Poll: One in Three College Students Wished They Took Better Care of Their Cars

HOUSTON, Sept. 3 -- One-third of college students who had a car on campus last year said they should have changed its oil more often, according to a recent online survey.

The poll found that 32 percent of students who changed their oil two times or fewer during the last school year said they meant to change it more often, but simply forgot. Nearly 18 percent cited their busy schedules and 15 percent said their lack of money prevented them from taking their car in for an oil change.

Fifteen percent of the students said they thought someone else was going to take the car in, but it never happened. Reflecting back, another 20 percent said they didn't know their oil needed changing or that it wasn't necessary to have the car serviced at the time.

"While most students changed their oil at least once during the school year, many of them acknowledge that they don't keep a regular maintenance schedule," said Anne Tawney, vice president of marketing at Jiffy Lube International, which sponsored the poll. "With the new school year starting, it's a good time to remind students about the importance of keeping their cars in good condition. Routine maintenance is the easiest way to prevent a costlier breakdown later on."

Parents looking to give their college students the back-to-school gift of worry-free driving can visit www.jiffylube.com or a local Jiffy Lube(R) service center to purchase a gift certificate for a Jiffy Lube Signature Service(R) oil change.

  The Jiffy Lube Signature Service oil change includes:
  -- Replacing oil with up to five quarts of motor oil;
  -- Replacing the oil filter;
  -- Visually inspecting brake fluid and antifreeze/coolant reservoir
     levels;
  -- Inspecting the air filtration system, wiper blades and lights;
  -- Checking the condition of belts;
  -- Vacuuming interior floors;
  -- Cleaning exterior windows;
  -- Lubricating the chassis (when applicable);
  -- Checking and setting tires to the proper pressure; and
  -- Checking and topping off transmission/transaxle fluid, differential
     fluid, power steering fluid, windshield washer fluid and battery water

Jiffy Lube technicians will also perform a service review, which includes a review of the air filtration system and the vehicle manufacturer's severe service recommendations based upon the vehicle's current mileage.

Jiffy Lube, with 2,200 service centers in North America, serves approximately 30 million customers each year. Jiffy Lube pioneered the fast oil change industry in 1979 by establishing the first drive-through service bay, providing customers with faster professional service for their vehicles. Headquartered in Houston, Jiffy Lube International is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Shell Oil Company. Visit www.jiffylube.com to learn more about Jiffy Lube and vehicle care.

Greenfield Online, Inc. polled 200 college students between the ages of 18-24 who reported having a car on campus during the previous school year. The online survey was administered August 15-20, 2003. It has a margin of error of +/- 6.93%.