* Manual transmission vehicles are again gaining popularity. The number of domestic cars with manual transmissions has nearly doubled in 13 years from 6.7 percent in 1975 to 12.7 percent in 1987.
* In 1987, women bought 45 percent of the new cars, an increase of 23 percent since 1970, and they influence 80 percent of all new car purchases, according to studies by J. D. Powers & Associates.
* In subfreezing weather, a little water or moisture in your fuel tank or gas lines can result in big trouble – refusal of the engine to start or stll when en route. A can of gasoline treatment regularly added to the fuel tank will prevent fuel-line freezing and other problems stemming from condensation in the tank.
* Dirty injectors can cause hard starting and poor operation this winter. Chemical cleaning is a quick and inexpensive corrective – and preventive – measure. Add a container of fuel injection cleaner or ask a mechanic about the new fuel system tuneup method of renewing engine performance.
* The average American automobile consumes 475 gallons or gasoline and gasohol per year, according to the 1989 Highway Fact Book, published by the Highway Users Federation. At the high end of the scale were drivers in Kentucky, with 678 gallons each, and at the low end, an average of 281 gallons were consumed by motorists in the District of Columbia.
* Motorists will pay an average of $496 more to own and operate a car this year, says the American Automobile Association. This represents a 12.1 percent increase over last year. Costs for gasoline, maintenance, insurance, taxes, depreciation and financing have all increased. Only tire costs have held steady.
* Last year, 14,238 persons had serious eye injuries resulting from wet cell battery accidents, according to the National Society to Prevent Blindness. Many of the prime cases were associated with incorrect jump-start cable hookups. Learn the proper method and don’t smoke while working near a car’s battery.
