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EXHIBIT 10.7
ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
among
WFS FINANCIAL 1997-A OWNER TRUST,
as Issuer,
WFS FINANCIAL INC,
as Administrator,
WFS INVESTMENTS, INC.,
WFS FINANCIAL AUTO LOANS, INC.,
as Seller,
and
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY,
as Indenture Trustee
Dated as of March 1, 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section 1. Duties of the Administrator................................. 2
Section 2. Records..................................................... 8
Section 3. Compensation................................................ 8
Section 4. Additional Information to be Furnished to the Issuer........ 9
Section 5. Independence of the Administrator........................... 9
Section 6. No Joint Venture............................................ 9
Section 7. Other Activities of Administrator........................... 9
Section 8. Term of Agreement; Resignation and Removal of Administrator. 9
Section 9. Action upon Termination, Resignation or Removal............. 10
Section 10. Notices..................................................... 11
Section 11. Amendments.................................................. 11
Section 12. Successors and Assigns...................................... 12
Section 13. Governing Law............................................... 12
Section 14. Headings.................................................... 12
Section 15. Counterparts................................................ 13
Section 16. Severability................................................ 13
Section 17. Not Applicable to WFS in Other Capacities................... 13
Section 18. Limitation of Liability of Owner Trustee and Indenture
Trustee.................................................. 13
Section 19. Third-Party Beneficiary..................................... 13
(i)
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This ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT, dated as of March 1, 1997, is among WFS
FINANCIAL 1997-A OWNER TRUST (the "Issuer"), WFS FINANCIAL INC ("WFS" or in its
capacity as administrator, the "Administrator"), WFS INVESTMENTS, INC. (the
"Company"), WFS FINANCIAL AUTO LOANS, INC. (the "Seller") and BANKERS TRUST
COMPANY, not in its individual capacity but solely as Indenture Trustee (the
"Indenture Trustee").
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, the Issuer is issuing _____% Money Market Auto Receivable Backed
Notes, Class A-1, _____% Auto Receivable Backed Notes, Class A-2, _____% Auto
Receivable Backed Notes, Class A-3 and _____% Auto Receivable Backed Notes,
Class A-4 (collectively, the "Notes") pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of the
date hereof (the "Indenture"), between the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee
(capitalized terms used herein that are not otherwise defined shall have the
meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture);
WHEREAS, the Issuer has entered into certain agreements in connection with
the issuance of the Notes and of certain beneficial ownership interests of the
Issuer, including (i) a Sale and Servicing Agreement, dated as of the date
hereof (the "Sale and Servicing Agreement"), among the Issuer, the Seller and
WFS, as servicer (in such capacity, the "Master Servicer"), and (ii) a Letter of
Representations, dated March __, 1997 (the "Note Depository Agreement"), among
the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and The Depository Trust Company ("DTC")
relating to the Notes, (iii) a Letter of Representations, dated March __, 1997
(the "Certificate Depository Agreement", and together with the Note Depository
Agreement, the "Depository Agreements"), among the Issuer, The Chase Manhattan
Bank (USA) (the "Owner Trustee") and DTC and (iv) the Indenture (the Sale and
Servicing Agreement, the Depository Agreements and the Indenture being referred
to hereinafter collectively as the "Related Agreements");
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Related Agreements, the Issuer and the Owner
Trustee are required to perform certain duties in connection with (i) the Notes
and the collateral therefor pledged pursuant to the Indenture (the "Collateral")
and (ii) the beneficial ownership interests in the Issuer (the registered
holders of such interests being referred to herein as the "Owners");
WHEREAS, the Issuer and the Owner Trustee desire to have the Administrator
perform certain of the duties of the Issuer and the Owner Trustee referred to in
the preceding clause and to provide such additional services consistent with the
terms of this Agreement and the Related Agreements as the Issuer and the Owner
Trustee may from time to time request; and
WHEREAS, the Administrator has the capacity to provide the services
required hereby and is willing to perform such services for the Issuer and the
Owner Trustee on the terms set forth herein;
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein,
and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are
hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
Section 1. Duties of the Administrator.
