Back in the days before 1970, there was only one place for auto repair shops to acquire any and all of the repair replacement parts that they needed: from auto manufacturers themselves. These were the OEMs. This gave way to uneven market conditions, making the auto repair shops more and more reliant on the OEMs. Because there were no other possible source for replacement auto parts that the repair shops needed in growing numbers—since by this time, more and more people were finally financially able to purchase a car—one can very well imagine what eventually happened: a monopoly. And of course, since a monopoly of any kind never once made for an ideal situation, because it always places unfair advantage on one party often at the expense of the greater majority—lobbying for price adjustments became an iffy issue.

OEMs gained a good hammerlock on the industry. This placed the market directly into the hands of the OEMs. Some very happy OEM owners must have found themselves punching their fists in the air at that time, if they knew full what they had at that time. The arrangement gave the companies in question the wherewithal to set prices for their parts quite high in the queue. It came at a point that the prices were reaching mile-high but there was nothing to be done about it. The resulting circumstances gave full expression to the essence of capitalism: I have something you want. The only thing is, how much are you willing to pay for acquiring it? Or as the saying goes, a thing is worth only as much as one is willing to pay for it.

This continued until the arrival of the aftermarket part suppliers sometime in the year 1970. Finally, some new blood was pumped into the business. The aftermarket suppliers attracted immediate attention from several consumer markets. Soon, manufacturers independent of affiliations with auto manufacturers were springing up left and right in a considerable number of portions all over the world. Soon, competition was putting life back into the market that had remained stodgily dormant through the years.

Predictably enough, the OEMs weren’t too happy with the upstarts. But since each and every thing in the world changes—that ever constant notion of progress as a force that, by and far, proves itself unstoppable—all the OEMs could go on with was a gradual acceptance of the facts. This time, OEMs got a dose of their own medicine as they planned how best to proceed.

By the time the 1980s set in on the industry, independent suppliers were already generating parts designed to allow compatible performance with a number of vehicle models that were produced by all the auto manufacturers. From aftermarket performance parts to crash parts, these alternate providers gave the OEMs a run for their money. By offering quality aftermarket parts at a price that was a great deal more affordable, consumers who had their eye on saving a few dimes and nickels on the side were immediately hooked.

A reversal of fortune was forcing OEMs to implement major changes in their organizational structures. The relatively young aftermarket business was going off the ground faster than the established companies had predicted. The succes of the aftermarket providers though was due to more than mere mechanics. Aftermarket suppliers keyed in to the fact that consumers weren’t going to be too keen on payiung for parts at a price that’s a wee bit too rich fir their blood when there were other viable sources on the table. It was to this need that the aftermarket suppliers that made the aftermarkets industry into a strong and successful one.

These days, one can obtain nearly all automotive components essential to a car, like crash parts or performance perts for instance, through two ways: by ordering these parts from an auto manufacturer which are companies that market these items stamped with their names. These are the original equipment manufacturers or OEMs as opposed to the aftermarket parts providers, the latter being companies that commercially distribute generic auto merchandise. That is, parts that carry no brand names. The fact of the matter was, before the aftermarket performance parts manufacturers emerged into the light and threw the OEMs into a fervent rush to stay on top of the game, OEMs were able to set prices as high as consumers would allow it. A thing costs as much as anyone is willing to pay for it—as the saying goes.

However, the arrival of the aftermarket parts manufacturers in the landscape altered everything for consumers and OEMs. Competition bloomed, preventing OEMs from ever assuming the degree of control that these companies had previously enjoyed. This admittedly threw a crimp in the works on the part of the OEMs since they were forced to share the profit with the Afternarkets. Nothing, though, could be done about the matter. Progress is an up-ward and onward movement, after all.

This resulted into a leveling down of prices on a considerable number of OEM products. Prices for a majority of these were dropped a near 30 percent. Consumers, though, can consider the matter as a decided blessing since the emergence of aftermarket parts initiated significant changes in the market dynamics that essentially improved a great deal for buyers.

This later gave way to the existing competition between OEM and aftermarket performance parts. And though talks discussing the merits of one over the other have already been made, time and again, the conclusions have been rhetorical at best since decisions ruling whether OEM pieces are better than aftermarket performance parts or vice versa, has proven moot so far. Both sides afford consumers a great deal of advantage in terms of functionality and durability.

Still, hecklers cannot be avoided and each has had its own share of complaints.

