HOUSTON, TX (May 10, 2006) – Women who turn to men for car care advice may not be getting good counsel as often as they think.
A national survey sponsored by Jiffy Lube International, a subsidiary of Shell Oil Co., found that while 69 percent of men and 64 percent of women think men know more than women on the subject, their responses to basic car-care questions tell a somewhat different story.
“With peak driving season approaching and gasoline prices rising, we decided to see if men really have any bragging rights when it comes to getting the most out of your vehicle – and every gallon,” says Jiffy Lube International technical expert Mark Ferner.
Among the questions asked, here are six:
Where is a vehicle’s proper tire-inflation pressure information located?
Twenty-two percent of women vs. 16 percent of men realized the correct tire pressure is not on the tire sidewall, wheel rim or wheel well. “Proper tire pressure is vehicle-specific,” Ferner says. “Tire sidewalls list the maximum pressure recommended by the tire manufacturer. Proper tire pressure information for a vehicle is found on a decal typically in the vehicle’s door jamb or in the vehicle owner’s manual.”
Does switching from conventional engine oil to synthetic oil enable the number of miles between oil changes to be safely extended?
Forty-six percent of women and 67 percent of men incorrectly assumed simply switching enables the number of miles between oil changes to be safely extended. “Switching from conventional to synthetic oil is not an automatic license to extend a vehicle’s oil-change interval,” comments Ferner. “The vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations and the conditions in which you drive are also important. Most vehicle owners’ manuals list two oil change intervals – one for normal driving and the other for severe driving. If you idle excessively, or often drive in stop-and-go traffic or extreme weather conditions, your vehicle is likely a candidate for the severe service schedule.”
What is the normal life expectancy for many windshield wiper blades?
Forty-nine percent of women and 54 percent of men knew the answer was six to 12 months. “Many drivers don’t think about the condition of their wiper blades until they’re caught in foul weather,” says Ferner.
Identify the easy to maintain vehicle components that can affect gas mileage.
Forty-eight percent of women and 50 percent of men knew that under-inflated tires, a dirty air filter, incorrect wheel alignment, and even a loose gasoline cap can all reduce gas mileage. Ferner adds, “Avoiding fast starts and stops, speeding and excessive idling can also help you get more miles out of every gallon of gasoline.”
What is a cabin air filter?
Forty-seven percent of men versus 27 percent of women knew cabin air filters clean the air that passengers breathe inside the vehicle. “Many vehicles on the road today are equipped with cabin air filters that need periodic replacement – and many drivers don’t know it,” adds Ferner. “Many vehicle owners’ manuals list how often a cabin air filter should be replaced.”
What is the primary purpose of antifreeze/coolant?
Seventy-eight percent of men versus 56 percent of women knew the primary purpose of antifreeze/coolant was to help control the temperature of a vehicle’s engine. “Antifreeze/coolant also remains liquid in cold temperatures to help protect the engine during extreme-cold starts,” Ferner says. “Servicing your vehicle’s cooling system according to your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations can really help you avoid costly repairs down the line.”
Ferner notes that men fared significantly better than women on only a few of the other car-care questions. The Opinion Research Corporation CARAVAN omnibus study was conducted by telephone among a representative national sample of 524 men and 522 women age 18 and older. Data were collected from March 31 through April 3, 2006. The survey has a 3.2 percent margin of error.
