a public or private sale, or take any other action permitted by
applicable law. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables".
 
    The material aspects of any particular Servicer's collections and other
relevant procedures will be set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
 
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<PAGE>
PAYMENTS ON RECEIVABLES
 
    With respect to each Series of Certificates, unless otherwise specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer will notify each Obligor that
payments made by such Obligor after the Cutoff Date with respect to a Receivable
must be mailed directly to the Post Office Box set forth in the Pooling and
Servicing Agreement relating to such Receivable. On each Business Day, the
Lock-Box Processor set forth in the Pooling and Servicing Agreement relating to
such Receivable will transfer any such payments received in the applicable post
office box in the name of the applicable Trustee for the benefit of the
Certificateholders and the related Credit Enhancer (if any) (the "Post Office
Box") to the applicable segregated lock-box account in the name of the
applicable Trustee for the benefit of the Certificateholders and the related
Credit Enhancer (if any) (the "Lock-Box Account"). Any payments received by the
Servicer from an Obligor or from a source other than an Obligor must be
deposited in the applicable Lock-Box Account or the applicable Collection
Account upon receipt. The Servicer will, following the receipt of funds in such
Lock-Box Account, direct the Lock-Box Bank to transfer such funds to the
applicable Collection Account. Prior to the applicable Distribution Date, the
applicable Trustee, on the basis of instructions provided by the Servicer, will
transfer funds held in such Collection Account to the applicable Payahead
Account if such payments constitute Payaheads or to the applicable Certificate
Account for distribution to the Certificateholders of the related Series.
 
    Collections on a Rule of 78's Receivable made during a Collection Period
will be applied first, to the scheduled payment on such Rule of 78's Receivable,
and second, to any late fees accrued with respect to such Rule of 78's
Receivable. If the collections remaining after application to the scheduled
payment and late fees, if any, are insufficient to prepay the Rule of 78's
Receivable in full, such collections will be transferred to and kept in the
Payahead Account, until such later Collection Period as the collections may be
transferred to the Collection Account and applied either to the scheduled
payment or to prepay such Rule of 78's Receivable in full.
 
SERVICING COMPENSATION
 
    As may be described in the related Prospectus Supplement with respect to any
Series of Certificates issued by a Trust, the Servicer will be entitled to
receive a servicing fee on each Distribution Date (the "Servicing Fee"), equal
to the product of one-twelfth of the specified percentage per annum and the Pool
Balance (each as set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement) as of the close
of business on the last day of the second preceding Collection Period; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that with respect to the first Distribution Date, the Servicing Fee
will equal the product of one-twelfth of the Servicing Fee Rate and the original
Pool Balance. So long as CPS is Servicer, a portion of the Servicing Fee will be
payable to the Standby Servicer, if any (as set forth in the related Prospectus
Supplement), for agreeing to stand by as successor Servicer and for performing
certain other functions. If the Standby Servicer, or any other entity serving at
the time as Standby Servicer, becomes the successor Servicer, it will receive
compensation for acting in such capacity. See "Standby Servicer" in the related
Prospectus Supplement. The Servicer will also collect and retain, as additional
servicing compensation, any late fees, prepayment charges, including, in the
case of a Rule 78's Receivable that is part of the Trust and that is prepaid in
full, to the extent not required by law to be remitted to the related Obligor,
the difference between the principal balance of such Receivable computed on an
actuarial basis plus accrued interest to the date of prepayment and the
principal balance of such Receivable computed according to the Rule of 78's, and
other administrative fees or similar charges allowed by applicable law with
respect to the Receivables that are part of the Trust, and will be entitled to
reimbursement from the Trust for certain liabilities. Payments by or on behalf
of Obligors will be allocated to scheduled payments, late fees and other charges
and principal and interest in accordance with the Servicer's normal practices
and procedures. The Servicing Fee will be paid out of collections from the
Receivables, prior to distributions to Certificateholders of the related Series.
 
    The Servicing Fee and additional servicing compensation will compensate the
Servicer for performing the functions of a third party servicer of automotive
receivables as an agent for their beneficial owner,
 
                                       35
<PAGE>
including collecting and posting all payments, responding to inquiries of
Obligors on the Receivables that are part of the Trust, investigating
delinquencies, sending payment coupons to Obligors, reporting tax information to
Obligors, paying costs of disposition of defaults and policing the collateral.
The Servicing Fee also will compensate the Servicer for administering the
Receivables that are part of the Trust, including accounting for collections and
furnishing monthly and annual statements as required with respect to a Series of
Certificates regarding distributions and generating federal income tax
information. The Servicing Fee also will reimburse the Servicer for certain
taxes, accounting fees, outside auditor fees, data processing costs and other
costs incurred in connection with administering the Receivables that are part of
the Trust.
 
CERTAIN MATTERS REGARDING THE SERVICER
 
    Each Pooling and Servicing Agreement will provide that the Servicer may not
resign from its obligations and duties as Servicer thereunder except upon
determination that its performance of such duties is no longer permissible under
applicable law and under certain other circumstances. No such resignation will
become effective until a successor servicer has assumed the servicing
obligations and duties under the applicable Pooling and Servicing Agreement. In
the event CPS resigns as Servicer or is terminated as Servicer, the Standby
Servicer, if any, will agree to assume the servicing obligations and duties
under the Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
 
    Each Pooling and Servicing Agreement will further provide that neither the
Servicer nor any of its directors, officers, employees, and agents will be under
any liability to the Trust or the Certificateholders of the related Series for
taking any action or for refraining from taking any action pursuant to such
Pooling and Servicing Agreement, or for errors in judgment; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that neither the Servicer nor any such person will be protected against any
liability that would otherwise be imposed by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith or negligence in the performance of duties or by reason of reckless
disregard of obligations and duties thereunder. In addition, each Pooling and
Servicing Agreement will provide that the Servicer is under no obligation to
appear in, prosecute, or defend any legal action that is not incidental to its
servicing responsibilities under the applicable Pooling and Servicing Agreement
and that, in its opinion, may cause it to incur any expense or liability.
 
    Under the circumstance specified in each Pooling and Servicing Agreement any
entity into which the Servicer may be merged or consolidated, or any entity
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Servicer is a party, or
any entity succeeding to the business of the Servicer which corporation or other
entity in each of the foregoing cases assumes the obligations of the Servicer,
will be the successor to the Servicer under the applicable Pooling and Servicing
Agreement.
 