For instance, of the many issues that involve these two are talks of safety. Some critics say that using an aftermarket performance part does quite a lot in undermining the performance one’s vehicle by compromising a number of automotive processes.

However, on this note, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or IIHS decidedly shed a different light on the matter as it released an official statement stating the fact that there the employment of such parts had no direct adverse effect in the driving performance of the machine nor did it pose any danger to the safety of consumers. The IIHS declared these claims on the basis of the crash test results that the institute had conducted.

Providing further support to the claims generated by the IIHS, the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) also informed the public of that generic parts do not, in any way, ruin the existing warranty of a vehicle. The company even contributed to the growing body of discussion about OEMs and aftermarket parts by putting forward the idea that a number of generic parts are produced by the same companies and are constructed in the same manner.

Thus, there is not a particle of truth to the notion that having aftermarket parts in place of OEMs is a sure invitation for danger as well as risk. Still, whether one chooses to use an aftermarket performance part or an OEM component, one can breathe easy knowing that one can go for either one without having to worry about safety concerns and issues.

Representatives of the automotive aftermarket community in California met with the Golden State legislators just recently. The meeting was intended to be part of the significant strategies of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Sacramento Legislative Rally.

Many of the concerns taken up by the two assemblies revolved around matters involving health care and emission standards along with vehicle rubbish and others that were deemed to be of equal importance.

Health care concerns of course are nothing new. Groups expressing their concerns over the effects that a number of automotive technologies have given rise to have been making their opinions known since initial reports on the damaging effects of car engine emissions first appeared in public. However, the world is a long way from those troubles. Today, devices for better emissions are in place, keeping and reducing the count of noxious gases in the atmosphere to a bearable degree.

Talks of the current emissions standards too have been raised. This is believed to be in connection with the rumors circulating of late that a number of big players in the car manufacturing industry are planning to ask the government to lift emissions standards that are presently being followed. Though a considerable number of places the world over still have to wait out confirmation of this data, groups like this California-based unit are already expressing strong opposition to the proposal.

For auto makers, the point of raising the emissions standards that car engine manufacturers adhere to involves the subject of money. Higher standards mean that more improvements can be explored and a number of alternate technologies can be developed. However, since these will employ higher emissions counts, no matter the extent of engine boost that they can generate, they can expect solid resistance from the public.

Vehicular waste and the disposal of the said materials were also mentioned. In this case, commendable attention was given to companies that distributed and supplied re-manufactured auto products. This has, in turn, reduced the count of car rubbish significantly during the last few years. And with more and more consumers going for auto products that have environmental attributes, the count of vehicular scrap are expected to drop a few notches lower. The rising popularity of green technology in many of the prominent members of the automotive industry also makes this likely.

“SEMA has been engaged over the years with California (legislators) on a series of industry-specific issues and a range of business concerns impacting the health of the state’s specialty equipment industry.” This was the statement that Steve McDonald released regarding the gathering. McDonald is the current-acting SEMA vice president of government affairs.

It was largely believed by members of the parties involved that the rally “helped further increase awareness of our industry.” It addition, the event “signaled SEMA’s intention to increase its contribution to the debate on significant issues.”

There are, overall, larger issues at work and members of the Specialty Equipment Market Association know as well as understand that in striking a balance between better cars and safer environments, combining their efforts with the local government is a decisive and key action for the community.

Pundits and analysts in the after market parts field are speculating on the forthcoming growth in company sales. With the growing awareness of the community regarding matters that pertain to environmentally friendly auto products, a number of aftermarket parts suppliers are turning their eyes to one common direction: green technology. The production of products the likes of BMW aftermarket performance parts, Toyota performance parts and others of the same breed with the use of greener materials are gaining more than just a cursory look from companies. Whereas previous actions constituted of companies merely glossing over these intended plans, serious considerations are now being given to the said proposals.

Ecologically sound means of dealing with the ever-present emissions problems that have long since plagued and bedeviled the auto parts market have been satisfactorily gotten to in many respects. Fuel filter systems and other fuel system add-on devices that reduce the amount of harmful emissions that are allowed into the atmosphere are now in place in most cars, in most parts of the world.

Aftermarket part providers are wholly aware of this. Still, it has not been until of late that significant developments have started to take full effect. Interest in the production of greener aftermarket performance parts have never been stronger as it is now.

