Wheat Ridge, Colo. -- Maintenance Matters, a new collaboration among Envirotest Systems, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Regional Air Quality Council, Colorado Department of Revenue, and several Denver-area repair shop owners, is designed to promote the importance of vehicle maintenance to local motorists.
The group held its first vehicle maintenance awareness event on Oct. 18, marking the beginning of a campaign.
"The reason the air is cleaner is because people fix cars to pass the I/M (inspection and maintenance) test," said Renee Allen, public information manager of Envirotest Systems, the state-appointed agency that operates the Air Care Colorado emissions program. "They tend to forget the 'M' (maintenance) part.
"It's a 'win-win' for everybody," Allen said, adding that the air gets cleaner, repair shops win new customers, and the message for the importance of a properly maintained vehicle is spread.
The idea for the Maintenance Matters program originated from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration initiative "It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air," she said.
About 60 repair shops have participated in the Maintenance Matters campaign, offering $25 coupons for any maintenance repairs, Allen said.
Many of the participating shops are members of the Automotive Service Association of Colorado (ASA-CO) and NAPA Colorado Select AutoCare Centers, she said. During the Oct. 18 event, items such as fuel leak checks and tire inspections were conducted.
The inspection event kicked off the maintenance campaign that is to include ongoing radio spots and online ads, Allen said.
The slogan and underlying message of Maintenance Matters is: "The smart thing to do. The right thing to do," she said.
The group plans to have a Web sit with the participating shops listed, who offer the discount coupon, Allen said, adding that other maintenance and repair promotions are in the works with participating shop owners.
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