DISTRIBUTIONS ON CERTIFICATES
 
    With respect to each Series of Certificates, beginning on the Distribution
Date specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, distributions of principal
and interest (or, where applicable, of principal or interest only) on each class
of such Certificates entitled thereto will be made by the applicable Trustee to
the holders of Certificates (the "Certificateholders") of such Series. The
timing, calculation, allocation, order, source, priorities of and requirements
for all distributions to each class of Certificateholders of such Series will be
set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
 
    With respect to each Series of Certificates, on each Distribution Date
collections on the related Receivables will be withdrawn from the Collection
Account for distribution to Certificateholders to the extent provided in the
related Prospectus Supplement. Credit Enhancement may be available to cover any
shortfalls in the amount available for distribution on such date, to the extent
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                       36
<PAGE>
CREDIT AND CASH FLOW ENHANCEMENT
 
    The amounts and types of Credit Enhancement arrangements, if any, and the
provider thereof, if applicable, with respect to each class of Certificates of a
given Series will be set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement. If and to
the extent provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, Credit Enhancement may
be in the form of a Policy, subordination of one or more classes of
Certificates, reserve accounts, spread accounts, over-collateralization, letters
of credit, credit or liquidity facilities, third party payments or other
support, surety bonds, guaranteed cash deposits or such other arrangements as
may be described in the related Prospectus Supplement or any combination of two
or more of the foregoing. If specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement,
Credit Enhancement for a class of Certificates may cover one or more other
classes of Certificates of the same Series, and Credit Enhancement for a Series
of Certificates may cover one or more other Series of Certificates.
 
    The presence of Credit Enhancement for the benefit of any class or Series of
Certificates is intended to enhance the likelihood of receipt by the
Certificateholders or such class or Series of the full amount of principal and
interest due thereon and to decrease the likelihood that such Certificateholders
will experience losses. As more specifically provided in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Credit Enhancement for a class or Series of Certificates will
not provide protection against all risks of loss and will not guarantee
repayment of the entire principal balance and interest thereon. If losses occur
which exceed the amount covered by any Credit Enhancement or which are not
covered by any Credit Enhancement, Certificateholders of any class or Series
will bear their allocable share of deficiencies, as described in the related
Prospectus Supplement. In addition, if a form of Credit Enhancement covers more
than one Series of Certificates, Certificateholders of any such Series will be
subject to the risk that such Credit Enhancement will be exhausted by the claims
of Certificateholders of other Series.
 
STATEMENTS TO TRUSTEES
 
    Prior to each Distribution Date with respect to each Series of Certificates,
the Servicer will provide to the applicable Trustee and Credit Enhancer as of
the close of business on the last day of the preceding related Collection Period
a statement setting forth substantially the same information as is required to
be provided in the periodic reports provided to Certificateholders of such
Series described under "Description of the Certificates--Statements to
Certificateholders" in the Prospectus Supplement.
 
EVIDENCE AS TO COMPLIANCE
 
    Each Pooling and Servicing Agreement will provide that a firm of independent
public accountants will furnish to the related Trustee and Credit Enhancer,
annually, a statement as to compliance by the Servicer during the preceding
twelve months (or, in the case of the first such certificate, the period from
the applicable Closing Date) with certain standards relating to the servicing of
the Receivables.
 
    Each Pooling and Servicing Agreement will also provide for delivery to the
related Trustee and Credit Enhancer of a certificate signed by an officer of the
Servicer stating that the Servicer has fulfilled its obligations under such
Pooling and Servicing Agreement in all material respects throughout the
preceding 12 months (or, in the case of the first such certificate, the period
from the applicable Closing Date) or, if there has been a default in the
fulfillment of any such obligation in any material respect, describing each such
default. The Servicer also will agree to give each Trustee and Credit Enhancer
notice of certain Events of Default (as defined in the related Prospectus
Supplement) under the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
 
    Copies of such statements and certificates may be obtained by
Certificateholders by a request in writing addressed to the applicable Trustee.
 
                                       37
<PAGE>
AMENDMENT
 
    Unless otherwise provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, each of the
Pooling and Servicing Agreements may be amended by the parties thereto, without
the consent of the related Certificateholders, for the purpose of adding any
provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of
such Pooling and Servicing Agreements or of modifying in any manner the rights
of such Certificateholders; provided that such action will not, in the opinion
of counsel satisfactory to the applicable Trustee, materially and adversely
affect the interests of any such Certificateholder and subject to the approval
of any Credit Enhancer. As may be described in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Pooling and Servicing Agreements may also be amended by CPS, the
Servicer, and the applicable Trustee with the consent of the holders of
Certificates evidencing at least a majority of the voting rights of such then
outstanding Certificates for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing
in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of such Pooling and Servicing
Agreements or of modifying in any manner the rights of such Certificateholders;
provided, however, that no such amendment may (i) increase or reduce in any
manner the amount or priority of, or accelerate or delay the timing of,
collections of payments on the related Receivables or distributions that are
required to be made for the benefit of such Certificateholders without the
consent of each Certificateholder affected thereby or (ii) reduce the aforesaid
percentage of the Certificates of such Series which are required to consent to
any such amendment without the consent of the Certificateholders of such Series.
 
LIST OF CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
 
    Upon written request of the Servicer, the Trustee of the applicable Trust
will provide to the Servicer within 15 days after receipt of such request a list
of the names and addresses of all Certificateholders of record, with respect to
the Series of Certificates issued by such Trust, as of the most recent Record
Date. Upon compliance by such Certificateholders with certain provisions of the
applicable Pooling and Servicing Agreement, the Trustee will afford such
Certificateholders access during business hours to the current list of
Certificateholders for purposes of communicating with other Certificateholders
with respect to their rights under such Pooling and Servicing Agreement.
 
TERMINATION
 
    With respect to each Trust, the obligations of the Servicer, CPS, the Seller
and the applicable Trustee pursuant to the related Pooling and Servicing
Agreement will terminate upon such date as is specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement. As more fully described in the related Prospectus
Supplement, in order to avoid excessive administrative expense, the Servicer, or
its successor, will be permitted, at its option to purchase from the related
Trust, as of the last day of any month as of which the then outstanding Pool
Balance of the related Receivables Pool is less than a specified percentage (set
forth in the related Prospectus Supplement) of the original Pool Balance of such
Receivables Pool, all such remaining Receivables at a price equal to the
aggregate of the Purchase Amounts thereof as of such last day. Exercise of such
right will effect early retirement of the related Certificates. The Trustee will
give written notice of termination to each such Certificateholder of record. The
final distribution to any Certificateholder will be made only upon surrender and
cancellation of such holder's Certificate at the office or agency of the Trustee
specified in the notice of termination. Any funds remaining with the Trustee,
after the Trustee has taken certain measures to locate a Certificateholder and
such measures have failed, will be distributed to The American Red Cross.
 