One can tie this up to recent events in the car community itself. To be more specific, to the renewed and energetic responses that prominent members of the automotive industry have been giving to the notion of offering consumers with cars that are able and competent in fulfilling roles as environment-friendly vehicles. With more and more cars being launched in strategic global markets, the count of consumers opting for cars and car manufacturers that exhibit more than a passing attention to such matters is certainly showing a marked climb. With the combined efforts of the car industry with institutional leaders in environmental concerns, it is not a surprise that the message about the conservation of the earth’s current and dwindling resources is getting across to the public.

Consumers are now waiting for the aftermarket performance industry to follow suit. And judging by the technologies that a considerable number of these institutions are studying to bring to consumers all the world over, such developments won’t be far behind.

This also includes companies that concern themselves with re-manufactured performance parts. Re-manufactured auto parts, after all, hold true to the environmental rule of recycling. By the time the mid 1990s arrived, the robust attention in the market had served to lower the count of the car industry’s waste produce. This is particularly true for rubber waste that spring from the many millions of tires that get dumped every year. Companies that supply re-manufactured products thus are largely responsible for eliminating waste materials of this sort.

Studies reveal that re-manufactured parts make up more than 75% of the sales in the UK aftermarket industry. Though the UK market has always been primarily geared toward the distribution of manufactured parts, the jump in their sales is phenomenal from 40%, which was the previous figure their sales amounted to.

The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) sector has been flooded with various types and versions of tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) products in the wake of the passing of the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act. This act makes it mandatory for all new vehicles in the United States to be equipped with a TPMS.

A study on the North American tire pressure monitoring systems market by Frost&Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, reveals that the research and development of aftermarket indirect systems is in the final stage and may directly threaten the TPMS industry in the OEM sector due to price advantage.

“While on one hand many suppliers are developing increasingly advanced systems, on the other several vehicle manufacturers are considering TPMS a commodity, and are in constant search for more cost-effective systems. The market supports those participants who offer inexpensive products without comprising on quality and who have a strong brand image,” Frost&Sullivan reports.

The study adds that many end users are expected to abandon direct systems in favor of the considerably lower-priced indirect ones, once the systems meet TREAD Act’s requirements. Currently, indirect systems are not fit to be implemented as OEM issue, but ongoing developments in advanced indirect systems is expected to change this and help the technology wean customers away from direct systems.

Meanwhile, the rushed implementation of TPMS in the OEM sector, technological advancements and product proliferation have created parts standardization issues within the market, and has especially affected the aftermarket segment of the automotive industry.

“Almost each vehicle model had a distinct TPMS type and some are not compatible with certain diagnostic tools,” said Frost&Sullivan industry analyst Kyu-Min Oh. “Standardization of direct TPMS technologies by OEMs and production of diagnostic equipment that are compatible with the variety of systems by aftermarket tools manufacturers is expected to go a long way in aiding the overall market.”

To take the new OEM implementation in their stride, the study adds, the aftermarket maintenance participants and tire retail channel have emphasized on technician training and consumer education. Since approximately 19 million TPMS-fitted vehicles are expected to be sold annually, it is vital for technicians to have an in-depth knowledge and training about the system.

“It is critical for aftermarket maintenance and tire industry participants such as tire retailers to educate technicians on the wide variety of TPMS products and the repair and diagnosis process for different applications,” the analyst added. “This will help eliminate unnecessary costs such as compensations for damages.”

According to the report, the adoption of TPMS has not only necessitated specific training for technicians but also discouraged the offer of complimentary services such as tire rotations to preferred customers, as TPMS servicing is labor and time intensive.

It adds that maintenance participants also have to invest in TPMS diagnostic equipment to carry out repairs, replacements and re-calibration. Due to the volume of TPMS in use, it is crucial for workshops to have the appropriate equipment to work on TPMS-equipped cars.

COLUMBUS, Ohio—It’s high time for the American hot rod as the National Hot Rod Association sets the stage for the 5th  annual Holley NHRA reunion. Billed as a one-of-a kind American car lover’s dream, this year’s NHRA event will feature the high-octane drag racing it’s been famous for.

For American motorsports driver and NHRA Hall of Famer Jeg Coughlin Sr., this year’s NHRA races will be even more remarkable as he ride down memory lane.

As once one of the most dominant drivers of his generation and now founder of aftermarket high performance parts supplier JEGS Mail Order, Coughlin has been at the forefront of hot rodding and drag racing for nearly five decades. At this weekend’s Hot Rod Reunion at the National Trail Raceway, he will be honored as the event’s Grand Marshal.

