Professionals in the automotive industry have as diverse an interest in their car choices as the rest of the population.

Some prefer domestic vehicles, some foreign. Some prefer cars, others like trucks.

“It varies so much,” said Aimee Thompson, general manager with Classic Automotive in Mars. “We have some employees who only buy American made, others decide on what looks good at the right price.”

While the type of vehicle seems to be a matter of opinion, most people who know cars seem to have one particular interest in picking a vehicle.

“Reliability is probably the most important thing,” said Bob Bowser, the owner of Bowser Automotive in Butler Township.

Bowser said he drives a 2010 Ford Fusion.

“It’s reliable and has good fuel economy,” he said.

The little maintenance needed on the vehicle is a blessing for Bowser, who spends his work day fixing other people’s cars.

“Mechanics don’t always have time to work on their own cars,” he joked. “So I wanted something dependable.”

Jim Jamison, the owner of Jamison Auto Sales in Washington Township, has the same standards with his vehicle.

For Jamison, the words “dependable” and “Buick” mean the same thing.

“We’ve always driven Buicks,” he said, referring to himself and his wife.

Jamison said he is still driving his 1997 Buick Park Avenue.

“It’s a big car but it still gets about 22 to 25 mpg,” he said. “Why drive a little car when you can get the same milage with a big one?”

Jamison has owned the car for 14 of its 17 years but said following general maintenance has kept it running great at 191,000 miles.

“It still has its original motor,” he said. “I had to put a new spark plug in at 120,000 miles, but other than that it’s just changing the oil and antifreeze.”

Jamison said while fresh oil may be the most vital maintenance tip for a vehicle, regular washing is a simple chore that will help a car cosmetically and functionally.

“There’s no rust on my Buick,” he said. “You have to clean your car, especially after the winter we just had. If you’re driving around with salt on your vehicle, it’s going to rust.”

Bowser said you don’t need to be a mechanic to follow basic maintenance on a vehicle.

“If your check-engine light comes on, get it looked at,” he said. “Some people just like to ignore it, but you need to get it checked right away.”

Bowser said running an engine in need of repairs will likely just cost you more money in the end. “Engines are getting more complicated and more expensive to fix,” he said.

Since all cars are different, Jamison said it is best to follow the maintenance schedule for your particular model.

“Read the drivers’ manual and follow the maintenance schedule as closely as possible,” he said.

While reliability was certainly important for Thompson, she said the biggest thing she looks for in a car is safety.

“I’ve always wanted to make sure my car was safe for my family,” she said.

But Thompson said the vehicle also has to meet practical uses.

She said her family has a Ford F-250 pickup truck for hauling campers.

“It’s also a trusty vehicle in the winter months,” she said.

Bowser said he also has a pickup truck — a 2002 Dodge Ram — for the winter months.

“We have a long driveway,” he said. “A truck certainly helps in the winter.”

However, the winter months are perhaps a little more grueling on the vehicle. Bowser said he has had to do extensive work on the truck over the years.

“That’s why I got the car,” he said. “I tried to get away from all that.”