Cars.com launches RepairPal program for auto dealers

CHICAGO (Jan. 26, 2015) — Cars.com, in partnership with RepairPal Inc., has launched a RepairPal Certified program to help differentiate auto dealership service departments.

Under the program, qualified dealerships can earn a certification badge that assures consumers that their service departments have strong customer satisfaction scores and offer guaranteed fair prices, warranties for its work and qualified technicians.

“We're excited to launch RepairPal Certified for franchise dealers and help them take back their service business,” said Alex Vetter, CEO of Cars.com. “We've always dedicated ourselves to building a trusted platform for car shoppers, and consumers have come to rely on us at all stages of the buying process. Now our goal is to transform the service and repair category by providing much-needed resources for car owners seeking help and advice when it comes to maintaining their vehicles, and for dealerships looking to boost their service business and regain their market share from national service chains.”

Cars.com is an online research site for car shoppers. RepairPal offers an online auto repair price estimator and a listing of certified repair shops.

Cars.com noted that more than 86 percent of cars are past their original service warranty period and car dealers tend to lose service revenue to independents as these vehicles age.

“Car owners leave the dealership for service because they're skeptical of high prices. This misperception is only amplified by national chains that are exceedingly effective in communicating a consistent fair-price message online,” said Mr. Vetter. “With RepairPal Certified, Cars.com is offering dealers a way to promote quality work and fair prices, giving consumers the trust they need and flipping preconceived notions about dealership service.”

To earn and maintain RepairPal certification, a dealership's service department must complete an assessment every 90 days covering four areas: technical assessment, minimum warranty, customer satisfaction and price guarantee.

A RepairPal Certified dealer must have OEM-certified technicians, at least a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty, a minimum number of Cars.com service reviews with an overall 4-star rating in sales or service, and pricing that falls within the RepairPal Estimator.

When a dealer earns the new certification badge, it will be featured on Cars.com and RepairPal.com.

RepairPal Certified will roll out nationwide in March. For more information, visit dealers.cars.com.

Launched in 1998, Cars.com is owned by Gannett Co. Inc.

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