There’s been some big shifts in how and when we get our cars serviced and repaired in recent years.
Roy Morgan has just completed a survey into car servicing trends and found a significant drop in the frequency of car servicing and repairs in Australia.
11 years ago, more than 30% of car owners were getting their car serviced or repaired three or more times a year – today that number is just over 18%.
Our cars are becoming more reliable and that means for most people, over 81%, they need only one or two trips to a service centre each year.
Norman Morris, Roy Morgan Industry Communications Director, says less frequent servicing presents a problem for companies whose main revenue streams are derived from servicing work.
“This is a trend that is widely predicted to continue as the vehicle fleet gradually transitions from traditional petrol and diesel vehicles to new-generation hybrid or electric vehicles.
“For dealers, the importance of servicing has a second dimension – it is their best means of forging and maintaining a relationship with their customers.”
But where are people getting their vehicle serviced and how happy are they with the service they receive?
The Roy Morgan study into car servicing trends found some good news – most car owners are satisfied with the service they get when they take their cars in.
The satisfaction rate was found to be fairly consistent across both customers who use a car dealership and local workshops.
Mobile mechanics were less popular, with an average total satisfaction rating about 10% lower than the other options.
But it was tyre specialists and auto-electricians that were found to be the least popular car service and repair businesses.
Norman Morris, Roy Morgan Industry Communications Director, says its important for dealerships in particular to offer great service.
“Although there is a clear move away from dealer-run service centres when a vehicle reaches five years of age, it’s important to remember that often that vehicle will not be owned by the original purchaser – many leasehold customers, or those who value having a late-model vehicle with a dealer warranty, become the next wave of new-car buyers.”
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