"Be Car Care Aware" Campaign

It's time to be seriously thinking about Mother's Day. A great place to look for useful ideas is her driver's seat, especially if Mom spends a lot of time behind the wheel.

By changing a few habits, you can do their part in helping the environment, say the experts at the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). ASE recommends regular vehicle maintenance and better driving habits as two easy-to-implement strategies. What’s more, improved automotive habits will help your vehicle last longer and command a better resale price.

The following tips from ASE can put you on the road to environmentally conscious car care:            

Four small pieces of lead may not seem like a big deal. Each wheel on your car likely has a little bar of lead on its rim, in the form of a wheel weight. But picture the magnitude of vehicles on U.S. roads and you see quickly how all that lead adds up to a significant problem.

For decades, wheel weights have largely consisted of chunks of lead clamped to the wheel rim. Why lead? Because it is cheap and heavy, allowing the use of relatively small weights to balance wheels. However, the toxic metal can cause brain damage and other nervous-system disorders in people.

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:

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:

How to Perform Your Own Brake Job

By Mark Salem, ASE Master Tech and Owner/Operator Salem Auto Boys, Tempe, AZ

When you decide to perform your own brake job, just remember, this is one of the few car repairs that, if done wrong, can really cause serious injury or death of your kin and others.

So let’s talk about the important steps of a successful front disc brake repair.

Giving the gift of tender loving care to one’s vehicle will pay off in terms of dependability and performance this Valentine’s Day, according to the Car Care Council.

“When that gift translates into maintenance, motorists can expect a positive and tangible response from their vehicle in terms of dependability and performance,” said Rich White of the Car Care Council.

Fall is the picture-perfect time of year when many drivers take to the road to view the autumn colors. The leaves are beautiful to see, but when wet or in piles on the roads, they present driving hazards unique to the season. The Car Care Council reminds drivers to prepare for fall driving conditions by having their vehicles’ tires, brakes and wipers checked before heading out on the road.

Don’t let soaring gas prices gobble up your hard earned money this Thanksgiving weekend; carve out some time to perform some simple fixins on your vehicle for better gas mileage, advises the Car Care Council. Or how about:

It’s foolhardy to head out in a poorly maintained vehicle in the dead of winter, of course, but even vehicle owners in temperate zones need a car care check as the days grow shorter, note the pros with the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), an independent group that tests and certifies the competence of auto technicians.

Regular, routine maintenance can help improve your gasoline mileage, reduce pollution, and catch minor problems before they become big headaches.