(a) Duties with Respect to the Depository Agreements and the Indenture.
(i) The Administrator agrees to perform all its duties as
Administrator and the duties of the Issuer and the Owner Trustee under the
Depository Agreements. In addition, the Administrator shall consult with
the Owner Trustee regarding the duties of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee
under the Indenture and the Depository Agreements. The Administrator shall
monitor the performance of the Issuer and shall advise the Owner Trustee
when action is necessary to comply with the respective duties of the
Issuer and the Owner Trustee under the Indenture and the Depository
Agreements. The Administrator shall prepare for execution by the Issuer,
or shall cause the preparation by other appropriate persons of, all such
documents, reports, filings, instruments, certificates and opinions that
it shall be the duty of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee to prepare, file
or deliver pursuant to the Indenture and the Depository Agreements. In
furtherance of the foregoing, the Administrator shall take all appropriate
action that the Issuer or the Owner Trustee is required to take pursuant
to the Indenture including, without limitation, such of the foregoing as
are required with respect to the following matters under the Indenture
(references are to Sections of the Indenture):
(A) the duty to cause the Note Register to be kept and to give
the Indenture Trustee notice of any appointment of a new Note
Registrar and the location, or change in location, of the Note
Register (Section 2.04);
(B) the notification of Noteholders and the Rating Agencies of
the final principal payment on the Notes (Section 2.07(b));
(C) the fixing or causing to be fixed of any special record
date and the notification of the Indenture Trustee and Noteholders
with respect to special payment dates, if any (Section 2.07(c));
(D) the preparation of or obtaining of the documents and
instruments required for execution and authentication of the Notes
and delivery of the same to the Indenture Trustee (Section 2.02);
(E) the preparation, obtaining or filing of the instruments,
opinions and certificates and other documents required for the
release of Collateral (Section 2.12);
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(F) the maintenance of an office in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York, for registration of transfer or exchange of
Notes (Section 3.02);
(G) the duty to cause newly appointed Paying Agents, if any,
to deliver to the Indenture Trustee the instrument specified in the
Indenture regarding funds held in trust (Section 3.03);
(H) the direction to the Indenture Trustee to deposit monies
with Paying Agents, if any, other than the Indenture Trustee
(Section 3.03);
(I) the obtaining and preservation of the Issuer's
qualification to do business in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is or shall be necessary to protect the validity and
enforceability of the Indenture, the Notes, the Collateral and each
other instrument and agreement included in the Trust Estate
(Section 3.04);
(J) the preparation of all supplements and amendments to the
Indenture and all financing statements, continuation statements,
instruments of further assurance and other instruments and the
taking of such other action as is necessary or advisable to protect
the Trust Estate (Section 3.05);
(K) the delivery of the Opinion of Counsel on the Closing Date
and the annual delivery of Opinions of Counsel as to the Trust
Estate, and the annual delivery of the Officer's Certificate and
certain other statements as to compliance with the Indenture
(Sections 3.06 and 3.09);
(L) the identification to the Indenture Trustee and Financial
Security Assurance Inc. (the "Insurer") in an Officer's Certificate
of a Person with whom the Issuer has contracted to perform its
duties under the Indenture (Section 3.07(b));
(M) the notification of the Indenture Trustee, the Insurer and
each Rating Agency of a Servicer Default under the Sale and
Servicing Agreement and, if such Servicer Default arises from the
failure of the Master Servicer to perform any of its duties or
obligations under the Sale and Servicing Agreement with respect to
the Contracts, the taking of all reasonable steps available to
remedy such failure (Section 3.07(d));
(N) the duty to cause the Master Servicer to comply with
Sections 4.09, 4.10, 4.11 and 5.07 and Article Nine of the Sale and
Servicing Agreement (Section 3.14);
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(O) the preparation and obtaining of documents and instruments
required for the release of the Issuer from its obligations under
the Indenture (Section 3.10(b));
(P) the delivery of written notice to the Indenture Trustee,
the Insurer and each Rating Agency of each Event of Default under
the Indenture and each default by the Master Servicer or the Seller
under the Sale and Servicing Agreement (Section 3.18);
(Q) the monitoring of the Issuer's obligations as to the
satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture and the preparation of
an Officer's Certificate and the obtaining of the Opinion of Counsel
