Honeywell Survey Finds Majority of Americans Taking Car Care Into Their Own Hands

Economy Having Major Impact On Vehicle Maintenance Habits

DANBURY, Conn., Sept. 3, 2009; In the reversal of what has been nearly a decade-long trend, many Americans are now reporting that they are tackling more of their own vehicle maintenance, according to a new study conducted for Honeywell.

The survey finds over half (51 percent) of American vehicle owners rolling up their sleeves and handling more car care on their own versus a year ago. And an overwhelming majority (89 percent) of these new-found "DIYers" admits they didn't really perform these tasks before - they typically hired a professional.

"People are looking for ways to save money and taking routine vehicle maintenance into their own hands is a great place to start," says Jim Brown, Director of Communications at Honeywell Consumer Products Group, maker of FRAM, Prestone and Autolite products. "Where in recent years folks might just add wiper fluid or change the air filter, they are now tackling more difficult tasks, just as generations before them used to do."

Sixty-one percent are topping off or changing the antifreeze, more than half (54 percent) are changing the oil filter; and over one in four (32 percent) report changing their spark plugs.

"With access to the Internet and brands like FRAM, Prestone and Autolite providing downloadable videos and tutorials on their websites, it's much easier now for motorists to learn how to do these things," adds Brown.

But while certain activities are becoming more common-place in residential garages across the country, there's a disturbing trend at play here too, says Brown: the economy has driven more than half (51 percent) of the country's car owners to only take care of the bare minimum on their vehicles and more than one in five (21 percent) to avoid service altogether, according to the study, which was conducted by Kelton Research, a leading national public opinion company.

Furthermore, not enough folks are making smart investments - including purchasing higher-quality maintenance products and handling big ticket repairs.

"It's great to see some motorists taking on more themselves, however, some consumers are making poor decisions when it comes to their vehicle's care," said Jay Buckley, Technical Training Manager for FRAM, Prestone and Autolite, and a certified Master Mechanic. "This can be catastrophic for a family struggling to get by."

"A decision to avoid maintenance could mean the difference between spending $7 on a gallon of antifreeze to top off your cooling system versus paying upwards of $1,000 for a blown head gasket if you consistently run low," adds Buckley, who offers some suggestions for today's cash-strapped car owners.

  1. Find a good, certified mechanic who is willing to talk to you about
     your car's symptoms and come up with a plan to fix any problems.
  2. Don't avoid the repair shop. Vehicles should still be inspected by a
     professional from time to time to make sure there are no other issues
     that could lead to costly repairs.
  3. If topping off or changing your own antifreeze/coolant, consider an all
     makes/all models extended life formula since it can be used on every
     vehicle in the household, and be sure to read up on proper disposal.
  4. At your next oil change or tune up, upgrade to products that offer
     longer change intervals. You pay a little more upfront but often can go
     much longer between service.

  5. Switch to a washable air filter. It's an economically sound decision
     with less environmental impact.

Honeywell Consumer Products Group, a business unit within the Honeywell Transportation Systems segment, has headquarters in Danbury, Conn. Its leading automotive care products include FRAM oil, air, transmission and fuel filters; Autolite spark plugs, ignition wire sets and lights; Prestone antifreeze and car care products; and Holts car care. It maintains R&D capabilities in both the United States and Europe and has a manufacturing footprint in 10 countries worldwide. More information can be found at www.honeywellcpg.com.

Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.