AutoTrader iPhone app scans cars you like, finds similar cars for sale

By Mike Dunn July 8, 2011

VIN number windshield — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re tired of being tied to your desk while shopping for your next car, AutoTrader just made the process a whole lot easier. On Thursday, the largest car classified site in the U.S. launched an iPhone app so you can do your car shopping while you are out and about.

The car searching giant already has a mobile website, but the new iPhone app adds some additional functionality over the mobile site. Key features include dropping GPS pins to find your car, a dealer finder, MyAutoTrader, and most notably, a VIN scanner.

With the VIN scanner, you can take a picture of the VIN number of a car you like (usually visible in the lower driver-side corner of the windshield) and the app will search for similar cars that available on the market. For example, let say you see a slightly used flying car, and would like to see other flying cars with similar options, you would just scan the VIN number and all nearby flying cars will pop up. Also, if the car that you scanned is available, the app will give you all the details on that car.

Using the MyAutoTrader feature you can create, save, and edit searches for cars for easy searching needs. If you have been searching for a slightly used electric car, but are now more interested in a hybrid car, you don’t have to create a whole new search, you can just change a few setting in your pre-existing search.

According to AutoTrader, almost 40 percent of its traffic already comes from the iPhone, so this app just makes sense. It will improve the user experience for the largest mobile user segment.

Image: VetteWeb

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