and the Independent Certificate relating thereto (Section 4.01);
(R) the compliance with any written directive of the
Controlling Party with respect to the sale of the Trust Estate in a
commercially reasonable manner if an Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing (Section 5.04);
(S) the preparation and delivery of notice to Noteholders of
the removal of the Indenture Trustee and the appointment of a
successor Indenture Trustee (Section 6.08);
(T) the preparation of any written instruments required to
confirm more fully the authority of any co-trustee or separate
trustee and any written instruments necessary in connection with the
resignation or removal of the Indenture Trustee or any co-trustee or
separate trustee (Sections 6.08 and 6.10);
(U) the furnishing of the Indenture Trustee with the names and
addresses of Noteholders during any period when the Indenture
Trustee is not the Note Registrar (Section 7.01);
(V) the preparation and, after execution by the Issuer, the
filing with the Commission, any applicable state agencies and the
Indenture Trustee of documents required to be filed on a periodic
basis with, and summaries thereof as may be required by rules and
regulations prescribed by, the Commission and any applicable state
agencies and the transmission of such summaries, as necessary, to
the Noteholders (Section 7.03);
(W) the opening of one or more accounts in the Issuer's name,
the preparation and delivery of Issuer Orders, Officer's
Certificates and Opinions of Counsel and all other actions necessary
with respect to investment and reinvestment of funds in the Trust
Accounts (Sections 8.02 and 8.03);
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(X) the preparation of an Issuer Request and Officer's
Certificate and the obtaining of an Opinion of Counsel and
Independent Certificates, if necessary, for the release of the Trust
Estate (Sections 8.04 and 8.05);
(Y) the preparation of Issuer Orders and the obtaining of
Opinions of Counsel with respect to the execution of supplemental
indentures and the mailing to the Noteholders of notices with
respect to such supplemental indentures (Sections 9.01, 9.02 and
9.03);
(Z) the execution, authentication and delivery of new Notes
conforming to any supplemental indenture (Section 9.06);
(AA) the duty to notify Noteholders and the Rating Agencies of
redemption of the Notes or to cause the Indenture Trustee to provide
such notification (Section 10.02);
(BB) the preparation and delivery of all Officer's
Certificates, Opinions of Counsel and Independent Certificates with
respect to any requests by the Issuer to the Indenture Trustee to
take any action under the Indenture (Section 11.01(a));
(CC) the preparation and delivery of Officer's Certificates
and the obtaining of Independent Certificates, if necessary, for the
release of property from the lien of the Indenture (Section
11.01(b));
(DD) the notification of the Rating Agencies, upon the failure
of the Issuer, the Owner Trustee or the Indenture Trustee to give
such notification, of the information required pursuant to Section
11.04 of the Indenture (Section 11.04);
(EE) the preparation and delivery to Noteholders and the
Indenture Trustee of any agreements with respect to alternate
payment and notice provisions (Section 11.06);
(FF) the recording of the Indenture, if applicable (Section
11.15); and
(GG) the preparation of Definitive Notes in accordance with
the instructions of the Clearing Agency (Section 2.11).
(ii) The Administrator will:
(A) pay the Indenture Trustee from time to time reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by the Indenture Trustee
under the Indenture (which compensation shall not be limited by any
provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an
express trust);
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(B) except as otherwise expressly provided in the Indenture,
reimburse the Indenture Trustee upon its request for all reasonable
expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the
Indenture Trustee in accordance with any provision of the Indenture
(including the reasonable compensation, expenses and disbursements
of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or
advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith;
(C) indemnify the Indenture Trustee and its agents for, and
hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred
without negligence or bad faith on their part, arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration of the transactions
contemplated by the Indenture, including the reasonable costs and
expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in
connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers
or duties under the Indenture; and
(D) indemnify the Owner Trustee and its agents for, and hold
them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred
without negligence or bad faith on their part, arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration of the transactions
contemplated by the Trust Agreement, including the reasonable costs
and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability
in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their
powers or duties under the Trust Agreement.
