Back-to-School Maintenance Makeover Special: Sears Auto Center Announces $9.99 Conventional Oil Change

Shop Your Way(SM) VIP Members Get More with $4.99 Conventional Oil Changes

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL--Aug. 12, 2013: Back-to-school is a busy time for parents and student drivers alike, and car care maintenance is not something that typically makes the to-do list. To help prevent future maintenance issues and potential costly repairs, now through Aug. 15, Sears Auto Center is offering the "Backpacks and Tires Tracks" Back-to-School Special – a $9.99 Valvoline conventional oil change1. The customers who take advantage of the oil change offer will also receive a $5 Sears coupon (valid same day only) to use in Sears stores while waiting for maintenance services to be completed.

"Sears Auto Centers are creating convenient experiences to keep Shop Your Way members and customers coming back for more during back-to-school season and beyond, including being open seven days a week and providing the option of shopping in Sears full-line stores while waiting," said Joe Finney, senior vice president and president, Sears Automotive. "We know that parents hit the road hard to prepare for back-to-school, and because stop-and-go traffic is tough on the family vehicle, we are offering Valvoline conventional oil changes for $9.99."

To prepare for back-to-school driving season, consider these car care tips from Sears Auto Center:

Be Efficient – Stop-and-go traffic, extremely hot or cold climates, driving on dirt or gravel roads and hauling heavy loads are all factors that can affect how quickly a car's oil is broken down. New oil helps preserve the car's engine and also increases engine efficiency. Now through Aug. 15, Sears Auto Center is offering the "Backpacks and Tire Tracks" Back-to-School Maintenance Special – a Valvoline conventional oil change for $9.99 (additional fees may apply). Find the coupon for the deal on Facebook. Power Up – Over 78 percent of Sears Auto Center customers wait for a battery to fail or an incident to occur before replacing it, according to an independent survey of Sears Auto Center stores. The DieHard pros at Sears Auto know that batteries weaken during summer's heat and then fail during the cold winter months. Get your battery tested at any Sears Auto Center for free, and test batteries that are more than three years old annually. Under Pressure – Check tires for uneven tread wear, nails or other potential hazards, in addition to checking the pressure. Get tires rotated regularly to keep the tread wear even, and when new tires are needed, be sure to have the vehicle re-aligned. Lights Out – Get in the car and turn on the headlights, brake lights, turn signals and emergency flashing lights on to make sure they are working.

"Spending a few minutes with your car now can help you enjoy safer driving this back-to-school season and beyond," said Lauren Fix, The Car Coach® and nationally recognized automotive expert. "Inspecting and repairing items on your vehicle that can wear over time will not only add years of life to a vehicle, it can prevent the need for more costly and extensive repairs down the road."

Shop Your Way VIP Members Get More

Shop Your Way is a free membership program and shopping community that offers rewards, personalized deals, product reviews, contests and sweepstakes. Through Shop Your Way, members can also earn and redeem Shop Your Way Rewards points when they shop in Sears and Kmart. Members also enjoy exclusive perks like personalized deals and special shopping events.

The Shop Your Way VIP membership program rewards members even more. There are three VIP levels that each offer exclusive program benefits. To reach each level, there is a minimum annual spend.

VIP members receive up to four eCoupons a year for a $4.99 conventional oil change (reg. $29.99), plus a free tire rotation (a $15 value). The higher the VIP status, the more opportunities to keep the family car happily humming.