Take Two Aspirin...
by Stefan Budricks, Editor

Finally, automotive maintenance is getting attention at the highest levels. The subject has become a talking point in the national political campaign. Talk show hosts and their fellow pundits in the print media either question or defend the gas-saving value of correctly inflated tires and properly tuned engines. The blogosphere is buzzing with to-and-fro on the issue.

This might not be the kind of attention car-care-facility operators would seek out. It’s difficult to recall, however, when last, if ever, auto maintenance was the subject of a national-level debate and favored with so much accompanying media attention. Besides, any media coverage is preferable to no media coverage.

Shell Oil Products US, a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, is doing its part to stimulate media interest in the care and maintenance of our vehicles. In July, the company released the results of a study it had commissioned earlier in the year to survey consumers’ car care habits. Adding a twist — no doubt to make the material more palatable for media consumption - the study sought to draw a correlation between vehicle care and personal health care.

This cutesy approach provided several interesting tidbits such as these: 68 percent of participants maintained a healthy lifestyle, including appropriate portions of fruit and veg in their diets. A somewhat lesser percentage (63) also ensured that their vehicles got only the best parts and products. They know they are getting value — 76 percent felt healthier when they ate right, while 73 percent could feel the difference when their cars’ engines were clean and responsive.

It is reassuring to know that, according to the Shell survey, 35 percent of participants visited their doctors more than once a year. Fast-lube operators might be less impressed with the finding that only 40 percent of participants took their cars in for maintenance at least every 5,000 miles. These numbers seem to contradict the study’s other claim that 73 percent of participants went “out of their way to make sure their cars are in tiptop condition through maintenance.”

We know that there has been a push toward extended drain intervals from many quarters. The standard, however, remains every three months or 3,000 miles — particularly when accepting that most vehicles labor for much of their useful lives under severe driving conditions. It is also true that many fast-lube operators report average oil change intervals of between 4,500 and 5,000 miles. These numbers might reflect actual consumer behavior; they do not constitute commendable behavior.

In 2006, the Car Care Council reported that results from that year’s Car Care Aware Fairs showed 88 percent of vehicles checked needed parts replaced, service, or fluids. That means only 12 percent of vehicles were in “tiptop condition.” Regarding motor oil alone, 30 percent of checked vehicles were found to have either low or overfull levels or dirty oil. It seems unlikely that consumer behavior would have changed dramatically enough in two years to raise the percentage of excellent-condition vehicles from 12 to 73 — even when accounting for variations in the survey pool. This large disparity might be attributable to the gap between consumer perception and technician reality.

Of interest to those planning new fast-lube centers, the Shell study found that Tucson, AZ was home to the healthiest vehicles; New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville had the least healthy. Wherever you go, though, Shell says, sports car, pickup truck, and motorcycle owners care more for the health of their vehicles than their own. Now you know.