CHICAGO — Cars.com has made what it calls a strategic investment in RepairPal, an online source for auto repairs. The investment, according to officials, positions the online automotive marketplace to further develop the service category with solutions that provide help and advice to consumers regarding the maintenance of their vehicles.

With its investment, Cars.com also is looking to help dealers bolster their service business, said Cars.com President Mitch Golub.

“Cars.com has always been a trusted and credible source of information in the shopping process. Consumers rely on us at all stages of buying for research, advice and reviews to guide their vehicle and dealership selection,” said Cars.com President Mitch Golub. “But when it comes to maintaining a vehicle, there is a lot of confusion among consumers.  We see an opportunity to transform the repair category and provide vehicle owners the same credible advice they have come to depend on us for when it comes time to service or repair their car.”

RepairPal CEO Art Shaw added: “More than 86 percent of cars on the road today are past warranty. At a time when vehicle owners are holding onto their cars longer than ever, it’s critical that they have access to high quality independent information about repairs, maintenance advice and associated costs. We are excited to deepen our relationship with Cars.com and work together to bring their audience new solutions for managing vehicle ownership.”

Cars.com also intends to develop new offerings to help its local dealer partners reach vehicle owners in need of service and repair, and to more effectively compete for their business.

“We already see a high level of interest in service and repair from our visitors. In fact, more than a quarter of dealership reviews on our site are about a service and repair experience,” said Golub. “By providing our large audience access to even more credible information about service and repair providers, we can help drive additional value to our advertisers’ business, driving results for their fixed operations, in addition to new and used car sales.”