More B.C. drivers turning to car maintenance rather than buying new vehicles: BCAA

The shop is full at Ina Motors in Langford, B.C., and it’s not the only one.

"I see more people coming in for repairs or maintenance," said Phillip Poon, service manager at Ina Motors on Tuesday.

A new survey conducted by BCAA shows more drivers are choosing to maintain their existing vehicles, rather than purchase a new one.

"The money being invested in repairing vehicles have increased because they need to keep their vehicles on the road longer," said Keith Berry, regional manager of the automotive service centres for BCAA.

Seventy per-cent of respondents say they are planning to keep their current vehicle for much longer than they originally planned.

Meanwhile, 49 per cent admit to skipping maintenance and repairs in the past.

Eighty-three per cent say they can’t risk a breakdown, so they have decided to get the work done now, while 93 per cent say maintenance and repairs can be costly but it’s worth the investment.

"Cars nowadays, if you maintain them properly, will last 400,000 or 500,000 kilometres," said Poon.

A mechanic works on a vehicle at Ina Motors in Langford, B.C. (CTV News)

At the Used Car Centre in View Royal, B.C., the findings in that survey do not surprise general sales manager Kevin Crawford.

"We’ve steadily seen Canada’s fleet rise in age of number of years," said Crawford.

Pre-pandemic, the average age of a vehicle on the road in North America was just under 10 years old. Now it’s just below 12.

"New car inventory is still not at the levels they were pre-COVID," said Crawford.

Fewer new cars being purchased means fewer used ones are hitting the market, keeping supply low and prices high.

"You don’t have the option anymore of just walking down the street and buying a reasonably priced used vehicle or going to the dealership and putting down a cheque and walking out with a new car," said Berry.

"Those days are kind of behind us."

MAINTENANCE ADVICE

BCAA has three tips if you want to get the most out of your vehicle.

The first one is to prioritize maintenance. Make sure to get regular oil changes and proper inspections.

The second tip is to get a trusted mechanic who you can build a relationship with and who will understand the history of your vehicle.

Finally, pay attention and act. Jump on small issues right away before they turn into bigger issues down the road, says BCAA.

"Do a regular checkup, I would say," said Poon. "The checkup will give you the conditions of fluids or the materials like brake pads."