CarMark Certified Continues Significant Nationwide Expansion

Now with dealers in 20 states; partnerships secured with prominent automotive companies such as CARFAX and AutoTrader.com

Cary, N.C., June 7, 2011 — CarMark Certified, the new vehicle certification program designed for franchise, former franchise and independent car dealers, has gained significant momentum in its first seven months of operation. CarMark compares favorably, and in many facets is equivalent to, automakers’ factory Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programs.

Now being offered by dealers in 20 U.S. states, CarMark Certified provides dealers with the ability to offer CPO vehicles with the same benefits available through factory programs. Furthermore, CarMark Certified provides franchise dealers with a complement to the automaker’s factory programs by offering “Other Makes and Models” (OMM) as CPO vehicles.

CarMark Certified is a program offered to dealer members of the Pre-Owned Automobile Dealers Alliance (POADA). The strength of POADA’s membership and management has resulted in the involvement of several prominent companies in the automotive industry as POADA partners, including:

o   AutoTrader.com

o   CARFAX

o   Ally

o   APCO/EasyCare

o   DealerTrack

o   Black Book

o   Manheim

The CarMark program, administered by APCO/EasyCare, is available to all dealers — franchise, former franchise and independent — and that fact is reflected in the makeup of the current CarMark dealer base. Currently, 56 percent of CarMark dealers are franchise dealers, 32 percent are independents and 12 percent are former franchises.

“CarMark was designed to provide every type of dealer with the ability to offer their customers the peace of mind that comes with the purchase of a CPO vehicle,” said Bill Zadeits, managing director of POADA. “Franchise dealers already understand the importance and value of certification. Now, by combining CarMark with their manufacturer’s certification program, they can potentially certify all of the used vehicles on their lots. Former franchise and independent dealers can use the CarMark Certified Pre-Owned Program to set themselves apart from their competition and compete with the peace of mind and value offered by manufacturers’ certification programs.”

For more information about the CarMark program or how to become a CarMark dealer, visit www.carmarkcertified.com, e-mail info@carmarkcertified.com or call APCO/EasyCare at (800) 628-4635.