The C.A.R. Show's Roger Kwapich Says Keep Your Old Car And Make Payments To College Instead

Tips From The C.A.R. Show's Roger Kwapich, and MaxLife Motor Oil Keep Cars on the Road and Money in Your Wallet

LEXINGTON, Ky., Aug. 21 -- As kids head off to college, many of their parents are budgeting for things like tuition, books, housing and ways to save money. The makers of MaxLife Motor Oil, recently partnered with the host of the nationally syndicated The C.A.R. Show, Roger Kwapich, to educate consumers on the money-saving benefits of keeping your current vehicle on the road with preventive maintenance while avoiding the costly purchase of a new car.

A side-by-side comparison of today's rising college tuition prices versus new-car payments demonstrates the value of holding on to your current vehicle. In 2002-2003, the average college cost for a four-year public school was $4,081. If a family purchases a new, modest $18,000 vehicle for their son or daughter leaving for college, they spend $358 per month on car payments. That's $4,298 a year -- more than an average year's tuition.(1)

"Buying a new car is an expensive purchase," says Kwapich. "I've been recommending to my listeners for years that if they really want to save money, they should avoid buying a new car and keep their existing cars on the road with preventive maintenance."

People are apparently listening. Studies show that over two thirds of the vehicles on the road have over 75,000 miles. Kwapich notes that, "Today's vehicles are designed to last well beyond 200,000 miles. Additionally, products like Valvoline's MaxLife Motor Oil do more than regular motor oils by helping to fight aging so you can hold on to your vehicle even longer."

Preventive Maintenance: Keeping the Family Truckster Alive

"I have lots of callers who think that high mileage equates to high repair dollars," says Kwapich, "However, if they practice good maintenance, they can keep their cars running great well past 200,000 miles."

Preventive maintenance can be as simple as changing the oil every 3,000 miles and rotating your tires every other change. A good starting point is to focus on parts of your car that cost the most to fix - engine, transmission, fuel system, etc. This means regular oil changes, tire rotations, addition of fuel system cleaner and tune-ups before you see signs of damage. According to Kwapich, drivers should follow these five basic steps in preventive maintenance:

  1. As the seasons change, so should your oil:  Oil is the life blood of
     your engine, so change it seasonally. And as your car turns over 75,000
     miles, switch to products like MaxLife Motor Oil -- which has special
     ingredients to help fight aging and extend engine life.

  2. Brakes should be inspected with each oil change: On average, brakes
     should be replaced every 35,000 to 40,000 miles -- and for most cars,
     the front brakes tend to wear faster than the back.

  3. Belts, hoses and thermostat should be inspected with each oil change:
     Belts, hoses and thermostat should be replaced every four years or
     50,000 miles.

  4. Rotate your tires: Tires, non-directional tires excluded, should be
     rotated every 6,000 to 10,000 miles or during every other oil change.
     Doing this will increase the tires' life by as much as 25 percent.

  5. Tune it up:  The 100,000 mile tune up is a terrible idea!  Long life
     spark plugs (100,000 plugs) should be replaced at 35,000 to 40,000
     miles and certainly at 60,000 miles.  The fuel filter, fuel injectors
     and induction system should be changed/cleaned every 2-3 years or
     24,000 to 30,000 miles.

"I sent two daughters through college and graduate school in high-mileage vehicles and have a thirteen-year-old son well on his way," says Kwapich. "Following these tips will save you thousands of dollars in repairs. Even if you took your vehicle in and asked to have all five tips performed at once -- it's still cheaper than the sales tax on a new, $18,000 car."

The Valvoline Company has seen the benefits of car preservation for years, which is why it developed MaxLife Motor Oil, specifically for engines with over 75,000 miles. As engines age, engine seals become brittle, causing deposits and increased oil consumption. Piston rings wear and engines lose compression, reducing engine performance and gas mileage. MaxLife is motor oil plus special ingredients to fight aging and maximize the life of engines.

MaxLife and other old car motoroil is available at retailers around the country and at all Instant Oil Change locations. To help fight aging in other systems of vehicles with over 75,000 miles, Valvoline has created MaxLife fuel system cleaner, automatic transmission fluid, anti-freeze, power steering fluid and engine protector.