Autobytel Offers Car Shoppers First Cost-Free, Ready-to-Print Vehicle Buying Guides
IRVINE, Calif.--April 21, 2003--Downloadable "Personal Vehicle Reports" Feature Comprehensive Info and Vehicle Reliability Ratings from Tens of Thousands of Car Owners
Autobytel Inc. , the Internet's largest new car buying service and popular automotive research center, has introduced the first cost-free, ready-to-print vehicle information summaries of each new make and model on the market. Autobytel shoppers can now quickly download and print a concise, data-rich Personal Vehicle Report on the make(s) and model(s) they're researching -- without having to pay a fee, and without having to interrupt their research process. In addition to key model information, photos, comparisons and reviews, the reports feature detailed reliability ratings(1) based on the real-world experience of tens of thousands of car owners. Unlike other resources that charge consumers to download vehicle information summaries, Autobytel provides these print-ready vehicle reports at no cost -- the only independent online car buying and information service to do so. The reports are available on all three Autobytel car-buying and automotive research sites -- Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com and CarSmart.com.
"Our Personal Vehicle Reports provide online shoppers with a very complete overview of the car or truck they're interested in -- something they can show their spouse, take to the dealership, add to a file, you name it," said Autobytel Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Donchak. "Autobytel has once again taken the auto information lead, this time by empowering consumers with a cost-free, `to go' version of industry-leading vehicle information."
The reports are seamlessly integrated into the car shopper's online research process. While researching a specific car or truck, Autobytel consumers can simply request a Personal Vehicle Report for that make and model with a single mouse click. The report is then delivered to the shopper's email inbox, in a pre-formatted, ready-to-print document that includes digital photos, key features, pricing (MSRP, invoice and Estimated Market Price), specification and performance data, available options and trims (including photos), and side-by-side comparisons versus competitive models. Consumers can download as many different reports as they need, no matter how many vehicles they're considering.
The reports also feature a range of consumer ratings and reviews, including innovative vehicle Reliability and Satisfaction Ratings collected from Autobytel visitors and past customers who own the make and model being researched. The reports feature the average owner rating of the car or truck (on a scale of 0-100) in terms of overall vehicle reliability, as well as specific vehicle qualities like performance, safety features, interior comfort, fit and finish, and ergonomics. The reports also reveal the percentages of owners reporting problems with specific parts/features -- e.g., brakes, suspension, transmission, cooling, electrical, engine, paint, etc. Added Donchak: "We're pleased that our Reliability and Satisfaction Ratings can help consumers move beyond standard industry reviews and reports, and find out how cars rate with the real experts -- the people who drive them every day."
In addition to the new Personal Vehicle Reports, visitors to the Autobytel sites can also download the recently released 2003 Vehicle Guide, which provides comprehensive overviews of every new and significantly redesigned model in the market, as well as a Used Car Buying Guide that offers expert used car shopping tips and strategies.
To download personal vehicle reports or to access the 2003 vehicle guide or used car buying guide, visit: http://www.autobytel.com/content/Research/ReportLibrary
About Autobytel Inc.
Autobytel Inc. , a leading Internet automotive marketing services company, helps retailers sell cars and manufacturers build brands through marketing, advertising and CRM (customer relationship management) programs. The company owns and operates the automotive websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com and popular automotive research center, AutoSite.com, as well as AIC (Automotive Information Center), a leading provider of automotive marketing data and technology. Autobytel Inc. is the Internet's largest new-car buying service and, in 2002, generated over a billion dollars a month in car sales for dealers through its services. Autobytel Inc. is also among the largest syndicated car-buying content networks, reaching millions of unique visitors as they are making their vehicle buying decisions. Autobytel Inc. content and technology has potential exposure to over 94 percent of the active Digital Media Universe(2).
(1) Reliability ratings currently available on top 155 vehicles, which represents the majority of new cars and trucks on the market.
(2) Nielsen/NetRatings Q4 2002 Digital Media Universe Report (Autobytel Inc. is the unduplicated audience of the Autobytel, Autoweb.com, CarSmart and Autosite.com Brands. Autobytel Inc. provides content to the Yahoo!, AOL and MSN portals and various automotive manufacturers' sites. The unduplicated audience of these Brands has an active reach of over 94 percent of the Digital Media Universe.)
