Alternative channel to buy and sell cars
Car dealers and owners now have another avenue for souring information and services pertaining to the automotive industry with the setting up of the autoworld.com.my Web site by Autoweb Sdn Bhd.
The Web site serves as a one-stop auto shop for facilitating car-selling and buying decisions, as well as related information and services 24 hours a day.
Autoweb’s director Richard Tan said consumers can choose to buy a new or used car using the search and compare service on information such as vehicle make, model, price range and location.
They also have the option of posting one car per person for sale on the Web site, a service that of the time being is free of charge, the added.
According to Tan, car dealers, meanwhile, are charged a nominal fee to place their cars on the Web site for sale.
“They register with us through the Web site and are given an account with a password via which they can make changes at any time to the details of their cars,” said Tan after the launch of Web site by Energy. Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Amar Leo Moggie in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday.
To date, he said83 car dealers have signed up with autoworld.com.my. Autoweb’s target is to have 250 car dealers and auto franchises by the end of next year.
“We have established a database of 1400 cars over a period of about one and a half months. In future, we expect between 25 and 40 per cent of all cars posted each month to be sold.”
Internet users can also track and trace the locations of auto dealers and obtain information on automobile insurance schemes and coverage.
Other features of the web site include Auto News, which contains the latest in auto news and car accessories, Chat Service to hold discussion with fellow car-enthusiasts, and a link to register for AAM membership. Consumers are also able to apply online for car loan services from Hong Leong Finance Berhad.
Hong Leong Credit Berhad’s director James Lim said consumers stand to benefit from the online loan service as it is offered at about 0.2 per cent less than the usual walk-in interest rates. “For example, if a consumer applies for a RM50000 loan, he or she will save about RM600 a year compared to non-on-line loan applications.
Autoweb is a joint venture between Interbase Holdings and Heritage Vest, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Leong Credit.
The company also signed an agreement with Microsoft (M) Sdn Bhd, thereby signifying the inclusion of autoworld.com.my into MSN Malaysia was represented by its consumer and commerce group director Jason Lim.
The partnership, said James Lim, is strategic as it would help to drive traffic to autoworld.com.my while at the same time further enrich the contents of MSN Malaysia, providing surfers with a broader range of products and services.
