IMR Inc. has released its latest quarterly update on trends in delayed maintenance for 2020. The good news is data forecasts that 45.8 percent of drivers intend to have delayed maintenance completed within the next two months.
IMR Inc. surveys 25,000 households each quarter about how they have serviced and maintained the vehicles in their household. The research firm classifies delayed maintenance as “maintenance and repairs that vehicle owners know their vehicle(s) need but intentionally have not yet been performed.”
IMR Inc. cites Experian Automotive, which reports that as of the March 30, 2020, Q1 US VIO data released, the aftermarket “sweet spot,” vehicles between six and 12 years old, grew year over year for the first time in over five years. Experian Automotive expects continued growth amongst that vehicle cohort over the next four-plus years.
This suggests that there will be ample vehicle repair opportunity in the long term for the aftermarket.
In the short term, there will also be more repair opportunity as households with vehicles with delayed maintenance are reported a rate of 19.7 percent in Q2 2020, up from 16.8 percent in Q1 2020.
IMR Inc. has been tracking delayed maintenance trends since 2016. Since 2016, the trend has slowly declined quarter over quarter from nearly 23.6 percent of household reporting delaying one or more vehicle service repairs to the 17.6 percent reported in Q1 of this year. This downward trend was interrupted in Q2 of 2020 due to shelter-in-place orders and fewer miles driven.
Out of households surveyed in Q1 of 2020, 17.6 percent reported that they had delayed vehicle repairs or maintenance while in Q2, households reported that 20.1 percent had delayed maintenance on their vehicles.
IMR Inc.’s Delayed Maintenance Tracking Study monitors 100 parts, services and chemicals. In Q2 2020, the top 10 categories of delayed maintenance/repair, in order of highest percentage to lowest are:
1. Oil changed
2. Tires (new)
3. Battery (car)
4. Scheduled maintenance
5. Brake shoes/pads
6. Brake discs/rotors/drums
7. Air filter
8. Other collision, paint or body repairs
9. Major/minor paint work
10. Wiper blades
For households that plan on having delayed service or repair performed on their vehicles, 45.8 percent plan to come to market within the next two months.
Historically, the top three reasons for delaying maintenance have not changed: “cost of repair is too much,” “couldn’t find a convenient time” and “repair isn’t important to the overall drivability of this vehicle,” but now 16.3 percent of those surveyed reported “other” as their reason for delay, of which 59 percent who responded “other” cited their reason was in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unemployment, miles driven, consumer confidence and other factors affect how consumers behave when making choices about maintaining their vehicles. As 2020 moves forward, IMR will continue to monitor changes in delayed maintenance, the consumer demographics most affected as well as price sensitivity and do-it-yourself (DIY) intention.