Page 3 - AAA Schuylkill County – AAA Now! – November/December 2017

AAA
Volume 29, No. 4
HEADQUARTERS OFFICE
340 South Centre St., P.O. Box 990 Pottsville, PA 17901
Telephone: (570) 622-4991 • 1-800-666-SCMC
BRANCH OFFICE
202 East Broad Street, Tamaqua, PA 18252 (570) 668-1003
OFFICE HOURS POTTSVILLE
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - Noon TAMAQUA
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - Noon
OFFICERS
ROBERT W. WACHTER - Chief Executive Officer GEORGE URITIS - Chairman of the Board DAVID J. HOLLEY - President RONALD DERENZO - Solicitor
DIRECTORS
Wayne S. Hamilton...................... Orwigsburg David J. Holley.....................Schuylkill Haven Allen C. Koch .......................Schuylkill Haven John Levkulic.......................Schuylkill Haven Lowell P. Martin ............................. Frackville Robert Mills ..................................... Pottsville John D.W. Reiley ............................. Pottsville George Uritis.....................................Cressona
JUDIE KARHAN - Editor-in-Chief DOROTHY CROUCH - Senior Editorial Director HANS FRUST - Creative Director ANGELA ILICH - Director of Production LORRIE MULHALL - Regional Editor
AAA Now! (ISSN 08988552; USPS 002-243) is published four times a year (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, July/Aug, Nov/Dec) by AAA Schuylkill County., 340 South Centre St., Pottsville, PA 17901. Periodicals postage paid at Pottsville, PA 17901 and at additional mailing offices. A subscription price of $1 per year to primary members is paid through dues.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to AAA Now! Schuylkill County, 340 South Centre St., Pottsville, PA 17901.
AAA does not endorse any product or service advertised in this publication other than AAA club services and products. The publisher of AAA Now! Does not endorse or make any representations or warranties concerning any service or product advertised in this publication. The published is not liable to any advertiser or reader for any errors or omissions in advertising or editorial copy appearing in this publication, provided, however, that the publisher will print a correction after the publisher has been notified of an error or omission.
TM
Synthetic Oil Worth the Splurge
AAA research shows synthetic oil outperforms conventional counterpart
GEORGE A. URITIS
Chairman of the Board
Choosing the right motor
oil can be overwhelming. Conventional oil has been the industry standard for years; however, more expensive synthetic versions claim to provide better performance.
Is synthetic oil really worth the higher price tag? According to a recent study, the answer is yes.
turbo-charged engines and for vehicles that frequently drive in stop-and-go traffic, tow heavy loads or operate in extreme hot or cold conditions.”
While only a few vehicles specifically require synthetic oil, all can benefit from using it. Still, many drivers say they regularly select conventional oil because they think synthetic is too expensive, offers no benefit, is an unnecessary up-sell or because they weren’t given a choice.
The average cost of a conventional oil change at a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility is $38, while a synthetic oil change is $70. For the do-it-yourselfer, the average cost of five quarts of conventional oil is approximately $28, while synthetic oil is $45.
“It’s understandable that drivers may be skeptical
of any service that is nearly twice the cost of the alternative,” Nielsen said. “While a manufacturer- approved conventional oil won’t harm a vehicle’s engine, the extra $30 per oil change could actually save money in the long run by providing optimal engine protection.”
AAA’s independent evaluations show that synthetic oil offers significantly
better engine protection than conventional oil, for only $64 more per year when following a factory- recommended oil change schedule.
“Oil is the lifeblood of an engine, and AAA found
that synthetic engine oils performed nearly 50 percent better than conventional oils in a variety of industry- standard tests,” said AAA’s Automotive Engineering & Repair Managing Director John Nielsen. “AAA found that synthetic oil is particularly beneficial to vehicles with
Destructive Element
Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation of AAA NOW!. Publication No.002-243. Filing Date 9/28/17. Issue Frequency: Quarterly. Number of Issues Published Annually: 4. Annual Subscription Price: $1.00 per copy. Owner: AAA Schuylkill County, 340 S. Centre St. Pottsville, PA 17901. Mailing Address: Same as headquarters. Editor: Lorrie Mulhall AA Schuylkill County, 340 S. Centre St. Pottsville, PA 17901. Managing Editor: Judie Karhan, 25061 Avenue Stanford Unit 10, Valencia, CA. 91355. Known Bondholders, mortgages, and Other Security Holders Owning of Holding 1% or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. Publication Name: AAA NOW!. Issue Dates for Circulation Data Below: Summer 2017.
drivers living in areas hit hard by winter weather paid an estimated $15.4 billion on salt-related rust repairs over the last five years. That’s an average of nearly $500 per repair, not to mention the safety risks posed by potential vehicle part failures.
In many areas, more effective liquid de-icers are used. However, they are just as corrosive as rock salt and because of their liquid state, can easily seep into vehicle cracks and crevices.
“While the application of de-icing salts and solutions is critical to keeping our nation’s roadways safe every winter, it’s important that drivers pay attention to warning signs that their vehicle may be suffering from rust-related damage,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “This
can be much more than a cosmetic issue, it can also create serious safety issues for drivers by impacting
A. Total no of copies (net press run)
B. Paid circulation
Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months
24,867
No. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date
24,987
1,681 23,211
1. Paid/requested outside mail
subscriptions stated on form 3541 2,102
2. Paid in county subscription 16,211
3. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sale, and other
USPS paid distribution centers 0 0 4. Requested copies mailed through other
USPS classes 0 0
C. Total paid and/or requested circulation: 18,313 24,892
D. Free distribution by mail (samples, complementary, and other free)
1. Outside county as stated on form 3541 566 0 2. In-county as stated on form 3541 5,903 0 3. Other classes mailed through USPS 0 0 4. Free distribution outside the mail
(carriers or other means) 0 0
E. Total free distribution 6,469 0
F. Total distribution 24,782 24,892
G. Copies not distributed 85
H. Total 24,867 24,987
I. Percent paid 72%
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017
3
95 100%
Road salt eats away at vehicles and consumers’ wallets
ROBERT W. WACHTER
Chief Executive Officer
For many motorists, the end of winter could also mean costly repairs, potentially melting away a lot of hard- earned money.
While beneficial for safe driving, the rock salt and other chemicals many municipalities use to clear snow and ice can be a car’s worst enemy. According to a new AAA survey, U.S.
brake lines, exhaust systems, fuel tanks and electrical connections.”
AAA strongly urges drivers who experience any of the following issues to immediately move their vehicle to a safe location and have it towed to a trusted repair facility:
• In-dash warning lights for brakes and other critical systems.
• A “spongey” or soft feeling when applying pressure to the brake pedal.
• An unusually loud exhaust sound or the smell of fumes in or around the vehicle.
• The prominent smell of gasoline or diesel fuel when the vehicle is parked or running.
Fortunately, there are steps drivers can take to reduce the possibility of rust-related damage. These include:
• Washing and waxing your vehicle before winter begins. • Limit driving immediately before, during and after
winter storms, when de-icing chemicals are at their
highest concentrations.
• Frequently washing vehicles, paying particular
attention to the undercarriage, to loosen, dissolve and neutralize road salts. It’s also important to use a high-quality car wash solution and not household dish detergent, which will strip the wax from a vehicle’s finish.
• Repairing body damage and touching up paint scratches that could trap snow and ice.
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Now!