Motor Trend Certified has partnered with Carfax to enhance its national certification program, powered by EasyCare. Starting Aug. 1, Motor Trend Certified will be one of the first independent Certification programs to require Carfax Vehicle History Reports as a key component in the certification process. Every vehicle submitted for certification must qualify for the Carfax Buyback Guarantee, in addition to meeting the stringent Motor Trend Certified national program guidelines.

“As a Motor Trend Certified dealer, our customers demand exceptional quality in all of our certified units,” said Patrick Sexton, general manager/partner at Legacy Ford in Texas. “Carfax Vehicle History Reports and the Motor Trend Certified program are two great tools that help us sell cars faster. The addition of Carfax Reports to the Motor Trend Certified program makes it even better.”

EasyCare administers the Motor Trend Certified program. To be considered for certification, vehicles must have less than 80,000 miles and be eight model years or newer. Motor Trend Certified vehicles come with a minimum six month/7,500 mile warranty plus benefits that include key fob replacement, paintless dent repair, personal assistant and best value guarantee – all backed by EasyCare’s extended warranty and Motor Trend. In addition, anyone shopping for a Motor Trend Certified vehicle will receive a free Carfax Vehicle History Report.

“Combining Motor Trend Certified and Carfax creates strong value for the in-market consumers researching and shopping for Pre-Owned vehicles,” said Ira Gabriel, VP and Executive Director of the Motor Trend Certified program. “Motor Trend Certified Pre-Owned vehicles are inspected to Motor Trend national standards, guaranteed with a comprehensive extended warranty and now will be highlighted on Carfax Vehicle History Reports that they are Motor Trend Certified.”

“Used car shoppers expect to get a Carfax Vehicle History Report for every car they consider buying,” said Larry Gamache, communications director at Carfax. “Joining two trusted brands like Carfax and Motor Trend benefits both buyers and sellers. Motor Trend Certified dealers have another way to build consumer confidence and consumers have the Carfax Report and inspection – two key steps in the purchase process – already done for them.”

Thirty-four manufacturer brands also choose Carfax to build confidence for their Certified Pre-Owned vehicles.

EasyCare and Carfax are partnering to provide Carfax Vehicle History Reports automatically within the EasyCare CoVideo video email tool. Dealers using EasyCare CoVideo and Carfax can immediately deliver Carfax information to prospective customers visiting the dealer’s website or within personalized video email internet lead responses. Providing a Carfax Report up front builds consumer confidence and helps turn more prospective buyers into your customers.

“It seems like every one of my customers asks me for the Carfax Vehicle History Report,” said Danny Pereira, sales manager at Wade Ford in Smyrna, Ga. “We offer Carfax Vehicle History Reports on our website for their convenience. Now, I can use my EasyCare CoVideo to personalize my communications in video while proactively sending them the Carfax Report linked directly from my video template. That is what I refer to as an exceptional customer experience. My customers love it, and that is translating into better conversion rates.”

The EasyCare CoVideo email tool is an extremely effective form of communication between dealership personnel and potential customers. It creates more of the personal interaction that used car shoppers crave. Along with giving consumers access to valuable Carfax information, EasyCare CoVideo delivers a personal video email as well as visual details of vehicles for sale as a response to a customer lead. Online shoppers get the information they need to make an educated buying decision without having to navigate through other websites or leave the comfort of their homes.

“Most dealers today communicate to their customers and prospects using email,” said Mike Delong, national director of EasyCare CoVideo. “The quicker the response to an internet lead, the better chance of a sale. But, no email, even with its bold-typed words and colorful graphic, can replace the passionate voice inflections of the face-to-face communications EasyCare CoVideo provides. Consumers open video email more often than text and we have clear evidence that the consumer is responding better to personalized video than to traditional text based e mails.”

“Carfax Reports are proven to influence a buyer’s dealer choice and improve inventory turn,” said Larry Gamache, communications director at Carfax. “EasyCare CoVideo offers a unique solution for dealers to put the information prospective buyers want right in front of them. You start building trust further up in the customer’s buying process and help make their whole shopping experience better.”