(b) Additional Duties.
(i) In addition to the duties set forth in Section 1(a)(i), the
Administrator shall perform such calculations and shall prepare or shall
cause the preparation by other appropriate persons of, and shall execute
on behalf of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee, all such documents, reports,
filings, instruments, certificates and opinions that the Issuer or the
Owner Trustee are required to prepare, file or deliver pursuant to the
Related Agreements or Section 5.05 of the Trust Agreement, and at the
request of the Owner Trustee shall take all appropriate action that the
Issuer or the Owner Trustee are required to take pursuant to the Related
Agreements. In furtherance thereof, the Owner Trustee shall, on behalf of
itself and of the Issuer, execute and deliver to the Administrator and to
each successor Administrator appointed pursuant to the terms hereof, one
or more powers of attorney substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto,
appointing the Administrator the attorney-in-fact of the Owner Trustee and
the Issuer for the purpose of executing on behalf of the Owner Trustee and
the Issuer all such documents, reports, filings, instruments, certificates
and opinions. Subject to Section 5, and in accordance with the directions
of the Owner Trustee, the Administrator shall administer, perform or
supervise the performance of such other activities in connection with the
Collateral (including the Related Agreements) as are not covered by any of
the foregoing provisions and as are
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expressly requested by the Owner Trustee and are reasonably within the
capability of the Administrator.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the Related
Agreements to the contrary, the Administrator shall be responsible for
promptly notifying the Owner Trustee in the event that any withholding tax
is imposed on the Trust's payments (or allocations of income) to an Owner
as contemplated in Section 5.02(c) of the Trust Agreement. Any such notice
shall specify the amount of any withholding tax required to be withheld by
the Owner Trustee pursuant to such provision.
(iii) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the Related
Agreements to the contrary, the Administrator shall be responsible for
performance of the duties of the Owner Trustee set forth in Section
5.05(a), (b), (c) and (d), the penultimate sentence of Section 5.05 and
Section 5.06(a) of the Trust Agreement with respect to, among other
things, accounting and reports to Owners; provided, however, that the
Owner Trustee shall retain responsibility for the distribution of the
Schedule K-1s necessary to enable each Owner to prepare its federal and
state income tax returns.
(iv) The Administrator shall satisfy its obligations with respect
to clauses (ii) and (iii) above by retaining, at the expense of the Trust
payable by the Administrator, a firm of independent public accountants
(the "Accountants") acceptable to the Owner Trustee, which shall perform
the obligations of the Administrator thereunder. In connection with
paragraph (ii) above, the Accountants will provide prior to December 31,
1997, a letter in form and substance satisfactory to the Owner Trustee as
to whether any tax withholding is then required and, if required, the
procedures to be followed with respect thereto to comply with the
requirements of the Code. The Accountants shall be required to update the
letter in each instance that any additional tax withholding is
subsequently required or any previously required tax withholding shall no
longer be required.
(v) The Administrator shall perform the duties of the
Administrator specified in Section 10.02 of the Trust Agreement required
to be performed in connection with the resignation or removal of the Owner
Trustee, and any other duties expressly required to be performed by the
Administrator under the Trust Agreement.
(vi) In carrying out the foregoing duties or any of its other
obligations under this Agreement, the Administrator may enter into
transactions or otherwise deal with any of its Affiliates; provided,
however, that the terms of any such transactions or dealings shall be in
accordance with any directions received from the Issuer and shall be, in
the Administrator's opinion, no less favorable to the Issuer than would be
available from unaffiliated parties.
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(c) Non-Ministerial Matters.