THE TRUSTEE
 
    The Trustee for each Trust will be specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement. The Trustee's liability in connection with the issuance and sale of
the related Certificates is limited solely to the express obligations of such
Trustee set forth in the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement and Sale and
Servicing Agreement or the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement, as
applicable. A Trustee may resign at any
 
                                       38
<PAGE>
time (subject to the conditions specified in the applicable Pooling and
Servicing Agreement), in which event the Servicer will be obligated to appoint a
successor trustee. The Servicer may also remove the Trustee if such Trustee
ceases to be eligible to continue as Trustee under the related Pooling and
Servicing Agreement or if the Trustee becomes insolvent. In such circumstances,
the Servicer will be obligated to appoint a successor trustee. Any resignation
or removal of a Trustee and appointment of a successor trustee will not become
effective until acceptance of the appointment by the successor trustee.
 
    The principal offices of each Trustee will be specified in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement.
 
    The Trustee under a Pooling and Servicing Agreement, in its individual
capacity or otherwise, may hold Certificates in its own name or as pledgee. For
the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of certain jurisdictions, the
Servicer and a Trustee acting jointly (or in some instances, the Trustee acting
alone) shall have the power to appoint co-trustees or separate trustees of all
or any part of the related Trust. In the event of such appointment, all rights,
powers, duties and obligations conferred or imposed upon the Trustee by the
related Pooling and Servicing Agreement shall be conferred or imposed upon the
Trustee and such separate trustee or co-trustee jointly, or, in any jurisdiction
in which the Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform certain
acts, singly upon such separate trustee or co-trustee who shall exercise and
perform such rights, powers, duties, and obligations solely at the direction of
the Trustee.
 
    A Trustee may resign at any time, in which event the Servicer will be
obligated to appoint a successor trustee in accordance with the terms set forth
in the applicable Pooling and Servicing Agreement. The Servicer may also remove
a Trustee if the Trustee ceases to be eligible to continue as such under the
related Pooling and Servicing Agreement, becomes legally unable to act, or
becomes insolvent. In such circumstances,the Servicer will be obligated to
appoint a successor trustee with the consent of any parties necessary to appoint
a successor trustee. Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment
of a successor trustee will not become effective until acceptance of the
appointment by the successor trustee.
 
    Each Pooling and Servicing Agreement will provide that the applicable
Trustee will be entitled to indemnification by the Servicer for and will be held
harmless against, any loss, liability, fee, disbursement, or expense incurred by
such Trustee not resulting from such Trustee's own willful misfeasance, bad
faith, or negligence (other than by reason of breach of any of its
representations or warranties set forth in the Pooling and Servicing Agreement).
Each Pooling and Servicing Agreement will further provide that the Servicer will
indemnify the applicable Trustee for certain taxes that may be asserted in
connection with the transaction.
 
DUTIES OF THE TRUSTEE
 
    The Trustee will make no representations as to the validity or sufficiency
of a Pooling and Servicing Agreement, the Certificate relating thereto (other
than the authentication of such Certificates), or any Receivables in the related
Trust or related documents, and is not accountable for the use or application by
any Seller or Servicer of any funds paid to a Seller or Servicer in respect of
such Certificates or such Receivables, or the investment of any monies received
by the Servicer before such monies are deposited into the applicable Collection
Account. The Trustee will not independently verify the Receivables that are a
part of the related Trust. If no Event of Default (as defined in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement) has occurred, the Trustee is required to perform only
those duties specifically required of it under the applicable Pooling and
Servicing Agreement. Generally, those duties are limited to the receipt of the
various certificates, reports or other instruments required to be furnished to
the Trustee under such Pooling and Servicing Agreement, in which case it is only
required to examine them to determine whether they conform to the requirements
of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement. The Trustee shall not be charged with
knowledge of a failure by the Servicer to perform its duties under the Pooling
and Servicing Agreement which failure constitutes an Event of Default (as
defined in the applicable Prospectus Supplement) unless the Trustee obtains
actual knowledge of such failure as specified in the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement.
 
                                       39
<PAGE>
    The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or
powers vested in it by a Pooling and Servicing Agreement or to make any
investigation of matters arising thereunder or to institute, conduct, or defend
any litigation thereunder or in relation thereto at the request, order or
direction of any of the related Certificateholders, unless such
Certificateholders have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity
against the costs, expenses, and liabilities that may be incurred therein or
thereby. No Certificateholder will have any right under a Pooling and Servicing
Agreement to institute any proceeding with respect to such Pooling and Servicing
Agreement, unless certain conditions have been met (as set forth in the
applicable Pooling and Servicing Agreement).
 
                    CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE RECEIVABLES
 
SECURITY INTEREST IN VEHICLES
 
    In states in which retail installment sale contracts such as the Receivables
evidence the credit sale of automobiles, light trucks, vans and minivans by
dealers to obligors, the contracts also constitute personal property security
agreements and include grants of security interests in the vehicles under the
applicable UCC. Perfection of security interests in the financed automobiles,
light trucks, vans and minivans is generally governed by the motor vehicle
registration laws of the state in which the vehicle is located. In all states in
which the Receivables have been originated, a security interest in automobiles,
light trucks, vans and minivans is perfected by obtaining the certificate of
title to the Financed Vehicle or notation of the secured party's lien on the
vehicles' certificate of title (in addition, in Louisiana, a copy of the
installment sale contract must be filed with the appropriate governmental
recording office).
 
    Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, each
Contract will name the applicable Originator as obligee or assignee and as the
secured party. Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
such Originator will have represented and warranted that it has taken all
actions necessary under the laws of the state in which the Financed Vehicle is
located to perfect CPS's security interest in the Financed Vehicle, including,
where applicable, having a notation of its lien recorded on such vehicle's
certificate of title. Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Obligors on the Contracts will not be notified of the sale from
CPS, directly or indirectly, to the Seller, or the sale from the Seller to the
Trust, and no action will be taken to record the transfer of the security
interest from CPS, directly or indirectly, to the Seller or from the Seller to
the Trust by amendment of the certificates of title for the Financed Vehicles or
otherwise.
 
    CPS will transfer and assign its security interest in the related Financed
Vehicles directly or indirectly to the Seller, and the Seller will transfer and
assign its security interest in such Financed Vehicles to the related Trust
pursuant to a Pooling and Servicing Agreement. However, because of the
administrative burden and expense, neither CPS nor the Seller will amend the
certificates of title of such Financed Vehicles to identify the related Trust as
the new secured party.
 
