Under
Maintained Vehicles Costs
Motorists Billions - Education is Key
The
Car Care Council advises that regular vehicle maintenance saves owners time and
money, enhances safety and improves auto performance.
The
Council estimates that more than $60 billion in vehicle maintenance and repair
are not performed every year, evidence that there is considerably more that people
should be doing to protect their automotive investments. "Education
is the key to improving motorists' understanding of vehicle maintenance issues,"
says Tom Minner, President of Champion Performance Products. Coinciding with National
Car Care Month (April), the company launched the Champion® Performance Additives
line that specifically addresses power, performance and protection issues. Product
labels give consumers concise problem/solution information that enables them to
easily identify the correct products and develop regular maintenance schedules. Last
year, 90% of cars checked during free inspections as a part of National Car Care
Month failed one or more aspects, and revealed: ·
38% had low or dirty motor oil
· 25% had low or dirty power steering
fluid
· 22% had low, over full or burnt transmission fluid
·
54% had improperly inflated tires The
Council attributes consumers' neglect of regular vehicle maintenance to a lack
of awareness and understanding. Yet many maintenance procedures are easy, quick
and affordable for do-it-yourselfers or at a service facility. "A vehicle
that is serviced at regular intervals costs less to maintain in the long run,
contributes to highway safety, conserves energy and benefits the environment,"
says Minner. Moreover,
more than five percent of vehicle accidents result from unperformed vehicle maintenance,
resulting in 2,600 deaths, 100,000 disabling injuries and a cost of more than
$2 billion every year according to the Car Care Council.
For more information and for the Car Care Council's suggested service interval
schedule, visit www.carcare.org
or www.championbrands.com.
Champion
Performance Products (Atlanta, GA) is a division of Champion Brands, LLC (Clinton,
MO), a fully integrated manufacturer that produces and markets more than 300 products
including lubricants and fuel, oil and engine additives for the automotive, heavy
truck, agriculture, marine and specialty markets. | 
