AAA Provides Tools People Can Use to Impress Their Auto Technician

ORLANDO, Fla.--Oct. 2, 20040, 2004--AAA is reaching out to women motorists' during AAA Car Care Month this year. In an effort to jump start awareness in automotive maintenance, AAA has compiled a checklist women can use to boost their car care confidence and automotive self-reliance.

Trust, reliability, and good communication are not just key ingredients to a healthy and successful relationship with your significant other. They are also instrumental to a balanced and sound relationship with your automobile and its technician.

"If women put off visiting an auto repair shop because of fear, it could be a recipe for disaster. The more you know about your vehicle and how it operates the better," says John Nielsen, director of AAA's Approved Auto Repair program.

At some point in a vehicle's life, everyone will have to take their automobile to a repair shop because it has, unfortunately, let them down. The following checklist can make the experience less frustrating.

-- Become familiar with your automobile's maintenance schedule. This information is provided in the owner's manual of your vehicle.

-- Don't wait for your car to break down to identify a repair shop. Be proactive and research where you want to take your vehicle when it needs to be serviced in the future.

-- Gather recommendations and opinions from friends and family. This will help streamline the decision-making process.

-- Check with the local consumer agencies to identify if the repair shop in question has any unresolved disputes.

-- Find out if the shop employs ASE certified automotive technicians that are experienced working on the type of car you own.

-- Perhaps the simplest way to choose a good repair shop is to select an AAA Approved Auto Repair facility. These shops undergo an extensive investigation before being allowed to enter the program and AAA is confident that they will provide competent and professional repairs.

-- Communicate your vehicle's symptoms effectively by using simple everyday language or demonstrating the problem during a test drive with the technician.

For women motorists' eager to begin their search for a quality repair shop, AAA has an extensive list of more than 7,800 Approved Auto Repair shops online at http://www.aaa.com. Members are entitled to special benefits when patronizing these shops, however, all motorists can benefit from the knowledge AAA has verified their competency and trustworthiness.

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its more than 47 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automobile-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of travelers. AAA websites with resourceful information are: http://www.fuelgaugereport.com , http://www.aaa.com , and http://www.aaamaps.com.

AAA news releases are available from http://www.aaa.com/news