A new app that automates matching between buyers and sellers of private party vehicles is the latest to make its way to credit unions.

Launched July 1, AutoAp Inc.'s app generated more than 500 downloads during its first rollout week, according to the Beaverton, Ore.-based company.

Among the free app's features are the ability to load, search and list vehicles for sale and connect to auto-financing sources, as well as to local service providers for pre-purchase inspections or to prepare a vehicle for sale, from within the app.

Users also have a means to broadcast out their vehicle search or sale details to their contacts and social media accounts, which can help them buy or sell faster, according to AutoAp.

The $165 million Wauna Credit Union's CUSO in Clatskanie, Ore., invested in AutoAp in January, President/CEO Robert Blumberg said.

“AutoAp bakes in credit unions' loan-applications, and doesn't put us in competition with one another,” Blumberg said. “When we market AutoAp to our members, they capture our membership affiliation and direct them back to us when our members look for financing. It helps stop the leakage to banks and other lenders.”

The app also includes tools to set, refine and map vehicle search areas to consolidate and organize vehicle viewing and to set seller's vehicle location visibility to a ZIP code or exact GPS location, according to the company.

Data entry allows sellers to type or scan in their VIN to automatically populate listings with accurate descriptions. AutoAp uses industry vehicle configuration data descriptions to minimize trading confusion.

“Just like new car loans were taken from credit unions because we weren't ahead of that curve, we have a real chance to participate in a way that differentiates us even more from banks and other lending institutions so as not to lose out on this new way to source private-party used vehicle loans,” Blumberg said.

AutoAp is the latest deployment of apps targeted at credit unions.

In June 2013, CUNA Mutual Group rolled out its AskAuto app after a sneak peek at CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington last year.

CU Direct, the lending and automotive services CUSO in Ontario, Calif., collaborated with a number of partners and more than 11,000 auto dealers to create its AutoSMART vehicle shopping and buying app.

Instant Insights /

AutoAp Matches Private Party Vehicle Buyers, Sellers

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