The pandemic, coupled with the rising cost of living, seems to have forced people to be more resourceful with their cars.
Research commissioned by Supercheap Auto and run by YouGov says 33 per cent of Australians surveyed have learned to service their vehicles since the pandemic began.
A total of 1054 adults aged 16 and over were surveyed in December 2022.
Figures show that a third of vehicle owners are concerned about the rising costs associated with auto maintenance and two out of three wish they knew more about their car.
50% of those surveyed said they know how to check the engine oil on their car, while only 29% of them admit to being able to change the engine oil and filters themselves.
The results also showed that 43% of people know how to change windshield wipers and 29% of the total surveyed said they can also change the car battery.
About 40% of people admitted that they wouldn’t know what to do if it crashed midway.
Respondents’ concerns about rising costs are reflected by research from Australian Automobile Association conducted in the fourth quarter of 2022, looking at the average cost of living by means of transport, including costs related to vehicle installments, fuel, maintenance, car insurance and public transport add.
On average, 15% of a person’s gross income goes toward commuting costs, whether it’s the cost of owning a vehicle or the cost of using public transport.
Average annual transportation costs increased by $198 since Q3 2022 with people now spending an average of $20,013 per year nationally.
The first study of its kind was conducted in early 2016 and claims an average annual spending of $17,034 on transportation and 13.7% of a person’s total income.
The average weekly cost for an Australian household is $417.39.
Unsurprisingly, Sydney is the most expensive city with each household spending an average of $492.52 per week on transportation costs while Hobart has the cheapest at $363.28 per household. family.
The average rural household pays $347.68 per week for transportation.
Maintenance and tires account for about 8.2% of total transportation-related costs.
Service and tires average about $1600 per year for vehicle owners.
The highest tire-related and maintenance costs go to Bunbury in Western Australia with a whopping $1901 in associated costs per year.
Unsurprisingly, car payments are the biggest hit to the budget, with the average person spending around $160 per week.