“It is such an honor to be named the Grand Marshal of this event,” said Coughlin. “I’ve always said that the best part of these events is being able to see all of your old friends and former competitors again. I can walk through the pit area and literally spend hours reminiscing about the good old days. As we get older, we realize how special it is to be able to spend time with the people we’ve raced with and against for the last twenty, thirty years or more. My only complaint is that there aren’t enough hours in the day to see everyone you want to see.”

Since its inception in 2003, the NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion has experienced significant growth in both spectators and participants, forcing event organizers to seek a bigger venue. In 2007, the event was moved from its former home in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to the historic National Trail facility just outside of Columbus.

“I’m especially excited since the Reunion is now being held at my home track at the National Trail Raceway,” said Coughlin. “This track has had so many great memories for me and my family over the years. It’s hard to remember them all. I’m sure that we will have a lot more great memories after this weekend, too.”

The event, which will be held until June 17, features a car show, swap meet, barbecue, and the popular “Cacklefest,” a thrilling exhibition of power featuring more than a dozen classic nostalgia race cars with their nitro-burning engines fired simultaneously. On the track, nostalgia drag racing classes include Top Fuel, Junior Fuel, Supercharged gassers, classic Funny Cars, Fuel Altereds, factory Super Stock racers and a variety of exhibition runs.

Coughlin made countless quarter-mile runs at the National Trail Raceway during his career, which included stints in NHRA’s three professional classes, Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock. Coughlin’s sons, John, Troy, Mike, and Jeg, have also combined to win seven NHRA national events at the team’s home track.

In addition to Coughlin, honorees for the 5th annual NHRA Hot Rod Reunion are Johnny Abbott, Don Cain, Ted Harbit, Fred Hurst, and the successful Ohio-based Top Fuel team of G.L. Rupp and driver Pat Dakin. The Justice Bros. Reunion Spotlight will be cast on two-time Funny Car champion and Drag Racing School founder Frank Hawley. Hall of Famers “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and “TV Tommy” Ivo are also expected to attend.

LOS ANGELES, California—SCORE International, organizer of the premiere off-road racing in the country, has just added the Robert Bosch Tool Corp. in its stable of race sponsors for the Las Vegas Terrible Cup III. Bosch USA joined perennial race sponsors American Suzuki and NAPA Chassis, setting the stage for what promises to be the most exciting SCORE event of the year.

“SCORE has a long history of having great sponsor partners and adding Bosch is very special and having Suzuki and NAPA return to our series is a distinct honor,” said SCORE International president Sal Fish, who has led SCORE since soon after it was founded in 1973.

“We welcome all three companies to our SCORE family of sponsor partners and look forward to helping them achieve their marketing objectives through SCORE desert racing,” he added.

All three companies will have a significant presence at the upcoming third edition of the Las Vegas Terrible Cup. The third round of the six-race SCORE Desert Series, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series, held from June 1 to 3 in Ensenada, Mexico, attracted nearly 500 entries competing in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

Current SCORE official sponsors include big names in the aftermarket industry: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Sunoco Race Fuels/Bryant Petroleum-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, American Racing ATX Series-official wheel, Slime-official tire sealant, Airstar America-official space lighting provider, Red Bull–official energy drink and Bosch Power Tools-official power tool.

Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Communications, Kartek Off-Road, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Bendix, American Suzuki, NAPA Chassis, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

Bosch is one of the world’s largest private industrial corporation’s worldwide, with 261,300 associates and annual sale of 54.5 billion. In North America, the Bosch Group has nearly 24,750 associates, and in 2006 achieved total consolidated sales of $8.8 billion.

“The relationship with SCORE was an easy decision for Bosch,” said Mark Fishburn, key account manager for the Western United States. “Bosch customers not only work hard, but play hard. Bosch wanted to recognize this by supporting SCORE in our customers playground-Las Vegas. The toughness and grit of the SCORE races is synonymous with the quality and toughness of Bosch Power Tools.”

Bosch Power Tools has three partners this racing season. Besides SCORE, Bosch is partnering with The Milwaukee Mile racing complex for three major event weekends. One will be for an IRL race, one will have both NASCAR Busch and NASCAR Truck Series races, and the third will be an ARCA RE/MAX event.

Bosch is also a sponsor of the No. 18 Dodge driven by veteran Ken Schrader in the NASCAR Truck Series. As part of its agreement with SCORE International, Bosch developed a special contingency program for racers, which it unveiled during the 40th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 last November.

