As we watch the price of gasoline creep well above the $4 mark — with little hope of it ever coming down — any means of squeezing extra value from what we spend at the pump is welcome. Engine air filter check and replacement, for example, offers an excellent chance for automotive professionals to help their customers get the maximum “mileage” from their vehicles, and at the same time, create a profit opportunity for themselves. According to the United States Department of Energy, replacing a clogged air filter improves a car’s gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. And, because it keeps impurities from entering the engine, the air filter also protects against long-term damage to the inside of the engine. So you can tell your customers that given the high cost of gasoline, replacing their air filter will generate fuel savings far in excess of the cost of the part and labor and will continue to do so for some time to come. Added benefits will include a reduction in emission levels and improved engine performance. The math is simple. The average motorist drives 12,000 miles per year. The average car gets 20 miles per gallon and therefore, uses 600 gallons of gas a year. At $4.50 per gallon, this is equivalent to $2,700 per year. A 10 percent saving, therefore, is equivalent to $270 per year or approximately $20+ per month. An average air filter costs $15 to $20 at retail. If you include the labor charge, the vehicle owner can recover the money spent in just a couple of months! And, the fuel savings will continue for quite some time to come – a win-win situation for the customer, the environment, and you. “If the air filter is clogged or restricted, contaminants are likely to be drawn into the engine,” says Ramon Nunez, spokesman for Purolator. “In today’s finely-tuned fuel injected systems, this not only leads to poor fuel economy but also causes premature wear to the fuel injectors and moving components in the engine and increases fuel consumption.” According to Nunez, “Purolator PureONE air filters, for example, are 99.5 percent efficient and their exclusive oil-wetted Micronic filtration media offers a greater capacity to trap harmful contaminants that can enter and damage a vehicle’s engine. This, ultimately, helps to improve vehicle performance and gas mileage.” Educating your customer about the value of changing the air filter on their vehicle annually will certainly offset the high cost of gasoline for them and also create a profit opportunity for you. www.pureoil.com. |