(i) With respect to matters that in the reasonable judgment of
the Administrator are non-ministerial, the Administrator shall not take
any action unless within a reasonable time before the taking of such
action, the Administrator shall have notified the Owner Trustee of the
proposed action and the Owner Trustee shall not have withheld consent or
provided an alternative direction. For the purpose of the preceding
sentence, "non-ministerial matters" shall include, without limitation:
(A) the amendment of or any supplement to the Indenture;
(B) the initiation of any claim or lawsuit by the Issuer and
the compromise of any action, claim or lawsuit brought by or against
the Issuer (other than in connection with the collection of the
Contracts);
(C) the amendment, change or modification of the Related
Agreements;
(D) the appointment of successor Note Registrars, successor
Paying Agents and successor Indenture Trustees pursuant to the
Indenture or the appointment of successor Administrators or a
successor Master Servicer, or the consent to the assignment by the
Note Registrar, Paying Agent or Indenture Trustee of its obligations
under the Indenture; and
(E) the removal of the Indenture Trustee.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement,
the Administrator shall not be obligated to, and shall not, (A) make any
payments to the Noteholders under the Related Agreements, (B) sell the
Trust Estate pursuant to clause (iv) of Section 5.04 of the Indenture, (C)
take any other action that the Issuer directs the Administrator not to
take on its behalf or (D) take any other action which may be construed as
having the effect of varying the investment of the Holders.
Section 2. Records. The Administrator shall maintain appropriate books of
account and records relating to services performed hereunder, which books of
account and records shall be accessible for inspection by the Issuer and the
Company at any time during normal business hours.
Section 3. Compensation. As compensation for the performance of the
Administrator's obligations under this Agreement and as reimbursement for its
expenses related thereto, the Administrator shall be entitled to an annual
payment of compensation which shall be solely an obligation of the Company.
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Section 4. Additional Information to be Furnished to the Issuer. The
Administrator shall furnish to the Issuer from time to time such additional
information regarding the Collateral as the Issuer shall reasonably request.
Section 5. Independence of the Administrator. For all purposes of this
Agreement, the Administrator shall be an independent contractor and shall not be
subject to the supervision of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee with respect to
the manner in which it accomplishes the performance of its obligations
hereunder. Unless expressly authorized by the Issuer, the Administrator shall
have no authority to act for or represent the Issuer or the Owner Trustee in any
way and shall not otherwise be deemed an agent of the Issuer or the Owner
Trustee.
Section 6. No Joint Venture. Nothing contained in this Agreement (i) shall
constitute the Administrator and either of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee as
members of any partnership, joint venture, association, syndicate,
unincorporated business or other separate entity, (ii) shall be construed to
impose any liability as such on any of them or (iii) shall be deemed to confer
on any of them any express, implied or apparent authority to incur any
obligation or liability on behalf of the others.
Section 7. Other Activities of Administrator. Nothing herein shall prevent
the Administrator or its Affiliates from engaging in other businesses or, in its
sole discretion, from acting in a similar capacity as an administrator for any
other Person or entity even though such person or entity may engage in business
activities similar to those of the Issuer, the Owner Trustee or the Indenture
Trustee.
Section 8. Term of Agreement; Resignation and Removal of Administrator.
This Agreement shall continue in force until the dissolution of the Issuer, upon
which event this Agreement shall automatically terminate.
(a) Subject to Section 8(e), the Administrator may resign its duties
hereunder by providing the Issuer with at least 60 days' prior written notice.
(b) Subject to Section 8(e), the Issuer may remove the Administrator
without cause by providing the Administrator with at least 60 days' prior
written notice.
