Investing In Vehicle Maintenance Can Pay Dividends At Selling/Trade-In Time Wednesday, March 1, 2006 Coons?ea Investing in Vehicle Maintenance Can Pay DividendsAt Selling/Trade-In Time (NAPSA)—Besides a home, a wrench recommendsthefollowing: Take a few moments to walk around the vehicle and make sure all the lightbulbs work. vehicle is one of the biggest in- vestments a consumer will make. That investment extends beyond the sticker in the vehicle’s window. It includes insurance, fuel, Maintain a clean airfilter. A clogged air intake system can lead regularly scheduled maintenance to poor vehicle performance and reduce fuel economy. and depreciation. The good newsis that today’s new cars and trucks are designed and built to run for more than 100,000 miles, remain in service an average of 16 years and serve four to five different owners. So while Look under the vehicle occasionally for leaks. Washthe vehicle regularly to remove corrosive substances such as road salt, and so that small dings or loose trim pieces can be some costs—suchas insurance pre- miums and gas—are largely outside of consumers’ control, financially savvy owners can actively help improve their bottom line at sale or trade-in by keeping their vehicles properly maintained. “A vehicle that has been wellmaintained can be worth thousands more at sale or trade-in,” said Joni Gray, consumer advice editor for Kelley Blue Book, a noted authority on vehicle resale value. “That money can be used toward the purchase of a new vehicle.” For definitive answers on GM vehicle maintenance, vehicle owners need look no further than their owner’s manual and the nearest GM Goodwrench dealer- ship. The manualdetails the regu- lar maintenance and preventive procedures recommended for keeping vehicles in optimum condition; trained technicians at nearly 7,000 GM dealerships can perform the services. The Bottom Line According to ADESAAnalytical Services, nearly half of con- sumers—47 percent—keep new vehicles for between one and four years. That means those who sell or trade need to know the vehicle’s identified and repaired early. When a vehicle is properly maintained, it can mean thousandsof dollars in added value when it comestimetosell. value. Kelley Blue Book offers a 16-question online quiz: The answers help determine values based on conditions ranging from excellent to fair. Criteria include condition of the engine, transmission, body, tires, brakes, interior, HVAC systems and even the existence of service records. “Tf you've had your vehicle main- tained and serviced at any GM Goodwrench dealership, you will be able to provide documentation of the vehicle’s entire service record history, even if you weren’t good at keeping individual paperreceipts,” says Stephanie Gehl, GM Service and Parts Operations Portfolio manager, Quick Service Products. Maintenance Improving Resale Most drivers know part of regu- lar maintenance includes changing the vehicle’s oil regularly, but there are other things they can do to help improve their vehicle’s bottom line at sale or trade-in. GM Good- Rotate tires on a regular basis, and keep them properly inflated and correctly aligned. “Poorly maintained tires can be expensive to replace and may impact resale value,” adds Gehl. “But more importantly, well-maintained tires are critical to the safe performanceof a vehicle.” Whatis a Multipoint Inspection? GM Goodwrench offers convenient, efficient, multipoint inspections for vehicles, compre- hensive diagnostic testing and complete service capabilities to help customers keep their vehicles operating properly. GM deal- erships offer the following inspection services: e Transmission, drive shaft and u-joints Radiator, heater and air-conditioning hoses e Interior lights, exterior lamps, brake lamps, turn signals and hazard warninglights e Exhaust system e Engineair cleanerfilter e Suspension and steering system components For more information, visit www.goodwrench.com. --- PHOTOS --- File: 20190730-132350-20190730-132347-69766.pdf.jpg --- FILES --- File: 20190730-132347-69766.pdf