ANCHOR LEAD:
YOU TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE ON YOUR VEHICLE...BUT IT CAN BE TOUGH TO FIND THE TIME TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP WHILE IT'S OPEN TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT.
WHO HAS THE TIME...ESPECIALLY IF YOU THINK YOU'LL BE LEFT HANGING ON HOLD TO SCHEDULE THAT OIL CHANGE OR TIRE ROTATION?
STOP SPINNING YOUR WHEELS!
HERE'S_______WITH A HEADS UP! ON A NEW TREND THAT PUTS YOU IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT...

TRACK ONE Length: 04
SCHEDULING CAR SERVICE CAN SOMETIMES BE A HASSLE...JUST ASK ANTHIN ZITO (ANN-THEN ZEE-TOE)

SOT
KEY @: 09 Anthin Zito, Driver
"By the time you make the phone call, get a hold of actually someone who can actually talk ---at least five, ten minutes each time I schedule the car, minimum."

TRACK TWO Length: 04
BUT NOW ANTHIN CAN STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR ...THANKS TO E-SCHEDULING.

SOT
KEY @: 17 Anthin Zito, Driver
"It's convenient. I can be on the phone for a conference call and schedule the appointment to get my car worked on at an appropriate time."

TRACK THREE Length: 13
WITH JUST A FEW CLICKS, A GROWING NUMBER OF DEALERSHIPS NOW ALLOW YOU TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT FOR ALL KINDS OF ROUTINE SERVICE. ALL YOU DO IS LOG ON TO THE DEALERSHIP SITE...PUT IN THE YEAR AND MAKE OF YOUR CAR AND WHAT TYPE OF SERVICE IS NEEDED...AND PICK THE AVAILABLE TIME THAT WORKS FOR YOU.

SOT
Length: 03(Philip Reed, Edmunds.com)
"E-scheduling is definitely the wave of the future."

TRACK FOUR Length: 05
PHILIP REED WITH EDMUNDS-DOT-COM SAYS IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT CAR SERVICE IS REVVING UP IN CYBERSPACE.

SOT
KEY @: 44 Philip Reed, Edmunds.com
"The real advantage is that you do it when you want to, and you spend almost no time on hold. You can even do your scheduling at night when the dealership is closed."

TRACK FIVE Length: 03
REED SAYS THERE ARE TIMES, THOUGH, WHEN A PHONE CALL IS STILL BETTER....

SOT
KEY @: 57 Philip Reed, Edmunds.com
"In some cases you may have a complicated repair, you may not even know what is wrong with your car and how much it is going to cost."

TRACK SIX Length: 06
BUT DESPITE THE LIMITS...ANTHIN SAYS HE'S HOOKED ON THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING CARE OF HIS CAR.

SOT
Length: 02(Anthin Zito, Driver)
"Oh, without a doubt, it's just better than waiting on the phone."

ANCHOR TAG:
CONTACT YOUR DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF IT'S OFFERING THIS NEW SERVICE YET. IF NOT, EXPERTS SAY, CHANCES ARE, IT WON'T BE LONG UNTIL THEY DO.

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Philip Reed
Edmunds.com
2401 Colorado Ave, Suite 250
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Media Contact: Chintan Talati
310-309-3580
Phil Reed is a consumer advice expert with Edmunds.com. He responds to consumers who post questions on the site and writes a regular column for car buyers. He is also the co-author of a book called Strategies for Car Buyers.