What's the news?
The latest 'Motoring Report' from Carzone, which makes a bi-annual pulse-check of the Irish motoring scene, says that 61 per cent of Irish motorists have seen an increase in their car-running costs in the past year.
For the first half of 2018, almost two thirds of Irish drivers say that their costs are on the up, with 29 per cent saying that it costs them more than €250 a month to keep a car on the road.
The Carzone report is complied from an analysis of some 77 million searches carried out on the carzone.ie website, and an in-depth survey of some 1,600 Irish drivers and car owners.
The cost of insurance is the biggest concern of all, cited by 61 per cent of drivers, with a fifth saying that the cost of fuel is a major issue, and some nine per cent saying that general maintenance is a worry.
That insurance figure is interesting because while a clear majority are worried by the cost, 32 per cent say that their premium has either not changed or actually gone down a little in the past 12 months, while 64 per cent say that they have not changed their insurance provider in the past year.
On the electric motoring front, more and more drivers are saying that they're at least prepared to consider switching to an electric or hybrid car. Two thirds of respondents say that they're planning to go electric or hybrid with their next purchase, and the Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf are the most-searched for electric cars on Carzone. According to the survey, 84 per cent say that they know the difference between a hybrid and a fully electric car, while 60 per cent say that they know where their nearest charging point is.
45 per cent of those looking at hybrid or electric cite the cost of fuel as a major reason for changing, while 40 per cent say it's because they want to be good to the environment.
In terms of what cars most interest the Irish motorist, premium brands have taken a clear lead with BMW the most searched-for brand on Carzone, followed by Audi and Mercedes-Benz. The Volkswagen Golf is the most searched-for individual model, followed by the Mercedes E-Class and the Audi A6. The most searched-for hybrid is the Lexus IS 300h.
While some 69 per cent of drivers say that they would be prepared to travel up to two hours to buy a car, 39 per cent say that they would rather have a car with a local registration plate from their home county. 46 per cent claim that having the 'wrong' county registration could affect the value of their car. Urbanites are more concerned about this aspect than those who live in the countryside.
Family motorists say that starting a family is a key decision for changing or updating their car, with costs and safety cited as the most important factors. A fifth say that the size of the car is crucial, while 58 per cent say that the choice of car is a jointly-taken decision with their partner. Parents also seem to spend longer in the car, with 52 per cent saying that they spend more than two hours a day acting as the taxi of mum and dad.
When it comes to the driving test, 68 per cent of those who took their tests more than ten years ago say that they passed it first time, but 58 per cent who took the test in the past five years said that they needed two or more goes. 57 per cent of provisional licence holders say that they've renewed their learners' permit three times or more. 55 per cent think that there should be mandatory re-testing for the over-70s.
38 per cent of those polled say that they intend to buy a car in the next 12 months, and 46 per cent of them say that they will buy a car less than two years old. Most say that they want a newer or more reliable car, or that they need something bigger for a growing family.
55 per cent say that they've at least considered shopping in the UK and importing, but 46 per cent say that the hassle of paperwork would put them off.
Interestingly, 13 per cent of people say that they would be open to the prospect of buying a car online, outright.
Commenting on the latest report, Karl Connolly, Audience Manager Carzone said: "Our latest Carzone Motoring Report is our tenth edition which looks at all aspects of Irish motoring. To mark our latest edition, we have added in some new topics such as family and cars, number plate snobbery and attitudes to buying cars online. Insurance premiums which have been a top concern for a number of years are still the key issue impacting motorists despite the fact that many of those questioned have seen their premiums decrease or remain the same. We are also seeing a shift in attitude towards electric and hybrid cars over the last few years as motorists get to grips with alternative fuels and the benefits they bring. Our latest report shows that 84% now know what electric and hybrid vehicles are and almost two thirds are planning to make the switch in the near future."