Thick in the heyday of originating indirect loans, credit unions basked as the slices of their auto lending portfolios swelled to historic proportions.

The momentum should have led to programs that helped  aid bottom lines across the country. Instead, that rapid growth caused some credit unions' indirect loans to destruct, brought on by a high concentration, massive defaults, shady incentive programs and poor dealer relationships. The latter likely was the worst culprit, some have argued.    

"One thing that all the credit unions that got in trouble have to remember is that it they had no one to blame but themselves," said Eddie Nevarez, vice president of business development for the National Auto Loan Network, in Newport Beach, Calif., which counts more than a dozen credit unions among its clients.