(c) Subject to Section 8(e), at the sole option of the Issuer, the
Administrator may be removed immediately upon written notice of termination from
the Issuer to the Administrator if any of the following events shall occur:
(i) the Administrator shall default in the performance of any of
its duties under this Agreement and, after notice of such default, shall
not cure such default within ten days (or, if such default cannot be cured
in such time, shall not give within ten days such assurance of cure as
shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer);
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(ii) a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a
decree or order for relief, and such decree or order shall not have been
vacated within 60 days, in respect of the Administrator in any involuntary
case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now
or hereafter in effect or appoint a receiver, liquidator, assignee,
custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official for the Administrator
or any substantial part of its property or order the winding-up or
liquidation of its affairs; or
(iii) the Administrator shall commence a voluntary case under any
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in
effect, shall consent to the entry of an order for relief in an
involuntary case under any such law, or shall consent to the appointment
of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator or
similar official for the Administrator or any substantial part of its
property, shall consent to the taking of possession by any such official
of any substantial part of its property, shall make any general assignment
for the benefit of creditors or shall fail generally to pay its debts as
they become due.
The Administrator agrees that if any of the events specified in clauses
(ii) or (iii) above shall occur, it shall give written notice thereof to the
Issuer and the Indenture Trustee within seven days after the occurrence of such
event.
(d) No resignation or removal of the Administrator pursuant to this
Section shall be effective until (i) a successor Administrator shall have been
appointed by the Issuer and (ii) such successor Administrator shall have agreed
in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement in the same manner as the
Administrator is bound hereunder.
(e) The appointment of any successor Administrator shall be effective only
after satisfaction of the Rating Agency Condition with respect to the proposed
appointment.
(f) Subject to Section 8(d) and 8(e), the Administrator acknowledges that
upon the appointment of a Successor Master Servicer pursuant to the Sale and
Servicing Agreement, the Administrator shall immediately resign and such
Successor Master Servicer shall automatically become the Administrator under
this Agreement; provided, however, that this subsection (f) shall not apply at
such times as the Trustee shall be the Successor Master Servicer.
Section 9. Action upon Termination, Resignation or Removal. Promptly upon
the effective date of termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8(a) or
the resignation or removal of the Administrator pursuant to Section 8(b) or (c),
respectively, the Administrator shall be entitled to be paid all fees and
reimbursable expenses accruing to it to the date of such termination,
resignation or removal. The Administrator shall forthwith upon such termination
pursuant to Section 8(a) deliver to the Issuer all property and documents of or
relating to the Collateral then in the custody of the Administrator. In the
event of the resignation or removal of the Administrator pursuant to Section
8(b) or (c), respectively, the
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Administrator shall cooperate with the Issuer and take all reasonable steps
requested to assist the Issuer in making an orderly transfer of the duties of
the Administrator.
Section 10. Notices. Any notice, report or other communication given
hereunder shall be in writing and addressed as follows:
(a) if to the Issuer or the Owner Trustee, to:
WFS Financial 0000-X Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Bank Delaware
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust - Administration Department
(b) if to the Administrator, to:
WFS Financial Inc
00 Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Esq.
(c) if to the Indenture Trustee, to:
Bankers Trust Company
Four Albany Street - 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust Department - Asset Backed Group
(d) if to the Insurer, to:
Financial Security Assurance, Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Surveillance Department
or to such other address as any party shall have provided to the other parties
in writing. Any notice required to be in writing hereunder shall be deemed given
if such notice is mailed by certified mail, postage prepaid, or hand-delivered
to the address of such party as provided above.
Section 11. Amendments. This Agreement may be amended from time to time by
a written amendment duly executed and delivered by the parties hereto, with the
written consent of the Insurer and the Owner Trustee but without the consent of
the Noteholders and the Certificateholders, for the purpose of adding any
provisions to or changing in any manner or
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eliminating any of the provisions of this Agreement or of modifying in any
manner the rights of the Noteholders or Certificateholders; provided that such
amendment will not, in the Opinion of Counsel satisfactory to the Indenture
Trustee, materially and adversely affect the interest of any Noteholder or
Certificateholder. This Agreement may also be amended by the parties hereto with
the written consent of the Owner Trustee and the holders of Notes evidencing at
least a majority in the Outstanding Amount of the Notes and the holders of
Certificates evidencing at least a majority of the Certificate Balance for the
purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of modifying in any manner the rights of
Noteholders or the Certificateholders; provided, however, that no such amendment
may (i) increase or reduce in any manner the amount of, or accelerate or delay
the timing of, collections of payments on the Contracts or distributions that
are required to be made for the benefit of the Noteholders or Certificateholders
or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of the holders of Notes and Certificates
which are required to consent to any such amendment, without the consent of the
Insurer and the holders of all outstanding Notes and Certificates.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may not amend this Agreement
without the permission of the Seller, which permission shall not be unreasonably
withheld.
