Cars Play Key Role in Affairs of the Heart

Survey Reveals Automobiles Often Setting For Romance

HOUSTON, Feb. 12 -- Looking to shift your love life into overdrive this Valentine's Day? Don't underestimate your car's role in leading you down the road to romance.

A new Jiffy Lube International / Harris Interactive(R) survey revealed that 83% of Americans have experienced some sort of romantic moment in an automobile. Among the other findings was that nearly two in three (62%) Americans went on their first solo date and one in three (34%) Americans experienced their first romantic kiss in a car. At least one in three (36%) respondents also admitted to having an "intimate encounter" in an automobile; 14% of those surveyed said it was their first time.

"Pop culture often glorifies the role cars play in dating and romance, so we wanted to find out just how strong the love connection really is," said Jiffy Lube(R) senior vice president of marketing Anne Tawney. "Whether for privacy, atmosphere or transportation, cars indeed play an important function when it comes to romance."

By the way, cars are also a fairly popular setting for the love-'em-and- leave-'em types. Nearly 30% of all respondents said they have broken up with someone in a car.

Sharing the Love

The survey also found that more than half (51%) of all Americans say they love their cars. Contrary to popular stereotypes, women tended to view their cars more fondly than men (56% vs. 46%).

When these respondents were asked how they either do or would express love for their cars, 63% cited regularly scheduled maintenance services, such as oil changes. Twenty-two percent said they would give their cars a good cleaning, the next highest response.

Jiffy Lube(R), located on 2,200 of the busiest street corners in North America, is synonymous with convenient car care. The company pioneered the fast oil change industry in 1979 and today serves 30 million customers each year. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Jiffy Lube International is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Shell Oil Company . The current advertising and marketing campaign for Jiffy Lube(R), "The Well-Oiled Machine," exemplifies its commitment to excellence. Jiffy Lube(R) has been the top-ranked company in the Automotive category in Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 for the last six years. To learn more about Jiffy Lube(R) and vehicle care, visit www.jiffylube.com.

The nationwide telephone survey of 1015 male and female adults (18+) was conducted January 9-12 by Harris Interactive(R) for Jiffy Lube International. To ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total national adult population, completed interviews were weighted to known proportions for age, gender, geographic region, and race. The margin of error for the total sample was +/- 3.1%.

Source: Jiffy Lube International

CONTACT: Randy Kambic, +1-617-272-8349, or Matt Paine, +1-617-272-8314,
both of Cone, Inc.