    In most states, an assignment such as that under each Pooling and Servicing
Agreement is an effective conveyance of a security interest without amendment of
any lien noted on a vehicle's certificate of title, and the assignee succeeds
thereby to the assignor's rights as secured party. However, by not identifying
such Trust as the secured party on the certificate of title, the security
interest of such Trust in the vehicle could be defeated through fraud or
negligence.
 
    Under the laws of most states, the perfected security interest in a vehicle
will continued for four months after the vehicle is moved to a state other than
the state in which it is initially registered and thereafter until the owner
thereof re-registers the vehicle in the new state. A majority of states
generally require surrender of a certificate of title to re-register a vehicle.
Accordingly, a secured party must surrender possession if it holds the
certificate of title to the vehicle or, in the case of a vehicle registered in a
state providing for the notation of a lien on the certificate of title but not
possession by the secured party, the secured party will receive notice of
surrender if the security interest is noted on the certificate of title. Thus,
the secured party will have the opportunity to re-perfect its security interest
in the vehicle in the state
 
                                       40
<PAGE>
of relocation. In states that do not require a certificate of title for
registration of a motor vehicle, re-registration could defeat perfection. Unless
otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, under each Pooling and
Servicing Agreement, the Servicer will be obligated to take appropriate steps,
at the Servicer's expense, to maintain perfection of security interests in the
Financed Vehicles and will be obligated to purchase the related Receivable if it
fails to do so.
 
    Under the laws of most states, liens for repairs performed on a motor
vehicle and liens for unpaid taxes take priority over even a perfected security
interest in a financed vehicle. The Code also grants priority to certain federal
tax liens over the lien of a secured party. The laws of certain states and
federal law permit the confiscation of vehicles by government authorities under
certain circumstances if used in unlawful activities, which may result in the
loss of a secured party's perfected security interest in the confiscated
vehicle.
 
REPOSSESSION
 
    In the event of default by vehicle purchasers, the holder of the motor
vehicle retail installment sale contract has all the remedies of a secured party
under the UCC, except where specifically limited by other state laws. Among the
UCC remedies, the secured party has the right to perform self-help repossession
unless such act would constitute a breach of the peace. Unless otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, self-help is the most likely
method to be used by the Servicer and is accomplished simply by retaking
possession of the financed vehicle. In the event of default by the obligor, some
jurisdictions require that the obligor be notified of the default and be given a
time period within which he may cure the default prior to repossession.
Generally, the right of reinstatement may be exercised on a limited number of
occasions in any one-year period. In cases where the obligor objects or raises a
defense to repossession, or if otherwise required by applicable state law, a
court order must be obtained from the appropriate state court, and the vehicle
must then be repossessed in accordance with that order.
 
NOTICE OF SALE; REDEMPTION RIGHTS
 
    The UCC and other state laws require the secured party to provide the
obligor with reasonable notice of the date, time and place of any public sale
and/or the date after which any private sale of the collateral may be held. The
obligor has the right to redeem the collateral prior to actual sale by paying
the secured party the unpaid principal balance of the obligation plus reasonable
expenses for repossessing, holding and preparing the collateral for disposition
and arranging for its sale, plus, in some jurisdictions, reasonable attorneys'
fees, or, in some states, by payment of delinquent installments or the unpaid
balance.
 
DEFICIENCY JUDGMENTS AND EXCESS PROCEEDS
 
    The proceeds of resale of the vehicles generally will be applied first to
the expenses of resale and repossession and then to the satisfaction of the
indebtedness. While some states impose prohibitions or limitations on deficiency
judgments if the net proceeds from resale do not cover the full amount of the
indebtedness, a deficiency judgment can be sought in those states that do not
prohibit or limit such judgments. However, the deficiency judgment would be a
personal judgment against the obligor for the shortfall, and a defaulting
obligor can be expected to have very little capital or sources of income
available following repossession. Therefore, in many cases, it may not be useful
to seek a deficiency judgment or, if one is obtained, it may be settled at a
significant discount.
 
    Occasionally, after resale of a vehicle and payment of all expenses and all
indebtedness, there is a surplus of funds. In that case, the UCC requires the
creditor to remit the surplus to any holder of a lien with respect to the
vehicle or if no such lienholder exits or there are remaining funds, the UCC
requires the creditor to remit the surplus to the former owner of the vehicle.
 
                                       41
<PAGE>
CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS
 
    Numerous federal and state consumer protection laws and related regulations
impose substantial requirements upon lenders and servicers involved in consumer
finance, including requirements regarding the adequate disclosure of loan terms
(including finance charges and deemed finance charges), and limitations on loan
terms (including the permitted finance charge or deemed finance charge),
collection practices and creditor remedies. The application of these laws to
particular circumstances is not always certain and some courts and regulatory
authorities have shown a willingness to adopt novel interpretations of such
laws. These laws include the Truth-in-Lending Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity
Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Fair Credit Billing Act, the Fair
Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Procedures Act, the Magnuson-Moss
Warranty Act, the Federal Reserve Board's Regulations B and Z, the Solders' and
Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940, state adoptions of the National Consumer Act
and the Uniform Consumer Credit Code, and state motor vehicle retail installment
sales act, retail installment sales acts and other similar laws. Also, state
laws impose finance charge ceilings and other restrictions on consumer
transactions and require contract disclosures in addition to those required
under federal law. These requirements impose specific statutory liabilities upon
creditors who fail to comply with their provisions. In some cases, this
liability could affect an assignee's ability to enforce consumer finance
contracts such as the Receivables.
 
    Under the laws of certain states, finance charges with respect to motor
vehicle retail installment contracts may include the additional amount, if any,
that a purchaser pays as part of the purchase price for a vehicle solely because
the purchaser is buying on credit rather than for cash (a "cash sale
differential"). If a dealer charges such a differential, applicable finance
charge ceilings could be exceeded.
 
    To so-called "Holder-in-Due-Course" Rule of the Federal Trade Commission
(the "FTC Rule"), the provisions of which are generally duplicated by the
Uniform Consumer Credit Code, other statutes or the common law, has the effect
of subjecting an assignee of a seller of goods in a consumer credit transaction
(and certain related creditors) to all claims and defenses that the obligor in
the transaction could assert against the seller of the goods. Liability under
the FTC Rule is limited to the amounts paid by the obligor under the contract
and the holder of the contract may also be unable to collect any balance
remaining due thereunder from the obligor.
 
    Most of the Receivables will be subject to the requirements of the FTC Rule.
Accordingly, each Trust, as holder of the related Receivables, will be subject
to any claims or defenses that the purchaser of the applicable Financed Vehicle
may assert against the seller of the Financed Vehicle. Such claims are limited
to a maximum liability equal to the amounts paid by the Obligor on the
Receivable. If an Obligor were successful in asserting any such claim or
defense, such claim or defense would constitute a breach of CPS's warranties
under the related Purchase Agreement and would create an obligation of CPS to
repurchase the Receivable unless the breach is cured. See "Description of the
Pooling and Servicing Agreements-- Sale and Assignment of Receivables".
 
