Most students enter college with a very limited knowledge base of their vehicles, Advance Auto said. They know how to drive their vehicles, pump gas and they may even know how to check their oil. But when an unexpected emergency occurs, students often feel as though they are stranded with nowhere to turn. Often, their parents are too far away to be an immediate help and the repair shop or dealership they frequent is also far away, Advance Auto said.
Beginning in April 2006, Advance Auto Parts teamed up with several colleges in Virginia to test a new “Campus Car Care” program to help students with vehicle-related topics. By linking a Web page onto the school’s Web site, students and professors alike have free and easy 24-hour access to car care information provided by Advance Auto Parts.
The Web site provides information and short videos on items from how to change wiper blades to how to prepare a vehicle for a road trip or harsh seasonal weather. The Web site also features a store locator that will quickly locate the nearest Advance Auto Parts Store and a link to shop online if transportation is currently out-of-order. There is also a FAQs button, video PodCasts, gas saving tips, road trip prep, seasonal prep, how to jump start and driving tips.
Advance Auto Parts has now partnered with six Virginia schools, with many more interested in surrounding states. In some cases, Bryan Gregory, Advance Auto Parts’ ASE-certified director of consumer education, conducts on-campus clinics for students, equipping them with basic vehicle knowledge and facilitating hands-on instruction.
