CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars.com, the
leading online automotive marketplace, today announced a strategic
investment in RepairPal, the leading online source for auto repair.
The investment positions Cars.com to further develop the service
category with solutions for consumers seeking help and advice when
it comes to maintaining their vehicles, and for dealerships looking
to boost their service business.
"Cars.com has always been a trusted and credible source of
information in the shopping process. Consumers rely on us at all
stages of buying for research, advice and reviews to guide their
vehicle and dealership selection," said Cars.com president,
Mitch Golub. "But when it comes to
maintaining a vehicle, there is a lot of confusion among
consumers. We see an opportunity to transform the repair
category and provide vehicle owners the same credible advice they
have come to depend on us for when it comes time to service or
repair their car."
"More than 86 percent of cars on the road today are past
warranty. At a time when vehicle owners are holding onto their cars
longer than ever, it's critical that they have access to high
quality independent information about repairs, maintenance advice
and associated costs," said RepairPal CEO, Art Shaw. "We are excited to deepen our
relationship with Cars.com and work together to bring their
audience new solutions for managing vehicle ownership."
Cars.com also intends to develop new offerings to help its local
dealer partners reach vehicle owners in need of service and repair
and to more effectively compete for their business. "We already see
a high level of interest in service and repair from our visitors.
In fact, more than a quarter of dealership reviews on our site are
about a service and repair experience," said Golub. "By
providing our large audience access to even more credible
information about service and repair providers, we can help drive
additional value to our advertisers' business, driving results for
their fixed operations, in addition to new and used car sales,"
Golub added.
Cars.com's investment in RepairPal builds on the site's
co-branded content partnership that launched in 2009. Since that
time, RepairPal has been a featured content partner on Cars.com,
giving shoppers access to auto repair and maintenance estimates,
advice for common problems from expert technicians, a comprehensive
auto shop directory and helpful auto ownership content, such as
"How To's" and helpful hints, problems to be aware of, recalls, and
an in-depth encyclopedia of automotive terms.
About RepairPal.com
RepairPal is the definitive source for trusted auto repair.
RepairPal provides fair price estimates, expert advice from
certified mechanics and the most comprehensive, verified auto shop
directory online and via mobile app. Only shops that meet extremely
stringent standards for quality, price and customer satisfaction
are certified as RepairPal Top Shops providing added confidence as
consumers maintain and fix their vehicles. By facilitating
transparency and empowering consumers with the information they
need to get quality service and save money, RepairPal is
transforming the auto repair industry. RepairPal is located in
San Francisco, California with Top
Shop locations in more than 33 states. Find more at
www.repairpal.com.
About Cars.com:
Cars.com is an award-winning online destination for car shoppers
that offers information from consumers and experts to help buyers
formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay
for a car. Cars.com offers thousands of new and used vehicle
listings, consumer reviews, side-by-side comparison tools, photo
galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and many other tools.
Cars.com put millions of car buyers in control of their shopping
process with the information they need to make confident buying
decisions. Launched in June 1998,
Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures LLC, which is owned
by leading media companies, including A.H.
Belo (NYSE: AHC), Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), The
McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington
Post Company (NYSE: WPO).
SOURCE Cars.com