AutoTrader.com, the number one automotive classifieds site on the planet, has seen "What is a Certified Car?" page views spike 159 percent from August to September alone. Additional marketing efforts both on AutoTrader.com as well as on AOL boosted consumer awareness of its certified offerings.

AutoTrader.com has amassed by far the largest inventory of manufacturer certified cars by partnering with top auto manufacturers. AutoTrader.com's certified partners include Acura, Audi, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM (Buick, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and GMC), Honda, Jeep, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercury, Plymouth and Toyota.

"Satisfaction is high among certified car buyers because they generally pay less for maintenance and get all the bells and whistles of higher-end models," said Chip Perry, president and chief executive officer of AutoTrader.com. Site shoppers list mechanical reliability as their biggest concern for used vehicle purchase, and 53 percent say the biggest appeal of vehicle certification is that manufacturer backing provides confidence in vehicle quality. Raising awareness and generating leads for certified vehicles bring increased buyer interest, and AutoTrader.com helps dealers and manufacturers raise their margins, boost sales and retain customers through brand loyalty.

Twenty nine percent of site shoppers first learned about certified pre- owned used vehicles through the AutoTrader.com web site. AutoTrader.com allows 7 million monthly unique visitors to search exclusively for certified used cars from the largest online selection. This option helps consumers browse AutoTrader.com's database of 100,000 low-mileage, like-new certified vehicles, then locate a desired vehicle on a dealer's lot.

About AutoTrader.com

AutoTrader.com, created in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is the Internet's leading auto classifieds marketplace and a comprehensive consumer information website. Serving as matchmaker, AutoTrader.com unites buyer and seller online -- dramatically improving the way people research, locate and advertise cars. Through its strategic alliances with Manheim Auctions, Trader Publishing Company, ADP, Inc., America Online and eBay, AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location a comprehensive database of more than 2 million vehicle listings from 40,000 dealers and 250,000 private owners, which provide the largest selection of vehicles attracting more than 7 million unique visitors every month.

AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Manheim Auctions, Inc., the world's largest operator of wholesale auto auctions since 1945. Manheim Auctions, a wholly owned subsidiary of media conglomerate Cox Enterprises, Inc., is AutoTrader.com's principal stockholder and a key investor along with Landmark Communications, ADP, Inc. and the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. For more information, visit http://www.autotrader.com/ or call 1-800-353-9350.

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SOURCE: AutoTrader.com

CONTACT: Louise Barr of AutoTrader.com, +1-404-843-5943, or
louise.barr@autotrader.com

Web site: http://www.autotrader.com/