Poor Economy Influences Car Maintenance Habits

The recession appears to be influencing the vehicle maintenance habits of American motorists. As the economy has slumped and credit lending tightened, U.S. car owners are putting a greater emphasis on car repair and appearance to help increase vehicle longevity, according to the Elbow Grease Economics survey released by 3M Car Care.

More than one-third of respondents (34 percent) said they feel the need to take better care of their cars because they cannot afford a new one. In addition, 55 percent said they planned to keep their existing cars longer, and 84 percent are committed to performing regular maintenance to keep them running properly.

A little less than one-third of respondents (29 percent) said they were performing their own small maintenance tasks, such as oil changes and light bulb replacements. That number increases among younger car owners ages 18-25, in which 34 percent said they are performing car maintenance themselves or with the help of a friend or family member.

Also of interest, 29 percent of women surveyed said they are performing car maintenance themselves or with the help of a friend or family member.

With regard to vehicle appearance, 11 percent said keeping their cars looking good was a top priority, and 26 percent of car owners indicated they are taking better care of their vehicles’ appearance to keep them looking new. Interestingly, that number increased slightly to 28 percent among car owners who were unemployed at the time of the survey.

This year’s survey did not specifically ask about carwashing and detailing habits, unlike the last report which was conducted as gas prices started rising dramatically. In reaction, 62 percent of respondents last year indicated they would choose to wash their own cars at home in order to save money. In addition, 33 percent said they would do their own detailing. Those figures were released before the national average price for unleaded gasoline topped $4 per gallon.

Without comparison data, it is difficult to tell what effect the economy continues to have on consumer attitudes toward carwash purchases. Other than that reactionary spike in favor of home washing, historical data from the International Carwash Association indicates that consumer preference for professional carwashes has been on the rise by about 10 percent during the last decade.

Some 65.6 percent of consumers surveyed in the ICA’s latest Study of Consumer Car Washing Attitudes and Habits report released this month said they normally use a professional carwash, up from 62 percent in 2005, the last time the study was released. Just 34.4 percent of respondents said they prefer to wash their cars at home, compared to 38 percent three years ago.

The latest Elbow Grease Economics survey was conducted by Harris Interactive and used a sampling of 1,835 car owners. Although the results are not scientific, they do provide an interesting snapshot of consumer thoughts toward car care. This year’s survey was conducted March 17-31.

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