Routine Maintenance
Improves Fuel Economy
Motorists are increasingly performing routine vehicle maintenance procedures to
improve fuel economy.
As high fuel prices have taken a toll on drivers' wallets across the nation,
many drivers have responded by reducing or eliminating unnecessary driving.
In fact, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA),
2007 marked the first year since 1980 that overall travel on roads and streets declined,
while 2008 travel numbers are shaping up to be even lower.
As of the end of April, vehicle miles traveled in 2008 were 2.1 percent lower than 2007.
Of course, driving less is not always an option,
especially for those people who rely on their vehicles for work.
Performing proper vehicle maintenance is another way to effectively stretch fuel dollars,
and many drivers are taking notice.
In fact, surveys show that 31 percent of AAA Chicago members
and 27 percent of AAA Michigan members are performing
routine maintenance on a more frequent basis in order to conserve fuel.
"At $4 a gallon, it seems like a pretty good time to promote all the things that
help your engine run more efficiently and improve your gas mileage,
"says Marty Gold of S&G Imported Car Parts in Farmington, Mich.
"We're promoting complete tune-ups on the counter to the do-it-yourselfers
and on the phone and on the road to the installer shops.
The installers do their customers a favor when they talk them into a full,
complete job, because at $4 a gallon, if you save them a few gallons of gas a month,
they're way ahead of the game."
According to Mike Farling of M&C Foreign Car Parts in Mechanicsburg, Pa.,
customers demand convenience.
"Convenience means a lot to customers today," he says.
"They do not want to be taking their car to the garage every three months.
If they can take it every six months, depending upon how many miles
they're putting on it, that's what they want.
They want to get it all done at one time, at one place, and they want it to be cost-effective."
Surveys show that 31 percent of AAA Chicago members
and 27 percent of AAA Michigan members
are performing routine maintenance on a more
frequent basis in order to conserve fuel.
AMSOIL Dealers offer customers what they want: quality, cost effectiveness and convenience.
AMSOIL synthetic motor oils not only provide the best lubricating protection and performance money can buy, but the extended drain intervals offer significant cost savings in the long run over standard drain intervals and the convenience associated with less trips to the quick lube or oil change center.