FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CAR DEALER SET TO OPEN ITS FIRST-EVER RETAIL LOCATION IN NORTH CAROLINA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                        Contact: Ashley Engler


            The Lavidge Company

            480-998-2600

            aengler@lavidge.com   

 

CAR DEALER SET TO OPEN ITS FIRST-EVER 

RETAIL LOCATION IN NORTH CAROLINA

 

DriveTime to spend $4 million on five locations in Charlotte 

 

Charlotte, NC (July 5, 2006) -   DriveTime, the largest used car sales and finance company in the country, serving people with less than perfect credit, is set to open five stores and a regional inspection center in the Charlotte area in an effort to give credit-challenged customers a second chance to own a car of their own -- beginning in July.

 

The company, which operates 93 stores in eight states including Georgia, Florida, and Virginia, is expected to open its first-ever retail location in North Carolina by mid-July.  The new store will be located in Gastonia at 4820 Wilkinson Blvd.  In all, DriveTime will spend nearly $4 million on site improvements and building costs.  In addition, the company plans to hire 125 people to service the region.

 

"The difference between DriveTime and other used car dealerships is that we focus specifically on drivers with credit problems," says Jon Ehlinger, spokesperson for the Phoenix-based company. "We are experts in the sub-prime market and that benefits our customers because they know we are on their side - working to help them get on track with a car and their credit."

 

DriveTime offers services unique to other used car sales companies, including in-house financing; a RateAdvantageâ program that allows people with poor credit to get lower interest 

rates, among other financing options; customer peace of mind from its 6 month/6,000 mile DriveCareâ Limited Warranty, Experian AutoCheck title history report and 53 point inspection on every vehicle at no additional charge; a DT Champ program for repeat customers, and a DT Rewards incentive program for customer payments.

 

DriveTime will also bring a commitment to its employees and corporate citizenship to Charlotte.  DriveTime has been recognized as a best place to work in several markets, including Phoenix, Orlando and Tampa.  Through the company's award winning community outreach initiative called SchoolTime, DriveTime employees volunteer their time and resources to at least one school in their region.  Currently, the company works with 18 schools across the country.  DriveTime will begin its search for a school in the Charlotte area in the coming months.

 


About DriveTime


DriveTime and DT Acceptance Corporation, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is the nation's largest integrated used car sales and finance company with assets totaling $1 billion.  The company primarily serves customers with credit problems.  DriveTime, the Go-to-Guys for Cars and Credit, sells and finances 50,000+ vehicles per year in 93 dealerships across eight states. For more information log onto www.DriveTime.com <http://www.drivetime.com/> 

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