Dealer Specialties is rolling out a tool aimed at going beyond traditional vehicle history report information such as accidents; looking to provide dealers and consumers with details that can make the difference between that used vehicle rolling over the curb or being passed over for another model — at another store.

The division of Dominion Dealer Solutions on Thursday announced the national launch of C.A.R.Score, a service offering consumer-facing vehicle condition reports to dealers that are geared to bring significant enhancements and transparency to a dealer’s digital merchandising strategy.

C.A.R.Score has been tested in seven major markets and will be available nationwide this summer.

The company explained C.A.R.Score is a report that can provide shoppers with the ability to see the current condition of a vehicle — shortening the decision-making path and ultimately the time to purchase. These condition reports show specific details that shoppers are looking for, yet, until now, were not available online.

C.A.R.Score reports can assess the condition of all areas of the vehicle including instrument and control panels, interior odors, mirrors, upholstery, even the tire tread depth. Dealer Specialties insisted that other reports only provide a look at a vehicle’s history without providing any actual condition information.

By sharing this type of detail about their vehicles, Dealer Specialties thinks stores can instill a heightened level of buyer confidence.

“Transparency is very important to our dealership. I believe we need to be completely up front with our customers and allow the customer to come to their own conclusions in regards to the vehicles’ condition,” said one beta dealer.

C.A.R.Score offers the only full-service vehicle condition report in the market, according to the company. The reports are facilitated through Dealer Specialties, a Dominion Dealer Solutions company. Dealer Specialties currently serves more than 3,000 rooftops and processes more than 50,000 vehicles on a weekly basis.

Dealer Specialties lot representatives have already developed more than 500 C.A.R.Score reports in beta markets.

“C.A.R.Score reports offer full transparency to the consumer,” said Shane Marcum, vice president of Dealer Specialties, “Photos or other industry reports are insufficient to determine the exact condition and value of the car. Car shoppers do more of their research online and visit fewer dealerships in person. This type of report helps them scrutinize what they really want in a vehicle and maximizes their time spent traveling to dealer lots.”

To validate the initiative with the consumer base, Dealer Specialities surveyed 243 recent car buyers to gauge their reaction to C.A.R.Score. The company reported significant numbers of positive responses.

“I love that it tells you exactly what is wrong, and what is right, with the vehicle you are looking to purchase,” said Ashley from Holden Heights, Fla., a participant in the study. “This is an excellent tool to have because the consumer would be more willing to come and look at, test drive or purchase the vehicle if they know all the info on the car upfront.”

The C.A.R.Score conditioning platform is now available in several major markets and will be available nationwide in the summer.

For more information on C.A.R.Score, or to obtain a sample copy of a C.A.R.Score Report, call (888) 905-9128 or email dealersuccess@drivedominion.com.