NCT costs remain a key concern for Offaly motorists

According to the latest Motoring Report from car buying experts Carzone, 93% of Offaly motorists change their car every five years.

The bi-annual index which examines trends in the Irish motoring market, highlights the continued rise in used car sales in Ireland as people upgrade their car more regularly. When changing their car, 97% tend to stick with the same marque indicating that brand loyalty remains high among Offaly drivers.

The Carzone Motoring Report is compiled by analysing data from the 67 million searches carried out on Carzone in the first five months of 2017, as well as an in-depth survey of 2,647 Irish motorists and a cross section of car retailers in Ireland.

Premium costs
Insurance was named as the main national financial concern for motorists. Interestingly, this differs to Offaly motorists, whose main financial concern was NCT costs 86%, followed by road tax costs 11%. A resounding 100% say they noticed a rise in their insurance premium in the last year.
On average 93% spend between €120 and €150 running their car each month while 5% say it can cost anywhere from €151 to €200 per month.

Fuel intentions
The report finds that Offaly dwellers are more likely to drive a diesel car than petrol (94%) and of those, all say they would purchase a diesel car again in the future. Women are also more likely to drive a petrol car than men 11%.

Technology matters
In line with changing trends in motoring, Carzone questioned respondents on their attitudes to car technology. An outstanding 99% say that a car’s technology plays an important role in their purchasing decision. 98% believe that in-car technology has made them a better driver and 94% say it makes driving more enjoyable. When it comes to must-have tech, 93% say they can’t live without their trusty GPS while 6% can’t live without Bluetooth handsfree kit.

Although we can’t live without GPS, parking sensors are the most used tech item among Offaly motorists with 94% relying on sensors for perfect parking followed by cruise control 93%.

As technology now plays an important role when selecting a vehicle, Carzone also asked what technology consumers expect now as standard. A significant 94% say that they would expect to find a Bluetooth handsfree kit as standard followed by 6% who expect cruise control.

Self-Driving Cars
Indicating that Offaly motorists are fully embracing technology, 98% say they would happily be a passenger in a self-driving car and 99% believe that autonomous driving will happen in their lifetime.

Interestingly the biggest reservation noted by consumers was the fear of the car being hacked externally (92%), followed by not being in control of the wheel themselves 6% and 1% worry about a tech malfunction.

Dealership insights
New to this year’s report, Carzone questioned a cross-section of car retailers around Ireland on their views on the motor industry. Given that motorists are embracing technology, it’s no surprise that 85% of dealerships are investing in this area to enhance the overall customer experience. Wi-Fi in dealerships, 360 video and interactive tablets are the three key areas that car retailers plan to invest in during the next year.

Ireland’s favourite cars
The Volkswagen Golf remains the most searched for model on Carzone. However, jumping a massive six places to second place in this year’s report is the new-shape Mercedes-Benz E Class. Premium car marques remain a firm favourite with Irish motorists with the BMW 5 Series, the Audi A6 and the Audi A4 all featuring in the top 6.

Although electric and hybrid cars make up a smaller portion of searches on the site, interest in these cars has significantly increased in the first five months of 2017. The Nissan Leaf is the most searched for electric car on Carzone while the Toyota Auris takes the top spot in the hybrid stakes.

Commenting on the latest report, Eoin Lally, Operations Director Carzone said:
“The aim of the Carzone Motoring Report is to examine trends happening in the Irish motoring industry. This is the eighth edition of the report and this time around we delved into a number of new topics such as technology in line with the changing face of the industry.

Rising insurance premiums remain a key concern for drivers with 88% seeing the cost of their policy increase in the last year. However, the overall outlook for the industry is positive with consumers now changing their car more frequently and premium car marques are some of the most sought after vehicles by drivers.

The subject of technology was one which revealed some interesting insights with in-car technology now an expectation rather than an added-bonus; especially among younger age groups. Dealerships across the country are also continuing to invest in this area to enhance their offering and connect with this new tech savvy audience.”