    Courts have applied general equitable principles to secured parties pursuing
repossession and litigation involving deficiency balances. These equitable
principles may have the effect of relieving an obligor from some or all of the
legal consequences of a default.
 
    In several cases, consumers have asserted that the self-help remedies of
secured parties under the UCC and related laws violate the due process
protections provided under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States. Courts have generally upheld the notice provisions of the UCC and
related laws as reasonable or have found that the repossession and resale by the
creditor do not involve sufficient state action to afford constitutional
protection to borrowers.
 
    Under most state vehicle dealer licensing laws, sellers of automobiles,
light trucks, vans and minivans are required to be licensed to sell vehicles at
retail sale. In addition, with respect to used vehicles, the Federal Trade
Commission's Rule on Sale of Used Vehicles requires that all sellers of used
vehicles
 
                                       42
<PAGE>
prepare, complete and display a "Buyer's Guide" which explains the warranty
coverage for such vehicles. Furthermore, Federal Odometer Regulations
promulgated under the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act and the
motor vehicle title laws of most states require that all sellers of used
vehicles furnish a written statement signed by the seller certifying the
accuracy of the odometer reading. If a seller is not properly licensed or if
either a Buyer's Guide or Odometer Disclosure Statement was not provided to the
purchaser of a Financed Vehicle, the Obligor may be able to assert a defense
against the seller of the Financed Vehicle. If an Obligor on a Receivable were
successful in asserting any such claim or defense, the Servicer would pursue on
behalf of the related Trust any reasonable remedies against the seller or the
manufacturer of the vehicle, subject to certain limitations as to the expense of
any such action to be specified in the related Pooling and Servicing Agreements.
 
    Under each Purchase Agreement, CPS will have represented and warranted that
each Receivable complies with all requirements of law in all material respects.
Accordingly, if an Obligor has a claim against a Trust for violation of any law
and such claim materially and adversely affects such Trust's interest in a
Receivable, such violation would constitute a breach of the warranties of CPS
and would create an obligation of CPS to repurchase the Receivable unless the
breach is cured.
 
OTHER LIMITATIONS
 
    In addition to the laws limiting or prohibiting deficiency judgments,
numerous other statutory provisions, including federal bankruptcy laws and
related state laws, may interfere with or affect the ability of a secured party
to realize upon collateral or to enforce a deficiency judgment. For example, in
a Chapter 13 proceeding under the federal bankruptcy law, a court may prevent a
creditor from repossession a vehicle and, as part of the rehabilitation plan,
may reduce the amount of the secured indebtedness to the market value of the
vehicle at the time of bankruptcy (as determined by the court), leaving the
creditor as a general unsecured creditor for the remainder of the indebtedness.
A bankruptcy court may also reduce the monthly payments due under a contract or
change the rate of interest and time of repayment of the indebtedness.
 
                    CERTAIN FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
 
GENERAL
 
    The following discussion represents the opinion of Mayer, Brown & Platt,
special tax counsel to the Issuer, as to the material federal income tax
consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Certificates.
This discussion, however, does not address every aspect of the federal income
tax laws that may be relevant to holders of Certificates in light of their
personal investment circumstances or to certain types of Certificateholders
subject to special treatment under the federal income tax laws (for example,
banks and life insurance companies). Accordingly, investors should consult their
own tax advisors regarding federal, state, local, foreign and any other tax
consequences to them of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the
Certificates in their own particular circumstances. The discussion is generally
limited to those persons who are the initial holders of the Certificates and to
investors who will hold Certificates as capital assets. This discussion is based
upon the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), its legislative history, the Treasury regulations thereunder, and
published rulings and court decisions in effect as of the date hereof, all of
which are subject to change, possibly retroactively. No ruling on any of the
issues discussed below has been or will be sought from the Service and no
assurance can be given that the Service will not take contrary positions.
 
TAX CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TRUST
 
    Mayer, Brown & Platt, special tax counsel to the Seller, will opine that the
Trust relating to a Series of Certificates will be classified as a grantor trust
and not as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax
purposes. Accordingly, subject to the discussion below, each Certificateholder
of the
 
                                       43
<PAGE>
related Series will be treated as the owner of a pro rata undivided interest in
the Receivables that are in the Trust and other related Trust Assets and the
ordinary income derived therefrom.
 
INCOME OF CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
 
    Each Certificateholder of a Series will be considered to own either (i) an
undivided interest in each of the Receivables that are part of the related Trust
and any other related Trust Assets or (ii) an undivided interest in a single
debt obligation held by the related Trust having, in the case of Class A
Certificates, a principal amount equal to the Class A Percentage (as set forth
in the related Prospectus Supplement) multiplied by the total stated principal
amount of the Receivables and an interest rate equal to the Class A Pass-Through
Rate (as set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement) or, in the case of
Class B Certificates, a principal amount equal to the Class B Percentage (as set
forth in the related Prospectus Supplement) multiplied by the total stated
principal amount of the Receivables that are in the related Trust and an
interest rate equal to the Class B Pass-Through Rate (as set forth in the
related Prospectus Supplement). In general (subject to the rules described below
relating to stripped bonds and original issue discount, and assuming
Certificateholders are considered to own an interest in the related Receivables
and other Trust Assets) a Certificateholder will be required to include
applicable Trust interest income as ordinary income in accordance with its usual
method of accounting.
 
    If Certificateholders are considered to own undivided interests in the
related Receivables and other Trust Assets, a Certificateholder will be
considered to have incurred Trust expenses and, accordingly, will be entitled to
deduct, consistent with its method of accounting, its PRO RATA share of
reasonable servicing fees and other expenses paid or incurred by the applicable
Trust as provided in Sections 162 or 212 of the Code. In general, a
Certificateholder who is an individual, estate or trust will be allowed
deductions for such expenses only to the extent that the sum of those expenses
and the holder's other miscellaneous itemized deductions exceeds 2% of such
holder's adjusted gross income. Moreover, a Certificateholder that is not a
corporation cannot deduct such expenses for purposes of the alternative minimum
tax (if applicable). The Servicer will not report to Certificateholders the
amount of income or deductions attributable to interest earned on collections
and certain other amounts (which are includible in gross income, but deduction
of which are subject to the foregoing limitations) and, accordingly, such a
Certificateholder will not have sufficient information from the report to
accurately reflect the Certificateholder's net taxable income.
 
