National Car Care Month (NCCM) officially begins in just under a week, but there’s still time to take a few cues from current NCCM participants and plan your own great event.

To mark NCCM, automotive repair shops, parts stores, distributors and vocational schools throughout the country will offer free vehicle check-up events and car care aware fairs for consumers, according to the Car Care Council, the organization that spearheads the campaign. During these events, automotive technicians check the vehicle’s lubricants and fluids, windshield wipers, belts and hoses, the battery, tires and lighting.

But many aftermarket organizations go way beyond simply offering vehicle safety inspections, developing events that showcase the aftermarket industry and also reach out to their communities.

Having developed National Car Care Month events in both New York and North Carolina , Bob Pulverenti, executive director, Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina, has learned to create well-rounded events that address all aspects of being a motorist. Pulverenti is currently working on two Car Care Fairs this year – one in April and one in October. Both will feature vehicle check lanes and child seat safety inspections done by the North Carolina Highway Patrol. However, the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina will also partner with a group called “Street Survival," which offers a defensive driving program for teenagers. The event will also showcase the work being done through the new Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper National Charity Cars Program.

"The name of the game is awareness and automotive maintenance, but if we can also save the life of a teenager or young child in an accident we all win there,” said Pulverenti.

Getting Vo-Tech Students Involved

Both the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina and Precision Tune AutoCare, a chain of automotive repair franchises based in Leesburg , VA , get local vo-tech students involved in National Car Care Month, inviting them to volunteer at the vehicle check lane events and in some cases earn class credit.

“We have get students from the vo-tech schools looking for a little experience who volunteer on the vehicle check lanes,” said Kevin Bates, senior VP of marketing for Precision Tune AutoCare. “Our Master Certified Techs give them an orientation and show them how to do a good safety inspection and they go out and have a blast. We feed them, give them stuff to take home and make it meaningful for them.”

Helping the Community in a No Pressure Atmosphere

Like the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina, Precision Tune AutoCare uses its National Car Care Month events to give back to the community.

“We recognize and celebrate the event every year and have been for the past four years,” said Bates. “On April 21st we will hold a check lane event [with for four lanes]. We’re doing this with CARQUEST, one of our key vendors, to raise awareness for Meals on Wheels. Everyone is invited to come to this event, but Meals on Wheels volunteers will get a little more than the average person – we dote on them and lavish attention on them because they give so much to the community.

“The first reason to do this is to raise awareness for safe vehicles in the neighborhood. [But] it’s also a way for us to connect with people in the community. It’s not an atmosphere to sell. We’re not aggressive, we’re there to help the community,” Bates added.

Pulverenti agreed: “It’s all done in a ‘no pressure’ environment. Noboby tries to sell anything. It’s all geared toward making the public more aware.”

Developing a Loyal Customer Base

National Car Care Month is certainly a philanthropic feat but there are benefits for industry participants as well. Building a sense of loyalty and trust in the community is an insurance policy of sorts, helping to build relationships with local motorists who will hopefully become customers.

“Our whole goal is to create loyal customers and this is a way for us to show that we want to help the customer keep their cars in tip-top shape,” said Steve Marks , senior vice president of marketing and advertising for Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper. “We have also solicited vendors to be on-site at some of the locations where we have the vehicle check lanes and let them show some of their product – DIY type p rod ucts like wipers or filters – to again promote keeping your car in good shape.”

Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance will have approximately 400 Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper locations that participate in annual National Car Care Month events this year.

For more information about National Car Care Month and how your organization can get involved, go to: http://www.carcare.org.