Cars.com announced Oct. 29 the launch of what it calls "the Internet's most comprehensive national guide to incentives and financing." The guide is called "New-Car Incentives--How to Get the Best Deal Now." In light of a softening economy, automotive manufacturers industry-wide are extending a hand to consumers in the form of rarely seen zero-percent financing offers and multi-thousand-dollar rebates. Cars.com continually aggregates these nationwide offers and has compiled them in an easily searchable resource with the most up-to-date incentive information.

Cars.com visitors can search for incentives by vehicle make and get advice on the best deals available in the marketplace. The guide also lets visitors compare the benefits of cash-back offers with low-interest financing.

Visitors can access the guide at cars.com by clicking the 0 percent button on the upper right-hand side of the cars.com homepage or by going to www.cars.com/incentives.html.

Among the national manufacturer rebates and incentive programs included in the guide at launch time were extended zero-percent financing programs by GM and DaimlerChrysler. Twenty-nine manufacturers were offering incentives at launch date, including Audi, Toyota and Ford.

With convenience in mind, the guide draws on other cars.com resources to provide a one-stop-shop allowing consumers to view snapshots and read in-depth reviews of every make and model available. Additional resources include interactive financing calculators, negotiation tips and automotive industry news.

"Fall has traditionally been a slow time for the automotive industry, yet this month has been cars.com's busiest month ever," said Mitch Golub, general manager of cars.com. "Consumers are responding well to manufacturers' incentives, and with the launch of this guide, cars.com makes it even easier for consumers to find the best deal out there."

On the cars.com site, page views for the rebate section alone have climbed by more than 300 percent in the past month. Visitors looking for automotive news and financial advice have more than doubled during the same period.

According to JD Power & Associates, up to 200,000 consumers in the U.S. are researching vehicles at any given time. Of those, 80,000 are actively purchasing a car. Independent research also finds that the importance of the Internet to car shopping has grown. Of consumers who have used a car web site in the past year, 91 percent said that the Internet and other online services are important when researching a vehicle to publish.

According to Golub, cars.com has sent dealers a record number of price quote requests this month from interested buyers. Golub points out that the guide will also be beneficial to manufacturers who, until now, have had to rely on traditional advertising to promote their deals. With the launch of this new cars.com resource, deals, terms and deadlines will be clearly communicated to potential buyers.

About Cars.com

Cars.com is an extensive online automotive resource for buying, selling and owning a vehicle. By combining our comprehensive local new-and used-car locator with thousands of reviews, original editorial content, buying guides, shopping tips and advice on owning, maintaining and selling your car, cars.com maintains a relationship with consumers throughout the lifetime ownership experience.