Vehicle Owners

National Car Care Month in April is the time of year to give your car some extra attention. Basic maintenance can go a long way toward improving the safety and dependability of your vehicle, plus it helps avoid costly repairs down the road. 

“Neglected vehicle care almost always means much higher costs down the line in the form of more extensive repairs or lost resale value,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Chances are if you own a car, it needs some work. National Car Care Month in April is the perfect time to focus on your vehicle’s maintenance needs.”

Between running errands and shuffling kids to and from practice and school, moms have very little time to clean out the crumbs, papers, water bottles, fast food wrappers and other stuff that accumulate in the family car. This Mother’s Day, surprise mom with the simple gift of a clean car that will not only make her smile, but will also lessen her driving distractions, according to the Car Care Council.

Spring is here and its arrival means warmer weather, more hours of daylight and spring break travel.  Making sure your headlights are in proper working order should be a top priority before hitting the road this spring, says the Car Care Council.

With gas prices exceeding four dollars a gallon in many parts of the country, the Car Care Council is offering gas-saving maintenance and driving tips that really work.

"Millions of dollars worth of gasoline is wasted every day by motorists, because simple and inexpensive vehicle maintenance is neglected," said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. "Loose or missing gas caps, under-inflated tires, worn spark plugs and dirty air filters all contribute to poor fuel economy."

The Car Care Council offers these fuel-saving tips:

Change your clocks; change the batteries in your smoke detector, we are advised. What if we take this a step further and say, change your vehicle’s air filter; change your driving style. “If changing the air filter helps improve a vehicle’s overall performance, then it is a good idea to adjust your driving style as well,” says Kevin O'Dowd, Director of Marketing & Communications at MANN+HUMMEL Purolator Filters NA LLC. MANN+HUMMEL Purolator Filters supplies air, oil and cabin air filters to the North American Automotive Aftermarket.

The FTC offers these tips to help consumers make smart decisions and get the most out of their auto warranties:

Did you know that when temperatures plunge your car needs extra attention to be able to give you the same level of service and performance you’ve come to expect? One of the best ‘cold remedies’ for your car during the winter months is an oil and filter change.

“Winter temperatures in most parts of the country place especially high demands on your engine's oil and oil filter,” said Kevin O'Dowd, Director Marketing & Communications at MANN+HUMMEL Purolator Filters NA LLC.

One way to ensure you will get to dinner in time for turkey on Thanksgiving weekend is by making sure that the vehicle you will be driving is running well. A 10-minute pre-trip check is small potatoes compared to a big helping of inconvenience if you break down many miles away from home.

April is National Car Care Month. Vehicle inspection lanes, conducted throughout the United States by sponsoring organizations and businesses, are part of the automotive aftermarket industry’s ongoing public awareness campaign.

Volunteers across the country conduct these events each year, with a portion of them returning their vehicle inspection forms to the Car Care Council for analysis. The most recent campaign included results from a total of 860 vehicle inspections, nationwide.

As Americans get ready for Thanksgiving, car care tops the list of pre-holiday preparations, according to a survey conducted by the Car Care Council.

Both men and women say they are more likely to make sure the car taking them to Thanksgiving dinner is prepared for the trip (66 percent) than they are to iron tablecloths (18 percent) or polish silver (12 percent) in advance of the holiday meal.