The Auto Trader Guide



Posted: Friday, October 20, 2006

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There's a lot of auto classifieds out there, though very few of them ever get as big or as popular as the UK-based Auto Trader. Auto Trader was originally a magazine for car trading, buying, and selling that was first published in the UK. However, in a few years, the magazine had already expanded into other territories and has separate editions for each of those countries. Also, it has maintained a significant presence online, consistently appearing as one of the top results on both Yahoo! and Google when auto classifieds are searched.

Like your usual auto classifieds, Auto Trader has comprehensive and updated listings on cars for sale and people looking for specific cars to buy. What it has that most others do not have are listings for car parts and accessories. Not many auto classifieds actually advertise parts, which is a sad thing. That gives this magazine and website an advantage when it comes to dealing with people who collect classic cars. Since parts for older cars like Cadillacs and Chevrolet Impalas are not as easy to come by as parts for more recent makes and models, the ads for various parts make the magazine an excellent online resource for those who need a replacement part that's rare and hard to find. The magazine makes it an almost ideal place for collectors to get the parts they need to keep their beloved machines in tip-top condition.

Apart from cars, Auto Trader has also expanded its borders to deal with other means of transportation. For example, most auto classifieds do not bother to list down larger vehicles like trucks and the few that do only do so sparsely. In contrast, the magazine, with their website, has an extensive section on trucks, ranging from trucks for sale to truck parts, and even some tips on how to pick the kind of truck that you need. Not only that, the site also has a separate set of search customization options designed specifically for sorting through different types of trucks rather than cars, giving that section a more dedicated feel. Furthermore, the availability of the section for trucks, farm vehicles, and motorcycles, gives a definite sense of these vehicles being considered equally important to the car sections, and not just as interesting afterthoughts.

When one considers it, such sections are not all that surprising. Auto Trader is just expanding to include all major forms of private ground transportation. However, when one takes a look at the section devoted to boats, it does create a tendency to raise eyebrows. One could argue that the website is expanding a little too much by taking in a spot in the boat trade but one can't argue with the fact that their coverage is extensive. It is clear that the website for boats was designed with as much consideration and care as their car-oriented sites.

Auto Trader has gone through a lot of changes since it first appeared but its core, the auto classifieds, has remained firm. Auto Trader remains one of the top car classifieds in the UK and they have not shown any signs of slowing down. In fact, it appears to most observers that they are intent on expanding further, in the hopes of eventually getting a piece of the market share in the US.

For more valuable information on Auto Trader, please visit http://classifieds.itrustmotors.com//cgi-bin/classifieds.cgi?db=cars
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