Welcome to Skagit County

April 23, 2013

"Don't Drip and Drive" campaign comes to Mount Vernon & Burlington

Free inspections and discounted solutions encourage drivers to “Fix That Leak” in April. Vehicle leaks can cause havoc for drivers and the environment, but a new program called “Don’t Drip and Drive” puts Western Washington residents in the driver’s seat for finding an affordable fix, including drivers right here in Skagit County. During the month of April, drivers can take their vehicle to a participating repair shop for a free and easy visual inspection (a diagnostic service valued at up to $80). The free inspection is especially recommended for vehicles that are 2005 models or earlier.

If there is a problem, the driver will receive a coupon for 10 percent off service (up to $50) to fix the problem, for a total savings of up to $130 between inspection and service. All participating technicians can be found at http://www.fixcarleaks.org/ and are members of the Automotive Service Association (ASA) to ensure they meet ASA’s standards of quality.

The well-named “Don’t Drip and Drive Campaign” was designed to build awareness and educate people throughout the Puget Sound region that it is important to check for vehicle leaks regularly to keep their car on the road and protect local waters. The reason for the focused effort is that the fluids contain toxic pollutants that end up in our local streams, rivers, marine waters and throughout the greater Puget Sound. Cars and trucks release an estimated 7 million quarts of motor oil into the Puget Sound basin every year. Fixing the problem can help drivers keep their cars running longer and save costly repairs down the road, while also keeping pollutants such as oil from traveling into our local waterways and Puget Sound.

The campaign is made possible by a grant from the Washington Department of Ecology and spearheaded by a host of partners, including donations of time and service by participating auto service businesses for the purpose of improving car safety and reliability by checking for vehicle leaks.

To take advantage of the free visual undercarriage inspection for vehicle leaks, visit one of these three Skagit County participating ASA repair shops in April (call for an appointment):

A & C Automotive Service, Inc., 1802 Railroad Ave., Suite #2, Mount Vernon, WA, 360-336-2429, http://www.acautoservice.com/, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.
Burlington Automotive, 747 McCorquedale Road, Burlington, WA, 360-757-8282, http://www.burlingtonautomotive.com/, 7:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. Monday – Friday.
Mount Vernon Towing & Auto Repair, 2218 Cedardale Road, Mount Vernon, WA, 360-424-4814, http://www.mvautorepair.com/, 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

For more information, visit http://www.fixcarleaks.org/.

Local Contacts:

Kristi Carpenter
Skagit Conservation District
(360) 428-4313 or email: kristi@skagitcd.org

Michael See
Skagit County Public Works
(360) 419-3421 or email: Michaels@co.skagit.wa.us