Car Care Aware Fairs show Consumers' Neglect for their Vehicles

joe@carpartswholesale.com (Joe Thompson) — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 00:39:05 GMT

by Joe Thompson
Saturday, January 20, 2007

The Car Care Council reports that during the Car Care Aware
Fairs last April and October 2006 they discovered that nine out of 10 vehicles
need maintenance and repair services. Such findings they say, is going to be
important especially for the huge untapped DIY and DIFM sales opportunities for
the automotive aftermarket.

Approximately one thousand vehicles were inspected during
the fair submitted by event coordinators from sixteen states. The result shows
that 88% of the vehicles checked during the National Car Care Month in April
and Fall Car Care Month in October needed maintenance of their vehicles as well
as replacement parts like for example fuel parts,
windshield wipers, air filters, belts, hoses and lights. Some vehicles were
also in need of motor oil or fluids.

According to Rich White, Executive Director of Car Care
Council, "Vehicle check-up events are typically the focus of Car Care
Aware Fairs sponsored by repair shops, parts stores, distributors in
cooperation with local vocational schools, media, civic groups and others.While these events are free
to consumers and serve as community-relations builders, most aftermarket
businesses who participate experience an increase in sales and customers as a
result."

The result of the vehicle check-ups during the Car Care
Aware Fairs are as follows:

Car
Lubricants and Fluids- 30% of the vehicles checked have either overfull,
low or dirty motor oils, 28% have inadequate level of washer fluid and 28%
have low, leaky or dirty coolant. Likewise, transmission, brake power
steering and clutch fluids were also checked and resulted to a 26% failure
rating.
About
15% of the checked vehicles were found out to have faulty front
windshields while 9% needed service to rear wipers.
Out
of the 22% vehicles inspected there was only one car with a belt that
needed replacement
14%
vehicles need new hose
25%
of the vehicles calls for new filters
8%
requires new PVC filters
8%
needs to have their check engine light repaired
17%
require the repair of their battery cables, clamps, and terminals
9%
of the batteries were not properly attached
11%
had either green, dark or clear/yellow charge indicator light
20%
have improperly inflated tires
11%
worn tread and need replacement
18%
have faulty license plate lights
10%
have faulty brake lights
8 %
defective side markers

About the Author

Joe Thompson is the owner of a successful auto body shop in Ferndale, California. This 38 year old is also a prolific writer, contributing automotive related articles to various publications.

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