    The Servicer will report to Certificateholders on the assumption that they
are considered to own an interest in the related Receivables and other Trust
Assets, and the remainder of this discussion assumes such treatment.
 
STRIPPED BOND RULES
 
    Because the Receivables will represent stripped bonds, they will be subject
to the original issue discount ("OID") rules of the Code. Under Treasury
Regulations issued under Section 1286 of the Code (the "Section 1286
Regulations"), it appears that the portion of the interest on each stripped
Receivable payable to the related Certificateholders may be treated as
"qualified stated interest". As a result, the amount of OID on a Receivable (or
Receivables) will equal the amount, if any, by which the Certificateholder's
purchase price allocable to the holder's interest in such Receivable is less
than the undivided portion of the remaining principal balance of the Receivable
(or Receivables) allocable to the interest acquired by the Certificateholder.
 
    OID on the Receivables held by the Trust will be calculated on an aggregate
basis and without the use of a prepayment assumption. Although there is no clear
authority, regulations issued under the OID provisions of the Code suggest that
all payments on the stripped Receivables allocable to the Class A Certificates
may be aggregated in determining whether the stripped Receivables will be
treated as having OID. In addition, it is not clear whether use of a prepayment
assumption is required in computing OID. If
 
                                       44
<PAGE>
the Internal Revenue Service were to require that OID be computed on a
Receivable-by-Receivable basis, or that a prepayment assumption be used, the
character and timing of a Certificateholder's income could be adversely
affected. Because, under the stripped bond rules, each sale of a Certificate
results in a recalculation of OID, a Certificateholder technically will not be
subject to the market discount provisions of the Code with respect to stripped
Receivables.
 
    The tax treatment of a Receivable (or Receivables in the aggregate) will
depend upon whether the amount of OID on the Receivable or Receivables is less
than a statutorily defined DE MINIMIS amount. In general, under the Section 1273
of the Code and the Section 1286 Regulations, the amount of OID on a Receivable
will be DE MINIMIS if it is less than 1/4 of one percent for each full year of
weighted average maturity remaining after the purchase date until the maturity
of the Receivable (although it is not clear whether expected prepayments are
taken into account). If the amount of OID is DE MINIMIS under this rule, a
Receivable (or Receivables) would not be treated as having OID. The actual
amount of discount on a Receivable would be includible in income as principal
payments are received on the Receivable, in the proportion that each principal
payment bears to the total principal amount of the Receivables.
 
    If the OID on a Receivable (or Receivables) is not treated as being DE
MINIMIS, a Certificateholder will be required to include in income any OID as it
accrues on a daily basis, regardless of when cash payments are received, using a
method reflecting a constant yield to maturity on the Receivable (or
Receivables). Accrued OID would increase a Certificateholder's tax basis in the
Certificate (and the applicable Receivables). Distributions of principal and
other items attributable to accrued OID would reduce a Certificateholder's tax
basis. Application of the OID rules, particularly if a prepayment assumption is
required and the Receivables are not aggregated, would be complex and could
significantly affect the timing of inclusion of income on a Certificate.
 
    The Trustee intends to account for OID, if any, reportable by holders of
Certificates by reference to the price paid for a Certificate by an initial
purchaser, although the amount of OID will differ for subsequent purchasers.
Such subsequent purchasers should consult their tax advisers regarding the
proper calculation of OID on the interest in Receivables represented by a
Certificate.
 
PREMIUM
 
    In the event of a purchase of a Receivable (or Receivables) at a premium
(i.e., the portion of the Certificateholder's purchase price allocable to the
holder's undivided interest in the Receivable or Receivables exceeds the portion
of the remaining principal balance allocable to the Certificateholder), such
premium will be amortizable by the Certificateholder as an offset to interest
income (with a corresponding reduction in the Certificateholder's basis) under a
constant yield method over the term of the Receivable (or Receivables) if an
election under Section 171 of the Code is made or was previously in effect. Any
such election will also apply to debt instruments held by the Certificateholder
during the year in which the election is made and all debt instruments acquired
thereafter.
 
RULE OF 78'S RECEIVABLES
 
    The annual statement regularly furnished to Certificateholders for U.S.
federal income tax purposes will include information based on the actuarial
method of accounting for interest and principal on the Receivables.
Certificateholders should generally be permitted to account for interest on the
Receivables using the actuarial method. However, some of the Receivables provide
that, upon a prepayment in full, the amount payable by the obligor will be
determined under the Rule of 78's. Prospective investors should consult their
tax advisors as to whether they may be required or permitted to use the Rule of
78's method to account for interest on the Rule of 78's Receivables. A
Certificateholder will be furnished information for U.S. federal income tax
purposes enabling the holder to report interest on the Receivables under the
Rule of 78's method of accounting only upon written request to the Trustee, and
payment of the actual costs of producing the information.
 
                                       45
<PAGE>
    If a Rule of 78's Receivable is prepaid, any amount received by the Trust
upon prepayment in excess of the account balance using the actuarial method
would constitute income to a Certificateholder who had reported income with
respect to such Rule of 78's Receivable on the actuarial method, and an amount
equal to such excess will be paid to the Servicer and be deductible only to the
extent described above.
 
SUBORDINATION OF CLASS B CERTIFICATE OWNERS
 
    If the Class B Certificateholders receive distributions of less than their
share of the Trust's receipts of principal and interest (the "Shortfall Amount")
because of the subordination of the Class B Certificates, holders of Class B
Certificates would probably be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as
if they had received as distributions their full share of such receipts, paid
over to the Class A Certificateholders an amount equal to such Shortfall Amount,
and retained the right to reimbursement of such amounts to the extent of future
collections. Under this analysis, Class B Certificateholders would be required
to accrue as current income any interest of the Trust that was a component of
the Shortfall Amount, even though such amount was in fact paid to the Class A
Certificateholders; although not entirely clear, it appears that a loss would
only be allowed to the Class B Certificateholders when their right to receive
reimbursement of such Shortfall Amount became worthless (I.E., when it becomes
clear that amount will not be available from any source to reimburse such loss);
and reimbursement of such Shortfall Amount prior to such a claim of worthless
would not be taxable income to the Class B Certificateholders because such
amount was previously included in income. Those results should not significantly
affect the inclusion of income for Class B Certificateholders on the accrual
method of accounting, but could accelerate inclusion of income to Class B
Certificateholders on the cash method of accounting by, in effect, placing them
on the accrual method. Moreover, the character and timing of loss deductions is
unclear. Class B Certificateholders should consult their own tax advisors as to
the treatment of Shortfall Amounts.
 
