A survey by the AA has found that Irish drivers are holding onto their cars for longer and longer. In fact, 73 per cent of us own a car which is more than five years old, while 14 per cent say that they intend to hang onto their car until it simply can’t be driven any more, wringing every last kilometre out of it.
80 per cent of those over 18 have a licence
The AA’s figures show that there are some 2.5 million car owners in Ireland, and that 80 per cent of people aged over 18 have a driving licence, whether that be provisional, full, or issued in another jurisdiction.
Is keeping an old car for longer a good or bad thing? Well, according to Jennifer Kilduff, the head of marketing and PR at AA Ireland, it’s a mixed picture: “On the plus side, an older car is likely to be owned outright and not have monthly finance payments. There’s also a debate about whether it’s better for the planet to maintain older vehicles for as long as possible instead of using precious raw materials to manufacture new replacements. Negatively, older models are likely to be less fuel-efficient and more polluting. There is also a higher risk of older vehicles breaking down. We see this daily at the AA. However, with regular maintenance, cars can be kept on the road for decades.”
As with housing, so with cars - we are apparently a nation that prefers to own a car outright, with 66 per cent of us doing so, rather than leasing or subscribing. The price most commonly paid for a car is less than €20,000 and of that cohort, the most common price is between €10-15,000. Only ten per cent of car owners have paid more than €40,000 for their wheels.
Reliant on our cars
We are also a nation that relies on our cars. While most - 50 per cent - cover fewer than 10,000km per year (which works out at an average of 27km per day), 42 per cent of people said that nine out of ten of their journeys are made by car.
While we’re not keen to pay more than €20,000 for a car, we do seem to be OK with spending on it once we have it, as 42 per cent of Irish drivers said that they spend between €250 and €500 per year on upkeep and servicing. “Getting your car serviced and maintained regularly at a trusted garage not only contributes to safer driving but can help with fuel saving and the overall cost of car ownership in the long run,” said Kilduff.
We are also apparently keen to keep our cars insured. Gone are the days of buying a basic third-party policy, as 94 per cent of those who responded to the survey said that they have fully-comprehensive insurance.
Electric power
Electric power is starting to make inroads into Irish motoring life too. Four per cent of respondents say that they already own an EV, while nine per cent are in hybrids. When it comes to replacing their current car, most respondents are open to the idea of electrification: the majority (28 per cent) will be considering a hybrid, 26 per cent a diesel and 20 per cent petrol.
EVs are still in the minority for next-car purchases, though, with only 10 per cent expecting to look at an EV. Kilduff added: “The main concerns regarding the switch to electric are battery life and the lack of driving range that's on offer - although this slightly contradicts the respondents that cover no more than 10,000km per year and becomes less of an issue with every generation of new EV - while a lack of charging infrastructure is still a sticking point for some.”
While most respondents think that EVs are better for the environment than combustion-engined vehicles, there is still a perception that battery life isn't as reliable as it is for combustion-engined cars, with more than half of respondents (53 per cent) expecting EV batteries to last only 100,000km. Mrs Kilduff concluded: “with half of the survey participants covering less than 10,000km a year, this would be more than enough to cover a decade of motoring.”