Auto Maintenance Centers Can Promote Pre-​Travel Check-​Ups for the Busy Summer Season

BY Rachel Cagle
Featured image for “Auto Maintenance Centers Can Promote Pre-​Travel Check-​Ups for the Busy Summer Season”

Before you hit the road this summer, make sure your vehicle is road trip ready so you can have any problems fixed before you go. A pre-​trip vehicle checkup will help avoid the inconvenience, potential safety hazards and unplanned expense of breaking down miles away from home, says the non-​profit Car Care Council.

Routine Automotive Maintenance Customers make up 33.5% of U.S. adults, according to AudienceSCAN. Nearly 19% of this audience is between the ages of 45 and 54, and another 22% is over the age of 65. They've evenly divided at 50/​50 between male and female and are 17% more likely than other adults to live in a small town or other rural area.

Here's what travelers should check:

  • Check filters and fluids, including engine oil, antifreeze/​coolant, windshield washer and power steering, brake and transmission fluids. Dirty air filters can waste gas and cause the engine to lose power.
  • Check the hoses and belts and replace if they become cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or show signs of excessive wear. These are critical to the proper functioning of the electrical system, air conditioning, power steering and the cooling system.
  • Check the brake system and make sure the battery connection is clean, tight and corrosion-free.
  • Check the tires, including tire pressure and tread. Underinflated tires reduce a vehicle's fuel economy and uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tires should also be checked for bulges and bald spots.
  • Check the engine to make sure it is delivering the best balance of power and fuel economy and produces the lowest level of emissions.
  • Check that the gas cap is not damaged, loose or missing to prevent gas from spilling or evaporating.

A trip to a state or national park is in the books of 31.8% of Routine Automotive Maintenance Customers this year, according to AudienceSCAN. Another 25.9% plan to travel to an amusement or theme park and, overall, this group is 41% more likely than other adults to travel to watch an out-​of-​town sporting event.

"If you're planning a summer road trip, it's important to remember that it's not as simple as just putting gas in the car and driving off," said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. "Performing a thorough inspection of your vehicle before you leave will give you peace of mind and help make your road adventure safer and more fun."

Routine Automotive Maintenance Customers like finding great deals, and 35.8% of them believe that the best place for finding coupons is in their own physical mailboxes. In fact, in just the last month, 35.6% of this audience took action after receiving such ads/​coupons. They're also 10% more likely than other adults to take action after seeing an ad on a daily deals site, such as Groupon or LivingSocial. Another 64.6% took action after seeing a TV commercial within the past year.

AudienceSCAN data is available for your applications and dashboards through the SalesFuel API. Media companies and agencies can access AudienceSCAN data through the AudienceSCAN Reports in AdMall.


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