The third edition of the Terrible Cup will be held from July 19 to 21 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. All classes will race twice on Friday night and twice on Saturday night. The draw lots for starting position will be held this Friday, June 15.

Kentucky—Holley Performance Products, the industry leader in performance fuel systems, announced Friday its shortlist of attractions for this month’s Somernites Power Cruise. The July power cruise is scheduled to cover four states before heading here at Somerset, Kentucky. The caravan will then meet up with over 1,000 other cars who regularly converge on the historic city square one weekend per month throughout the summer. The tour legs will be leaving the morning of July 28 from Nashville, Knoxville, Cincinnati, and Louisville. Specific locations and times can be found at the official Holley Somernites website.

From Somerset the caravan will travel to Corbin and make a stop at the Cumberland Falls, where the group will link up with the Power Cruise group coming from Knoxville and cruise back to Somerset in a caravan of classic cars and trucks.

“The Somernites Cruise has become a huge attraction over the last few years in our home state of Kentucky”, said Holley marketing director Bill Tichenor. “It really is a national type event drawing cars from all over the east coast, but it still has that small town appeal. Everyone just cruises the strip and hangs out together talking about cars. You’ll see everything from street rods, to muscle cars to slammed trucks. It’s just about car enthusiasts enjoying cars. We’re really proud of the folks over in Somerset. They’ve done it right and we’ve decided to join in,” added Tichenor.

Somernites Cruise organizers expect a record breaking day in July due to the popularity growth of the caravan. Last year, they have expanded the cruise area to an additional location at The Center for Rural Development, where cruise participants were treated to the same relaxed atmosphere and music as downtown while they enjoy entertainment and special attractions slated at the event.

“Mustang Alley” had been a big hit in the May Power Cruise, with well over 200 ’stangs of all models, colors and styles staking their claim to the special area that organizers have set aside each month for their featured makes and models. For the June 23 power cruise, organizers are calling out on all Mopar Fans to step up and show the Blue Oval folks what true loyalty is. June is “Mopar Mania” month, organizers said, and the June power cruise will have a huge area set aside just for Mopars.

All Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth owners, together with all Mopar Clubs are invited. “Last month, the Blue Oval crowd swamped the show with over 200 of their ponycars. We think the Mopar crowd simply won’t stand for that and we want you to turn out in big numbers to show everyone just which manufacturer has the most dedicated and fanatical car owners! We know you don’t have to worry about being “snake-bitten” when you are leaving them in your dust! So whether you own a new Charger or Viper, a classic Roadrunner or one of those nasty ‘Cuda’s or Challengers, we want to see you and your car at the June show proudly displayed in the “Mopar Mania” area.”

Holley Performance Products will give away Weiand intakes, Hooker Headers, NOS Nitrous, Earl’s Plumbing, Lunati Cams and FlowTech Exhaust for eac of their performance divisions. Holley, which has been in the industry for a century now, powers every NASCAR Nextel Cup team and every NHRA Pro–Stock champion. The Holley line includes performance fuel pumps, fuel injection, intake manifolds, cylinder heads and engine dress-up products for street performance, race and marine applications.

IRVINE, California—Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. is set to develop the diesel hybrid electric version of its Alternative Mobility Vehicle (AMV) Aggressor. Its client: The US Army. The program is a follow up on Quantum’s successful Aggressor vehicle, a high-performance light-duty off-road fuel cell hybrid vehicle developed for the US Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center and the National Automotive Center. The project has a total value of $4.88 million.

The objective of the program is to develop a second-generation high-performance light-duty off-road hybrid electric vehicle platform based on the results of and feedback from the US Army’s testing and evaluation of the Aggressor. The first prototype of the Aggressor, built in 2004, never made it beyond military testing and evaluation. The propulsion system for this next phase of AMV development will focus on a JP 8 fuel-compatible diesel internal combustion engine based, battery dominant, series hybrid electric system, which would provide a cost-effective, near-term solution as fuel cell technology matures. Preproduction prototypes will be developed and built for testing and evaluation by selected commands to assess mission suitability, supportability, performance objectives, and guidance on final vehicle configuration.

