As the market continues changing, AMSOIL Dealers find themselves marketing to more women.
A recent study by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association indicates a growing number of women are performing their own vehicle maintenance, from lightduty maintenance tasks such as checking fluids, to heavy-duty tasks such as changing master cylinders. In fact, among do-it-yourself households, the percentage of women doing the work was 34 percent in 2000, a seven percent increase from 1994.
More women have entered the do-it-yourself market because “it can save time, save money and women gain pride of ownership and immediate gratification,” says Kathleen Schmatz, executive vice president of the association. “More women are heads of households, and they rely on their vehicles to get to school, to get to work, and to run errands.”
The cost of mechanic work encourages many women to take on their own vehicle repairs. “It started getting too expensive to pay for repairs,” said Kelly Kosinski of Indian Rocks Beach, FL, of her 1989 Nissan Sentra. “I didn’t really know anything about cars, but now I change the oil, replace the spark plugs and change the filters. It’s not that terrible.”
Deb Colbert of Eldersburg, MD, who owns a 1990 Jeep Wrangler, agrees. Colbert has been helped and encouraged by a mechanic who allows her to watch and work along on more complex jobs.
The Girl Scouts organization is encouraging young girls to take an interest in automobile maintenance as well, with some councils offering merit badges. “Our mission is to help girls reach their full potential, and automotive care is part of that,” says Kate Nicholson, head of the Indianapolis-based Girl Scouts of Hoosier Capital Council. “We don’t want them to have to run to somebody every time they need something.”
Training for the Girl Scouts often includes a field trip to an auto repair shop or car dealership for hands-on experience. “Not a lot of girls have been exposed to auto repair. But once they get a little taste of it, a lot of them take an interest in it,” said Nicholson.
Many auto parts retailers have taken notice of the changing marketplace, and they have taken steps to capitalize on it. For example, AutoZone has begun running instructional videos for women on its Website dealing with oil changes and other maintenance.
Lisa Kranc, senior vice president of marketing for AutoZone, says the percentage of female customers at AutoZone has grown to 30 percent, up from 27 percent in 1994. “We’ve added new categories, such as toy cars that appeal to women with kids and seat covers and steering wheel covers that might also appeal to women,” says Kranc.
For women interested in learning more about automobile maintenance, the Internet is a good place to start.
The Website HerAuto.com is dedicated to women interested in performing their own auto maintenance, and it features detailed explanations on the workings of automobiles, descriptions of parts and a glossary of terms.
Experienced female mechanics write a majority of the articles and answer technical questions from members.
“Women are the fastest-growing segment of the automotive aftermarket,” says Jeff Weiser, president of HerAuto.com. “They make 80% of the auto-purchase decisions, and they own almost half the cars in the United States.”
Both women and men interested in saving time, saving money and receiving the best engine protection and performance money can buy would be well advised to use AMSOIL products. AMSOIL synthetic lubricants save consumers time and money through extended drain intervals, reduced maintenance expenses and increased fuel economy.
