WASHINGTON, D.C. — AWARE (Americans Well-informed on

Automobile Retailing Economics) has announced the launch of

a new Web resource to help consumers easily gather and use

information to make auto financing decisions. This new "Auto Financing Learning Suite" is offered in both English and Spanish free of charge.

"We strongly believe that by empowering consumers with knowledge, they will make informed decisions about auto financing. Our learning suite may be the only online resource that provides tools to help people understand and plan for auto financing — all under one e-roof, with no advertising or lead generation," said Eric Hoffman of AWARE. "We hope by offering

consumers resources such as calculators that factor in trade-in value and worksheets that help auto shoppers compare multiple financing rates, we've taken another important step to help consumers make a decision that is best suited toward their individual circumstances and needs."

The new Web page is now accessible through the AWARE Web site

(http://www.AutoFinancing101.org) by clicking "Learning Suite" at the top navigation bar or by visiting http://www.AutoFinancing101.org/LearningSuite directly. The site has four major sections, each providing different tools

for consumers:

Articles, Brochures and Other Helpful Resources: In this section,

educators or consumers can download materials such as a quick reference wallet card on auto financing, tips, and a number of articles on various aspects of the vehicle financing process. AWARE also provides a glossary of auto financing terms, and links to guides to vehicle leasing and credit reports.

Calculators / Interactive Learning: This section provides consumers with a collection of powerful interactive tools, including AWARE's new "Affordability Gauge," a unique interactive tool that helps consumers compare real costs of owning and operating various vehicles, and provides

assistance in calculating savings for vehicle down payments. Consumers can also take AWARE's "Auto Financing Tune Up" Online Quiz in this section, or use various calculators to get sample monthly payment figures.

Downloadable Worksheets Section: Consumers can download and print

worksheets to help them complete a monthly budget and compare financing rate quotes from multiple creditors.

Resources for Young Adults, Teachers, First Time Car Buyers: Here, young car buyers can download AWARE articles geared towards their concerns. AWARE also provides visitors with links to financial literacy guides for young adults from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the National Council of Economic Education.