Fixing with a hurdle: auto repairs will cost a quarter more in 2024th
This fall, the average check for car maintenance and repair increased by 16-26% year-on-year, market players told Izvestia. Spending has increased due to the rise in the price of new cars - car owners now change them less often, preferring to repair the ones they drive. As a result, the terms of operation of cars by one owner have grown - up to about seven years, experts say. Drivers spent the most in September, although last year the main expenses were also in November. Motorists clearly began to prepare cars for the winter season in advance, analysts believe. The Izvestia article tells about what repairs were most often addressed to service stations this fall.
How the average check for car maintenance has grown
The average check for car maintenance and repair in September-November 2024 amounted to 10,588 rubles, which is 26% higher than in the same period last year, reported "Izvestia" in the network of car services Fit Service (unites more than 300 service stations).
According to the company representatives, the increase in the average check was influenced by several factors: in particular, the general rise in the price of work, as well as a clear change in the approach of motorists to car care.
- Today car owners more carefully take care of their cars, prepare in advance for the change of season, invest in preserving and extending the life of cars - said the director of the network Tatiana Ovchinnikova. - This is evidenced by the increase in standard hours per customer, the growth of the number of spare parts in each check. Repairs are becoming more complex and labor-intensive, they require more different spare parts and services.
New cars are less available today because of the narrow range and not too affordable car loans, the expert believes. As a result, car owners are more and more interested in the safety of current cars.
- If earlier drivers thought: "I'll drive on old oil a little longer, anyway the car will be sold soon", today cars are taken care of, - stated Tatiana Ovchinnikova. - Many people try to perform routine maintenance on time or even in advance. Car life in Russia has increased and mileage has decreased. All this indicates a change in the behavior of car owners.
This fall, the services recorded the largest checks in September (about 11.2 thousand rubles), after which they spent less. And last year there were two major such peaks - in September and November (an average of about Br8.5 thousand). The dynamics may be associated with the desire of most car owners to prepare the car for the cold weather in advance, experts say.
According to the Union of car services, the average check in the fall of 2024 became 16% more than in the same period of 2023. It increased due to the increase in the price of rent, labor costs, overhead costs, such as electricity.
Which services are most in demand
One of the most in-demand services remains the replacement of consumables, i.e. standard maintenance, suspension repair and diagnostics of car systems. The number of requests for these services at Fit Service stations increased by 2-10%. And the greatest increase in demand showed services for removal and installation of engine protection (+56%), troubleshooting of electrical equipment (+31%), maintenance of front caliper guides (+36%), search for oil leaks and other technical fluids in the engine (+20%).
Modern cars are becoming more technological, equipped with more complex electronic systems and hybrid technologies, so their maintenance requires more and more highly qualified workers and expensive components, said auto expert Julia Miloslavskaya.
- The increase in the number of cars creates a load on service centers, leads to a shortage of specialists and competition in the labor market for them, which also increases the cost of the average check, - she believes.
The year-on-year dynamics of specific services is much higher than that of the most popular ones, said Tatiana Ovchinnikova. The total number of services provided in the three fall months of 2024 was 19% higher than in the same period last year.
The growth of the average check is also influenced by the trend of increasing interest in used cars. Such cars have more wear and tear - this increases the need for repair, maintenance and regular replacement of spare parts, explained Julia Miloslavskaya.
Why used cars are bought more often
Increasing living expenses and economic uncertainty make people choose their means of transportation more carefully, which makes used cars more attractive - because of their affordability, experts believe.
- It is sometimes easier to get spare parts for our familiar foreign cars than for new Chinese cars," said Ivan Volin, an auto expert.
Experts call buying a car on the "secondary market" an economically feasible decision, because a new car loses about 20-30% of its original value after a short period of use.
- The service life of cars is increasing due to the improvement of production quality, but a lot depends also on the maintenance of the car, - said Yulia Miloslavskaya. - Some models are able to drive a lot of kilometers without major repairs, but for this owners need to regularly monitor the technical condition and replacement of consumables.
Ivan Volin believes that people have started to assess risks more often when buying cars, both new and used. This is due to the fact that in the past people often bought a car for the warranty period (usually 3-5 years), but now more and more often continue to use it even after its expiration. As a result, the period of use by one owner reaches an average of seven years.
- Those people who have a car now, assess the risks and possibilities of further use as much as possible," he believes. - Some buy engines and leave them in case of emergency breakdowns. In the capital they rarely do that, but in the regions it happens more often.
To extend the life of the car, experts advise regular diagnostics of electronics, braking system, suspension and transmission.
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