News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Beth Gorman (520) 243-7446
Tucson, ArizonaOctober 8, 2008) – October is National Car Care Month and a great time to learn how to save money on our vehicles and keep our air healthy! The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Air Program is holding a Free Car Care Check-up at the “Livin’ La Vida Verde” Green Festival downtown at the Tucson Convention Center on Saturday, October 25th. The Automotive Service Association is co-sponsoring the event and volunteers from local automotive repair shops and Automotive Technology classes will work together to provide the check-ups for free. The purpose of the event is to encourage good car maintenance for a healthier and more sustainable environment and to educate car owners about how preventive maintenance can save them money. Qualified volunteers will perform safety, under-the-hood, and tire inspections from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The checks include hoses, belts, fluids, lubricants, tire pressure and tread depth, gas cap and general safety inspections. An automotive repair shop would charge around $65 to perform these same checks, however, the Car Care Checkup is free.
The Car Care Checkup will be located in Parking Lot C which is just west of the TCC Music Hall and off Granada Avenue between Broadway and Cushing Street just east of I-10.
Car Care Tips to Save Money
Pump up your tires - under-inflated tires wear down more quickly and can reduce gas mileage by 3 percent. Check the car manual or the placard in the car door for the recommended air pressure for your car.
Replace clogged air filter – dirty air filters can decrease gas mileage by 10 percent.
Replace faulty vehicle gas cap and keep it tight – leaking gas caps allow gasoline to evaporate from your tank wasting gasoline and causing air pollution. Make sure your gas cap is tightened after each use. Nationally, gas cap problems waste 147,000,000 gallons of gasoline per year.
Avoid idling – sitting idle your vehicle gets zero miles per gallon, wastes gasoline, and needlessly pollutes the air. Letting the vehicle warm up for a minute and driving slowly at first is all it needs to be ready to go.
Don’t skimp on maintenance – If you follow guidelines in your owner’s manual and expensive, problematic breakdowns will be reduced. Talk with experienced technicians about your car at the Free Car Care Checkup at the Tucson Green Festival on Saturday, October 25th for expert advice.
For more information contact the PDEQ Clean Air Program at 243-7446 or visit www.deq.pima.gov.
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