SALE OF A CERTIFICATE
 
    If a Certificate is sold, gain or loss will be recognized equal to the
difference between the amount realized on the sale and the Certificateholder's
adjusted basis in the Receivables and any other assets held by the Trust. A
Certificateholder's adjusted basis will equal the Certificateholder's cost for
the Certificate, increased by any discount previously included in income, and
decreased by any deduction previously allowed for accrued premium and by the
amount of principal payments previously received on the Receivables. Any gain or
loss not attributable to accrued interest will be capital gain or loss if the
Certificate was held as a capital asset.
 
FOREIGN CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
 
    Interest attributable to Receivables which is payable to a foreign
Certificateholder that is not engaged in a trade or business in the United
States will generally not be subject to the 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided
that such Certificateholder fulfills certain certification requirements. Under
such certification requirements, the Certificateholder must certify, under
penalties of perjury, that it is not a "United States person" and that it is the
beneficial owner of the Certificate, and must provide its name and address. For
this purpose, "United States person" means a citizen or resident of the United
States, a corporation, partnership, or other entity created or organized in or
under the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof, or an
estate or trust the income of which is includible in gross income for United
States Federal income tax purposes, regardless of its source.
 
BACKUP WITHHOLDING
 
    Payments made on the Certificates and proceeds from the sale of Certificates
will not be subject to "backup" withholding of 31% unless the Certificateholder
fails to comply with certain reporting procedures and is not an exempt recipient
under applicable provisions of the Code.
 
                                       46
<PAGE>
    The Prospectus Supplement for each Series of Certificates will summarize,
subject to the limitations stated therein, any other material federal income tax
considerations relevant to the purchase, ownership and disposition of such
Certificates.
 
                              ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
 
    The Prospectus Supplement for each Series of Certificates will summarize,
subject to the limitations discussed therein, considerations under ERISA
relevant to the purchase of such Certificates by employee benefit plans and
individual retirement accounts.
 
                            METHODS OF DISTRIBUTION
 
    The Certificates offered hereby and by the related Prospectus Supplement
will be offered in Series through one or more of the methods described below.
The Prospectus Supplement prepared for each Series will describe the method of
offering being utilized for that Series and will state the public offering or
purchase price of such Series and the net proceeds to CPS from such sale.
 
    CPS intends that Certificates will be offered through the following methods
from time to time and that offerings may be made concurrently through more than
one of these methods or that an offering of a particular Series of Certificates
may be made through a combination of two or more of these methods. Such methods
are as follows:
 
    1.  By negotiated firm commitment or best efforts underwriting and public
       re-offering by underwriters;
 
    2.  By placements by CPS with institutional investors through dealers;
 
    3.  By direct placements by CPS with institutional investors; and
 
    4.  By competitive bid.
 
    In addition, if specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, a Series of
Certificates may be offered in whole or in part in exchange for the Receivables
(and other assets, if applicable) that would comprise the Trust Assets in
respect of such Certificates.
 
    If underwriters are used in a sale of any Certificates (other than in
connection with an underwriting on a best efforts basis), such Certificates will
be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from
time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at
fixed public offering prices or at varying prices to be determined at the time
of sale or at the time of commitment therefor. The Certificates will be set
forth on the cover of the Prospectus Supplement relating to such Series and the
members of the underwriting syndicate, if any, will be named in such Prospectus
Supplement.
 
    In connection with the sale of the Certificates, underwriters may receive
compensation from CPS or from purchasers of the Certificates in the form of
discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters and dealers participating in
the distribution of the Certificates may be deemed to be underwriters in
connection with such Certificates, and any discounts or commissions received by
them from CPS and any profit on the resale of Certificates by them may be deemed
to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. The
Prospectus Supplement will describe any such compensation paid by CPS.
 
    It is anticipated that the underwriting agreement pertaining to the sale of
any Series of Certificates will provide that the obligations of the underwriters
will be subject to certain conditions precedent, that the underwriters, jointly
or severally (as specified in the applicable underwriting agreement), will be
obligated to purchase all such Certificates if any are purchased (other than in
connection with an underwriting on a
 
                                       47
<PAGE>
best efforts basis) and that CPS will indemnify the several underwriters and, in
certain limited circumstances, the underwriters will indemnify CPS against
certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or
will contribute to payments required to be made in respect thereof.
 
    The Prospectus Supplement with respect to any Series offered by placements
through dealers will contain information regarding the nature of such offering
and any agreements to be entered into between CPS and purchasers of Certificates
of such Series.
 
    Purchasers of Certificates, including dealers, may, depending on the facts
and circumstances of such purchases, be deemed to be "underwriters" within the
meaning of the Securities Act in connection with reoffers and sales by them of
Certificates. Holders of Certificates should consult with their legal advisors
in this regard prior to any such reoffer or sale.
 
                                 LEGAL OPINIONS
 
    Certain legal matters relating to the issuance of the Certificates of any
Series, including certain federal and state income tax consequences with respect
thereto, will be passed upon by Mayer, Brown & Platt, New York, New York.
 
                             FINANCIAL INFORMATION
 
    Certain specified Trust Assets will secure each Series of Certificates, no
Trust will engage in any business activities or have any assets or obligations
prior to the issuance of the related Series of Certificates. Accordingly, no
financial statements with respect to any Trust Assets will be included in this
Prospectus or in the related Prospectus Supplement.
 
    A Prospectus Supplement may contain the financial statements of the related
Credit Enhancer, if any.
 
                             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
    This Prospectus, together with the Prospectus Supplement for each Series of
Certificates, contains a summary of the material terms of the applicable
exhibits to the Registration Statement and the documents referred to herein and
therein. Copies of such exhibits are on file at the offices of the Securities
and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., and may be obtained at rates
prescribed by the Commission upon request to the Commission and may be
inspected, without charge, at the Commission's offices.
 
