Oldest ever average car age & how that affects your services

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the average age of cars on UK roads is now the highest on record at 8.4 years. But is this a surprise?

Not really. – 2020 saw car showrooms closed and customers unable to leave the comfort of their own homes for large periods of the year. The lack of new vehicle registrations was bound to have an impact on the average age of cars in the UK, in fact it was inevitable!

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “With the pandemic putting the brakes on new vehicle uptake in 2020, the average car on our roads is now the oldest since records began some 20 years ago, as drivers held on to their existing vehicles for longer.

“The technology is changing, however, albeit slowly.

“Despite massive growth last year, just one in 80 vehicles is a plug-in electric car – while nearly 10 million petrol and diesel cars dating back to before 2008 remain on our roads.

“Encouraging drivers to upgrade to the newest, cleanest lowest emission cars, regardless of fuel source, is essential for the UK to meet its ambitious climate change targets.”

So, how does this effect your garage services?

Older cars = more potential issues!

It is well-known across the aftermarket that the older the vehicle, the more likely for there to be more often reoccurring issues – and with an entire fleet of cars across the UK getting older, this will have a great impact on the number of drivers needed important maintenance.

It can be assumed then, that your garage services could be called into action even more than before, making the need for your equipment to be even more reliable.

We all know the significance of drivers ensuring their cars are frequently services, why is your garage equipment any different?