“We believe that the AMV program offers an innovative solution as a long-range reconnaissance vehicle that fills a technology gap for the US Army in its national defense efforts while reducing its fuel logistic burden,” said Alan Niedzwiecki, president and CEO of Quantum. “The vehicle’s silent watch capability, high performance acceleration, extended range, and exportable power provide significant advantages for the US Army in communications, surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance missions. We believe that this vehicle and Quantum’s innovative hybrid drive train will also be very well-suited for other commercial applications, including homeland security, border patrol, park service operations, and light-duty automobiles.”

A wider, 66″ body design makes room for performance-grade acceleration— at least as far as military vehicles go—with the second-generation Aggressor set to rev from 0 to 40 mph in four seconds and top out at 80 mph. But speed is not the main attraction here. Stealth is. The Aggressor design provides battery-only operations, allowing it to switch into “silent mode” with a reduced thermal signature. Combine that with extended range and exportable power, the Aggressor is set to become the first tough-to-detect AMV for missions involving communications, surveillance and targeting.

The contract will be administered by Alion Science and Technology Corp., based in Alexandria, Virginia. Alion will provide project management oversight in support of this effort for the US Army. Quantum, a fully integrated alternative energy company, is a leader in power train engineering, system integration and manufacturing of packaged fuel systems and accessories for specialty vehicles and applications including fuel cells, hybrids, alternative fuels, hydrogen refueling, new body styles, mid-cycle vehicle product enhancements and high performance engines and drive trains for OEMs and consumers of aftermarket parts and accessories.

The company has product commercialization alliances with General Motors, AM General and Sumitomo, while its customer base includes Toyota, Opel, Hyundai, Suzuki, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, SunLine, Yamaha, AeroVironment, and the US Army.

ROANOKE, Virginia—With the high cost of gas, drivers can use planning and common sense to squeeze a few more miles out of a gallon of gas, and reduce the flow of money going from their wallet to the gas pump. It begins with taking care of your vehicle. A simple tune up can increase fuel mileage significantly, according to Bryan Gregory, director of consumer education for Advance Auto Parts, a leading manufacturer of aftermarket performance auto parts.

“Start with the air filter ,” Gregory said. “Inside an engine, it takes 10,000 gallons of air to combust one gallon of gas. If either part is in need of replacement, fuel mileage declines significantly Replace your air filter every 7,500 miles, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer.”

From May 27 to June 30 this year, all air filters are 25 percent off at Advance Auto Parts retailers. A dirty air filter can decrease horsepower, acceleration and performance. Replacing your air filter can increase both performance and fuel efficiency.

Proper tire pressure is the second largest influence on fuel mileage. Check the driver’s side door post to see exactly what the tire pressure should be, then check it weekly, on all tires for best results. “Tire air pressure is critical,” Gregory said. “It’s why NASCAR [National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing] teams spend so much time adjusting the air pressure. Every pound per square inch that a tire is underinflated results in a 6 percent loss in fuel efficiency. Tires that are properly inflated create the least amount of rolling resistance, and lead to a safer vehicle through improved handling.”

Vehicle maintenance should always be a priority, but some of the most important factors in reducing fuel consumption depend solely on the driver.

“You definitely want to avoid idling when possible because you get zero miles to the gallon when sitting still,” Gregory said. “Be sensible about how long you warm up the car. For most cars and trucks, 30 to 45 seconds of warm-up time is sufficient.”

To reduce idling, plan trips to avoid high-volume traffic, whether it’s by eliminating rush hour commutes or going to the drive-through window before or after peak meal times, Gregory added. Reducing a vehicle’s load by eliminating excess cargo, such as extra tires, equipment, bike or ski racks, saves gas because every 200 pounds of extra weight in a vehicle reduces fuel mileage by one mile per gallon.

“A bad habit that’s dangerous and robs fuel mileage is tailgating,” Gregory said. “It can reduce fuel mileage by nearly 10 percent because of needless braking and acceleration. Nearly half the energy needed to power a vehicle goes into acceleration. Accelerate slowly, particularly from a dead stop, to enhance fuel economy.”

To make slow starts a habit and avoid punching the gas pedal, Gregory recommends imagining an egg underneath the accelerator pedal. “That’s the method multiple Indy 500 winner Jackie Stewart said he used to win so many races,” Gregory explained.

Advance Auto Parts and its well-trained house mechanics are set to provide customers with gas-saving, do-it-yourself auto parts enhancements through the company’s Automotive Service Excellence-certified experts and consumer education program. The program, featuring instructional brochures and video clinics, show customers how to save money and increase vehicle efficiency by repairing and replacing various vehicle systems, fluids, and parts themselves.