                                       48
<PAGE>
                                 DEFINED TERMS
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                <C>
Actuarial Receivables............................................           19
Advance..........................................................            7
APR..............................................................           18
Available Information............................................           16
Base Rate........................................................           23
Calculation Agent................................................           24
Calculation Date.................................................        25,27
CD Rate..........................................................           24
CD Rate Certificate..............................................           23
CD Rate Determination Date.......................................           24
Cede.............................................................            8
CEDEL Participants...............................................           29
Certificate Balance..............................................            4
Certificateholders...............................................           36
Certificates.....................................................            1
class............................................................            1
Closing Date.....................................................         5,31
Collection Account...............................................           32
Commercial Paper Rate............................................           25
Commercial Paper Rate Certificate................................           23
Commercial Paper Rate Determination Date.........................           25
Commission.......................................................            2
Composite Quotations.............................................           23
Contracts........................................................        1, 20
Cooperative......................................................           29
CPS..............................................................            4
Credit Enhancement...............................................           14
Credit Enhancer..................................................           14
Cutoff Date......................................................            5
Dealers..........................................................           16
Definitive Certificates..........................................           30
Depositaries.....................................................           27
Direct Participants..............................................           14
Distribution Account.............................................           32
Distribution Date................................................           23
DTC..............................................................            8
Eligible Deposit Account.........................................           33
Eligible Institution.............................................           33
Eligible Investments.............................................           33
ERISA............................................................            9
Euroclear Operator...............................................           29
Euroclear Participants...........................................           29
Exchange Act.....................................................            2
Federal Funds Rate...............................................       25, 26
Federal Funds Rate Certificate...................................           23
Federal Funds Rate Determination Date............................           25
Financed Vehicles................................................         1, 5
Fixed Rate Certificates..........................................           23
</TABLE>
 
                                       49
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                <C>
Floating Rate Certificates.......................................           23
FTC Rule.........................................................           42
Funding Period...................................................            6
H.15(519)........................................................           23
Index Maturity...................................................           23
Indirect Participants............................................       14, 28
Initial Receivables..............................................            6
Insolvency Laws..................................................           12
Interest Reset Date..............................................           23
Interest Reset Period............................................           23
Investment Company Act...........................................            8
Investment Earnings..............................................           33
Investment Income................................................            6
LIBOR............................................................           26
LIBOR Certificate................................................           23
LIBOR Determination Date.........................................           26
London Banking Day...............................................           26
Money Market Yield...............................................           25
Participants.....................................................           27
Pass-Through Rate................................................         2, 4
Payahead Account.................................................           32
Policy...........................................................            1
Pool Balance.....................................................           21
Pool Factor......................................................           20
Pooling and Servicing Agreement..................................        4, 31
Pre-Funded Amount................................................            6
Pre-Funding Account..............................................            6
Precomputed Advance..............................................            7
Prospectus Supplement............................................            1
Purchase Agreement...............................................           17
Rating Agencies..................................................            9
Receivables......................................................         1, 5
Receivables Pool.................................................           16
Registration Statement...........................................            2
Relief Act.......................................................           15
Reuters Screen LIBO Page.........................................           26
Rule of 78s......................................................           18
Rule of 78s Receivables..........................................           18
Rules............................................................           28
Securities Act...................................................            2
Seller...........................................................            4
Series...........................................................            1
Servicer.........................................................         1, 4
Servicing Fee....................................................           35
Simple Interest Advance..........................................            7
Simple Interest Receivables......................................           19
Sponsor..........................................................            4
Spread...........................................................           23
Spread Multiplier................................................           23
Standby Servicer.................................................           34
Strip Certificates...............................................            5
</TABLE>
 
                                       50
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                <C>
Sub-Prime Borrowers..............................................           20
Subsequent Receivables...........................................            6
Subsequent Transfer Date.........................................   10, 18, 32
Subservicer......................................................            4
Terms and Conditions.............................................           30
Treasury Rate....................................................           27
Treasury Rate Certificate........................................           23
Treasury Rate Determination Date.................................           27
Trust............................................................            1
Trust Accounts...................................................           33
Trust Assets.....................................................            1
Trustee..........................................................            4
</TABLE>
 
                                       51
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE HEREBY TO
GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION NOT CONTAINED IN THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION
OR REPRESENTATION MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY CPS, THE
SELLER OR ANY UNDERWRITER. THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND THE PROSPECTUS DO NOT
CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY OF THE
SECURITIES OFFERED HEREBY TO ANY PERSON OR BY ANYONE IN ANY JURISDICTION IN
WHICH IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF
THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE MADE HEREUNDER SHALL,
UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
HEREIN IS CORRECT AS OF ANY DATE SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE HEREOF.
 
                         ------------------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    PAGE
                                                    -----
<S>                                              <C>
                   PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
Summary........................................         S-4
Risk Factors...................................        S-15
Formation of the Trust.........................        S-17
The Trust Assets...............................        S-17
CPS's Automobile Contract Portfolio............        S-18
The Receivables Pool...........................        S-25
Yield Considerations...........................        S-31
Pool Factor and Other Information..............        S-31
Use of Proceeds................................        S-32
The Seller and CPS.............................        S-32
The Standby Servicer...........................        S-32
Description of the Certificates................        S-32
The Policy.....................................        S-45
The Certificate Insurer........................        S-47
Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables.......        S-49
ERISA Considerations...........................        S-50
Underwriting...................................        S-52
Legal Opinions.................................        S-53
Experts........................................        S-53
Index of Terms.................................        S-54
Annex I........................................         I-1
                         PROSPECTUS
Prospectus Supplement..........................           2
Available Information..........................           2
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
  Reference....................................           2
Reports to Certificateholders..................           3
Summary of Terms...............................           4
Risk Factors...................................          10
Formation of the Trust.........................          16
The Trust Assets...............................          16
Acquisition of Receivables by the Seller.......          17
The Receivables................................          18
CPS's Automobile Contract Portfolio............          20
Pool Factors...................................          20
Use of Proceeds................................          21
The Seller and CPS.............................          21
Description of the Certificates................          22
Certain Information Regarding the
  Certificates.................................          23
Description of the Pooling and Servicing
  Agreements...................................          31
Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables.......          40
Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences........          43
ERISA Considerations...........................          47
Methods of Distribution........................          47
Legal Opinions.................................          48
Financial Information..........................          48
Additional Information.........................          48
Defined Terms..................................          49
</TABLE>
 
                         ------------------------------
 
    UNTIL 90 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT, ALL DEALERS
EFFECTING TRANSACTIONS IN THE CERTIFICATES OFFERED HEREBY, WHETHER OR NOT
PARTICIPATING IN THIS DISTRIBUTION, MAY BE REQUIRED TO DELIVER THIS PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT AND THE PROSPECTUS. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE OBLIGATION OF DEALERS
TO DELIVER THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND THE PROSPECTUS WHEN ACTING AS
UNDERWRITERS AND WITH RESPECT TO THEIR UNSOLD ALLOTMENTS OR SUBSCRIPTIONS.
 
                                $113,393,930.84
                         CPS AUTO GRANTOR TRUST 1997-2
                               6.65% ASSET-BACKED
                             CERTIFICATES, CLASS A
                             CPS RECEIVABLES CORP.
                                    (SELLER)
                               CONSUMER PORTFOLIO
                                 SERVICES, INC.
                                   (SERVICER)
 
                             ---------------------
 
                             PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
 
                             ---------------------
 
                            PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED
                         BLACK DIAMOND SECURITIES, LLC
 
                                  MAY 23, 1997
 
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