The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

PHOTO

1999 NEW CAR PRICES NOW ON-LINE

6 October 1998

The Auto Channel's New Car Buyers Guide Features Complete MSRP & Dealr Invoice Prices plus Exclusive Car Buying Tools: TACH 4 Car Compar-a-graph, DealerDirect Price Quote, Bodystyle Compar-a-chart, and SPEC-IT BID-IT BUY-IT Capabilities

LOUISVILLE, KY. & SACRAMENTO, CA., OCTOBER 5, 1998 - THE AUTO CHANNEL Internet Network (http://www.theautochannel.com) announces the on-line publication of its 1999 New Car Buyers Guide: the web's most comprehensive new vehicle buying resource.

Foremost among the innovations that once again brand the TACH New Car Buyers Guide as the preeminent car and truck purchasing reference, are four unique components. The principal new feature is the TACH 4 Car Compar-a-graph. The TACH Compar-a-graph allows users to compare and contrast multiple vehicles in a head-to-head match up that includes more than 100 categories. Users randomly select up to 4 vehicles from different manufacturers; or they can select up to 4 models from the same manufacturer, if, for example, they're not sure which Mercedes to buy. Short-cuts also allow users to substitute any one or more of the selections with other makes and models, or dimensions and capacities, without starting the process over from scratch. A typical comparison could pit top sportscars against each other in order to contrast engine sizes and power; or SUV and minivan comparisons to determine which is the roomiest, most economical, and most safety conscious.

According to Bob Gordon, President of THE AUTO CHANNEL, "The TACH 4 Car Compar-a-graph is our latest achievement in empowering the consumer. It is the most important addition to the consumers' car buying arsenal needed to fight and win the car buying war, since the introduction of the Internet itself. Every person looking for a new car or truck should, strike that, must, use it." Gordon then added, "Even if you're not presently in the market for a new vehicle, millions and millions of car enthusiasts around the world will get hours of enjoyment from using it. It's fun, informative, and very easy to use."

Another new feature to the 1999 New Car Buyers Guide is the TACH Bodystyle Compar-a-chart. This option allows users to compare every vehicle in a specific bodystyle, in over 100 categories.

The third brand new feature is the DealerDirect option. For the first time, TACH users can now find a car dealer online, and then go straight into the actual buying process. THE AUTO CHANNEL recently concluded an agreement with AutoVantage® to provide direct access to their dealer network and purchase request interface. AutoVantage® is a division of Cendant Corporation, the world's premier marketer and provider of consumer and business services.

TACH's SPEC-IT BID-IT BUY-IT feature allows car shoppers to build out a vehicle exactly the way they want it. The user chooses the base vehicle and then selects the option packages or individual features offered by the manufacturer. Upon pressing the submit button, the user retrieves a New Car Purchase Request form, which lists the make, model, and options chosen; along with actual factory codes, total MSRP, and dealer invoice cost. This form can then be immediately printed out, to be taken or faxed to the dealer(s) of their choice; or, of course, used in conjunction with TACH's DealerDirect AutoVantage® option.

At the heart of TACH's New Car Buyers Guide is a dynamic relational database, which includes all MSRP prices (retail), dealer invoice prices (wholesale), option packages, and shipping charges. The database is also linked directly to Recall Information, NHTSA Crash Test Results, editorial reviews, and streaming video footage of most new vehicles.

The interactive interface on the New Car Buyers Guide is the most intuitive to use of any automotive price guide on the web, and with all the features and capabilities, it is certainly the most complete and comprehensive.

THE AUTO CHANNEL comprises 18 subject sections, including New Vehicles, Motor Sports, Parts & Accessories, Repair & Maintenance, Motor Homes, Consumer Affairs, and Industry. It has well over 100,000 pages of information; thousands of photos; hundreds of new vehicle reviews for each of the last 5 model years; more than 500 streaming video programs; and is the only auto related website to present live video and audio coverage of major automotive events.

Visitors to the TACH Internet network will also find a complete Used Car Price Guide, a Motorcycle Price Guide, worldwide Automobile Museum database, and extensive motor sports coverage. All features, utilities, databases, multi-media elements, and information is available to Internet users around the world free of charge.

The New Car Buyers Guide and exclusive car buying tools can be accessed directly at " http://www.theautochannel.com/db/newcars.html?DB".

THE AUTO CHANNEL, TACH, TACH Compar-a-graph, DealerDirect, Bodystyle Compar-a-chart, SPEC-IT BID-IT BUY-IT are trademarks of The Auto Channel, Inc., all rights reserved. AutoVantage is a registered trademark of Cendant Corporation.

Company contact:
Marc J. Rauch
502-584-4100
916-852-1956