ADVERTISING TO GROSS SALES – 5.8%


WHAT ARE THE TARGET DEMOGRAPHICS OF CONSUMERS MOST LIKELY TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLE REPAIRED AT A PRIVATE GARAGE/GAS STATION, AUTO DEALERSHIP OR NATIONAL AUTO REPAIR CHAIN IN THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS? MRI/Mediamark Research & Intelligence, LLC, 2006

Advertising to Gross Sales – 3.3-4.5%

THE SPIKE PERIODS Based on a survey of underhood repair shops, conducted by Babcox Research, the busiest months of the year for these businesses: June, 54%; July, 51%; August, 48%; May, 32%; September, 22%; October, 18%; January, 16%; April, 14%; November, 12%; March, 11%; December, 12%; February, 9%. Babcox Research, 2006

WHAT PERCENT OF A QUICK-LUBE FACILITY ARE DOMESTIC, IMPORT OR LUXURY VEHICLES? According to the Fast Lube Operators Survey, conducted by the National Oil & Lube News, domestic vehicles account for 59% of quick-lube facility customers, while consumers who drive foreignmade vehicles make up the other 41%. The study also showed that 15% of the vehicles serviced at quick-lube shops are classified as luxury vehicles. National Oil & Lube News, 2006

WHAT PERCENT OF AN INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR SHOP ARE IMPORT VEHICLES? Based on a survey of independent automotive repair shops, conducted by Aftermarket Business magazine, 41% of the vehicles being serviced today are imports. Aftermarket Business, 2006

WHY SHOULD INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS TARGET WOMEN? From research by the Car Care Council, 84% of women are responsible for the maintenance of their vehicles. Additionally, The Car Care Council calculates that 64% of all customers taking vehicles to shops for service and repair are women. Car Care Council, 2007

WHAT PERCENT OF A QUICK-LUBE FACILITY IS REPEAT BUSINESS? The Fast Lube Operators Survey, done by the National Oil & Lube News, determined that repeat business accounts for 73% of the customers at quick-lube facilities. National Oil & Lube News, 2006

WHEN DO CONSUMERS TRADITIONALLY HAVE THEIR VEHICLE SERVICED FOR MAINTENANCE? Eighty percent of Americans base their automotive maintenance intervals on mileage, with the average oil change interval occurring at 3,840 miles. The NPD Group, 2006

WHAT DON’T CONSUMERS KNOW ABOUT THEIR AUTO DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS? Among franchised auto dealers with service departments, 40.0% offer weekend service hours, while 7.7% stay open evenings. A total of 18.1% remain open both evenings and weekends, while 34.2% have neither evening or weekend hours. National Automobile Dealers Association, 2006

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF A FRANCHISE DEALERSHIP FOR FUTURE BUSINESS? Based on a survey by J.D. Power and Associates, among vehicle owners who report a sense of connection to the dealer service advisor, 70% said they would “definitely return” to the dealership for work not covered by warranty. In addition, among these same customers, 46% said they “definitely will” repurchase a vehicle of the same make, compared with only 15% among customers who don’t report such a connection. J.D. Power and Associates, 2007

WHAT WAS THE MAJORITY OF SERVICES NEEDED IN TERMS OF REPAIR OR MAINTENANCE WHEN CONSUMERS HAD THEIR VEHICLES CHECKED BY SAFETY AND EMISSIONS CHECK STATIONS? The Car Care Council determined that 85% of all vehicles needed some form of repair or maintenance and the following were problems identified: 31% of vehicles had low or dirty engine oil; 19% had worn windshield wiper blades; 23% had low or contaminated brake fluid; 27% had low, overfull or burnt transmission fluid; 21% had low or dirty power steering fluid, 11% had inadequate engine coolant; 18% were low on washer fluid; 23% needed new air filters; 19% had worn belts, 17% had worn hoses; 13% needed new PCV filters; 13% hadA battery cables, clamps or terminals that required maintenance; 21% had improperly inflated tires; and 16% had tires with worn tread in need of replacement. Car Care Council, 2006

WHY SHOULD INDEPENDENT COLLISION REPAIR SHOP MARKET THEIR SERVICES? Approximately 70% of franchised auto dealers had on-site body shops in 1974, a number that had dropped to approximately 36% by 2006. National Automobile Dealers Association, 2007