'Car Care Guides' flying off the shelves as aftermarket prepares for National Car Care Month

Forget Tom Clancy and J. K. Rowling. The aftermarket has its own publishing success story: the Car Care Council's "Car Care Guide."

The Council has produced and distributed two million copies of this book so far, and that's only a portion of its intended reach, says Rich White, VP of marketing and communications for the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) and executive director of the Car Care Council.

"It certainly exceeded our wildest expectations, and we really feel we’ve just begun," he says. "I'm sure the two million is just the tip of the iceberg."

The guide, an extension of the "Be Car Care Aware" campaign, includes car care tips and information on maintenance intervals for fluids, oil changes, wiper blade and belt replacements, among other items, and is poised to be disseminated by everyone from the distributor on down to the technician; but the motorist is the main target of the piece.

The Car Care Guide also offers drivers explanations of why service is needed and provides questions to ask service providers, as well as a layman's breakdown of various automotive systems and parts.

"It's very popular among consumers because it's easy to understand," White explains.

The guide is small enough to fit in the glove box and accompany an owner's manual, but for someone like the technician, it's also a credible reference source, says White.

"When they're talking about a particular service or repair that's needed, they can point to the car care service guide," he adds. "It reinforces (a tech's) recommendation for needed service and maintenance by a credible third party."

The guide has been translated into French and an English metric version, and a Spanish translation was in the review process at press time. White says so far distributors like program groups and franchises have placed the majority of orders, but he expects manufacturers and retailers to also begin ordering the guide.

A prime opportunity for distribution and repair chains is the option of branding the guide with their own organization’s logo and distributing it through membership rosters.

In fact, the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance ordered about 250,000 guides in the various translated versions and has passed them out to members as part of the group's 2007 promotional package, says VP of Marketing Steve Marks. The service centers can leave the guides with their customers as a "thank you" to help the drivers become more in tune with their vehicles, he adds.

"The more the consumer understands their vehicle, the better chance we have of them coming back and purchasing parts or taking it to one of our certified service centers and having the maintenance performed," says Marks.

Going beyond the guide

Next month is National Car Care Month, so a number of repair shops, distributors and retailers are offering free vehicle check-ups, which is another opportunity to also distribute the Car Care Guides. Along with checking fluids, lubricants, wipers, belts and hoses, some of these events also offer child safety seat inspections, blood pressure screenings and car washes.

The Alliance alone hosts about 400 such events each spring, says Marks.

To register your company for a vehicle check-up event or to purchase Car Care Guides, visit www.carcare.org.