Vehicle longevity in SA increases as ‘cars become more reliable’

More than 90% of South Africans say they are keeping their vehicles for longer due to the current economy, with just over 40% saying they are keeping their cars for between five and 10 years.

These are among the findings in the Automobile Association’s (AA) research, conducted earlier this year, entitled Going Further.

“The purpose was to determine if current economic factors are playing a role in vehicle ownership. The findings confirm anecdotal evidence. Just under 35% of people say they are keeping their vehicles for longer than 10 years, which is a long lifespan for a vehicle,” says the AA.

More than 35% of respondents say they are also keeping their vehicles longer because the cars are more reliable. According to the data, more than 25% of primary vehicles are older than five and more than 30% are older than 10 years.

“These results point to the increased need for better maintenance and proper insurance,” notes the AA.

Just under 50% of owners say they pay out of pocket for maintenance costs, with only around 20% saying they have maintenance plans. About 20% say they actively save and plan for maintenance; just 5% say they don’t.

“These results confirm that too many people are relying on their car to never break down... Having a maintenance plan, or service plan – even one which is not sourced from the original dealer – is easy to obtain and budget friendly,” says AA Warranties managing director David Chard.

Chard explains that a service or maintenance plan is, effectively, a savings plan for when problems arise, and is geared solely for the proper maintenance of a vehicle.

The AA said: “David provides some good advice, especially as we head towards the end of the year. If you are going on holiday in December, you cannot gamble with a vehicle that is not properly serviced or maintained.

“...driving in a vehicle which has not been regularly serviced is dangerous to you and other drivers,” concludes the AA. – Motoring Correspondent