Don't Get Caught With Your Hood Up
29 September 1998
Don't Get Caught With Your Hood Up; Auto Club Offers Free Car Checkups in October for National Car Care Month
LOS ANGELES--Sept. 29, 1998--Car owners can avoid annoying, time-consuming breakdowns by taking a few minutes to get free "car checkups" and brochures on vehicle maintenance from the Automobile Club of Southern California.
The complimentary auto checkups will be offered throughout October as part of the Auto Club's participation in National Car Care Month.
Auto Club members and non-members can take advantage of the free 38-point inspections offered by more than 700 garages throughout Southern California that have been designated by the Club as "Approved Auto Repair" facilities. The AAR garages undergo annual inspections by Auto Club experts to ensure that they provide quality service from highly trained technicians using proper equipment.
"Drivers spend a lot of time on the road in Southern California, so they also need to invest time in properly maintaining their vehicles," said Steve Mazor, principal automotive engineer. "Most car problems can be detected in the early stages or prevented by regular inspections, and this free checkup gives drivers another incentive to perform needed maintenance."
The free inspections will include checkups on:
-- Lubricants and fluids; -- The car battery; -- Belts, pulley and hoses; -- Tires and filters; and -- Headlights, turn signals and other lights.
To schedule an appointment, contact a local Auto Club office or visit the Club's web site at www.aaa-calif.com to find the closest Approved Auto Repair garage.
Also, the Auto Club's 69 district offices are offering a free brochure giving easy-to-understand recommendations about car maintenance. "It's Time for a Reality Check" details common misperceptions about caring for vehicles and offers advice on several common maintenance issues, such as: brake inspections, tire rotations, oil changes, tune-ups, vehicle fluids, belts and hoses, and recommended gasoline octane levels.
National Car Care Month is an effort to educate drivers and correct misperceptions about car maintenance. A national survey conducted this year for AAA showed that while three-quarters of all motorists feel they are familiar or very familiar with maintenance requirements for their vehicles, only about half of them regularly followed those recommendations.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, Auto Club members benefit by the organization's emergency road service, financial products, travel agency and trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs, insurance products and services, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs and legislative advocacy. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.