Section 12. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement may not be assigned by
the Administrator unless such assignment is previously consented to in writing
by the Issuer and the Owner Trustee and subject to the satisfaction of the
Rating Agency Condition in respect thereof. An assignment with such consent and
satisfaction, if accepted by the assignee, shall bind the assignee hereunder in
the same manner as the Administrator is bound hereunder. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this Agreement may be assigned by the Administrator without the
consent of the Issuer, the Insurer or the Owner Trustee to a corporation or
other organization that is a successor (by merger, consolidation or purchase of
assets) to the Administrator; provided that such successor organization executes
and delivers to the Issuer, the Insurer, the Owner Trustee and the Indenture
Trustee an agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Owner
Trustee, the Indenture Trustee and the Insurer, in which such corporation or
other organization agrees to be bound hereunder by the terms of said assignment
in the same manner as the Administrator is bound hereunder. Subject to the
foregoing, this Agreement shall bind any successors or assigns of the parties
hereto.
Section 13. Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS CONFLICT OF
LAW PROVISIONS, AND THE OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES
HEREUNDER SHALL BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH LAWS, EXCEPT THAT THE
DUTIES OF THE INDENTURE TRUSTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
NEW YORK.
Section 14. Headings. The section and subsection headings hereof have been
inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be construed to affect
the meaning, construction or effect of this Agreement.
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Section 15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several
counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall
constitute but one and the same agreement.
Section 16. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall be ineffective to the
extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the
remaining provisions hereof and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any
jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any
other jurisdiction.
Section 17. Not Applicable to WFS in Other Capacities. Nothing in this
Agreement shall affect any obligation WFS may have in any other capacity.
Section 18. Limitation of Liability of Owner Trustee and Indenture
Trustee.
(a) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, this
instrument has been countersigned by The Chase Manhattan Bank (USA) not in its
individual capacity but solely in its capacity as Owner Trustee of the Issuer
and in no event shall The Chase Manhattan Bank (USA) in its individual capacity
or any beneficial owner of the Issuer have any liability for the
representations, warranties, covenants, agreements or other obligations of the
Issuer hereunder, as to all of which recourse shall be had solely to the assets
of the Issuer. For all purposes of this Agreement, in the performance of any
duties or obligations of the Issuer hereunder, the Owner Trustee shall be
subject to, and entitled to the benefits of, the terms and provisions of
Articles Six, Seven and Eight of the Trust Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, this
Agreement has been countersigned by Bankers Trust Company not in its individual
capacity but solely as Indenture Trustee and in no event shall Bankers Trust
Company have any liability for the representations, warranties, covenants,
agreements or other obligations of the Issuer hereunder or in any of the
certificates, notices or agreements delivered pursuant hereto, as to all of
which recourse shall be had solely to the assets of the Issuer.
Section 19. Third-Party Beneficiary. The Owner Trustee is a third-party
beneficiary to this Agreement and is entitled to the rights and benefits
hereunder and may enforce the provisions hereof as if it were a party hereto.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.
WFS FINANCIAL 1997-A OWNER TRUST
By: CHASE MANHATTAN BANK DELAWARE,
not in its individual capacity but
solely as Owner Trustee
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
WFS INVESTMENTS, INC.
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
WFS FINANCIAL AUTO LOANS, INC., as
Seller
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, not in its
individual capacity but solely as Indenture
Trustee
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
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WFS FINANCIAL INC,
as Administrator
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
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