Do You Know This About Car Owners?

The customers are out there, you just need to get them into your shop!

• 11% of car owners admit they never take their vehicle in for scheduled maintenance – even if the check engine light comes on.
• 72% of car owners look online when trying to find a new repair shop.
• 16% of car owners rely on free, online consumer reviews when it comes to choosing a repair shop, but twice that many – 33% – don’t trust those reviews at all.

• 37% of car owners have delayed repairing their car because they fear what it will cost.
• 72% of car owners say that not knowing what repairs will cost makes them anxious.
• One of the most common reasons why car owners decide to leave their current repair shop for a new one is that they feel they’ve been up-sold unnecessary repairs.
• 82% of car owners say the No. 1 thing they look for when choosing a repair shop is whether or not the shop charges fair prices for their work.
• 80% of women worry that they will be taken advantage of because of their gender when they go into a repair shop.

Consumers feel empowered when they have choice.

• When looking for a new repair shop, car owners consider, on average, 2-3 different shops before making their decision on where to go.
• Consumers looking for a new repair shop said they’d be willing to drive, on average, 20.2 miles out of their way for a major automotive repair if they knew for certain that the shop would provide quality work at a fair price.

• 61% of consumers think it’s sexy when their spouse, partner, or significant other is knowledgeable about cars.

Source: Harris Interactive and RepairPal Inc.