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Does Your Car Make the Grade?

As the end of summer nears, students are getting ready to head back to school. Whether it’s driving to college or carpooling with other neighborhood families, a properly maintained car is the safest, most dependable way to go.

“When your passengers are your children and their classmates, making sure your car gets more than a passing grade is extra important,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “A preventive maintenance check-up and having any repairs performed will give parents peace of mind as their children travel to and from school.”

Drive Smart and Save Gas Money

With no end in sight to rising gas prices, consumers who modify their driving habits and properly maintain their vehicles will get more miles per gallon. The Car Care Council recommends the following ways to drive smart and save gas money:

Begin Your Summer Road Trip at www.carcare.org

With falling gas prices, many motorists will pack their cars and head out on a summer driving trip. But before even pulling out of the driveway, the Car Care Council recommends that motorists start their journey at its website, www.carcare.org.  

Keep Your Cool in Hot Summer Cars

When it’s hot outside, one of the last places you want to be is sitting in traffic without a properly functioning air conditioning (A/C) system. To help avoid this uncomfortable situation, the Car Care Council recommends having your A/C system checked annually to make sure it is functioning at its peak performance level when the temperatures are soaring.

Simple Steps to Save Gas Without Driving Less

Driving less doesn’t have to be a consumer’s reaction to rising gas prices, according to the Car Care Council. While consumers can’t control the price of gas, they can control how much gas they use by following some simple and inexpensive vehicle maintenance.

Heat, Not Cold, Shortens Battery Life

Here’s a hot tip about car batteries: Warm weather is the time for major car-battery problems. Heat, not cold, shortens battery life, says the Car Care Council. The average life of a battery is three and a half years, and even shorter in warmer climates.

Protect Your Children Against Breathing In Dirty Air…While Driving

Though air pollution continues to be a threat to public health, it appears to be even more so to the health of our children.

According to the American Lung Association’s State of the Air report for 2012, “Children’s lungs are still developing until they reach maturity” and, therefore, are potentially more susceptible to the ill effects of pollution than that of adults (http://www.stateoftheair.org/2012/key-findings/2008-2010/people-at-risk.html). 

An Engine Air Filter: How Much Dirty Air Does It Handle?

How much dirt and debris can a car’s engine air filter keep out? Depends on whom you ask. The average motorist will probably not know. But ask Kevin O'Dowd, and you can expect to hear, “Much more than you would expect.” And O'Dowd would know. He is an executive for MANN+HUMMEL Purolator Filters, a company with a long-standing history in the field of filtration. After nearly 90 years in the business, Purolator is still one of the largest suppliers of high quality automotive filters to the North American Aftermarket.

Is Your Vehicle Safe for Memorial Day Travel?

With the Memorial Day Holiday weekend upon us and the summer vacation season fast approaching; there is no better time to “Be Car Care Aware” about your vehicle. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), an average of 13,000 Americans are killed between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. A portion of these deaths can be directly attributed to unperformed vehicle maintenance as each year neglected maintenance leads to over 2,600 deaths, nearly 100,000 disabling injuries and more than $2 billion in lost wages, medical expenses and property damage.

For Your Engine's Sake -- Choose Your Oil; Also Choose Your Filter

Most car owners know that they need to change their vehicle’s oil and filter periodically, even though they may not always follow the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) recommended schedule.  The type of oil their car needs is usually easy to figure out. It is specified in the owner’s manual, which will indicate both the quality and viscosity (thickness) of the recommended engine oil.

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