Auto Repair Trends in 2015
From the fin-shaped taillights or whitewall tires of yesteryear to the modern, turbocharged SUVs and infotainment systems of today, automotive trends have changed drastically over the years. Trends continue to evolve in 2015. While there are several auto trends happening this year that are slowly but surely changing the way we drive, let’s take a look at three, key trends taking place in the auto industry today.
1. People are holding on to their cars longer.
There are over 250 million cars, trucks, and SUV’s on American roads at any given time. According to a recent report, U.S. drivers are keeping their cars longer than ever before. In fact, the average age of a vehicle in the U.S. has hit an all-time high of 11.5 years, a whopping two years older than the average car prior to the financial crisis in 2007.
There are a variety of reasons for this emerging trend. One is the rising cost of new car ownership, with the average new car price increasing by two percent in 2014 and 2015. Today, the average price of a new car is $32,589; a difficult pill for many drivers to swallow.
Another reason why people can keep their cars longer is the higher quality of today’s vehicles across the board. Thanks to advances in technology and design, cars are simply capable of staying on the road longer than they used to. According to Polk, the average age of vehicles on U.S. roads is projected to continue rising over the coming years. The research firm claims the number of vehicles over 11 years old will continue to increase despite healthy new vehicle sales.
2. The rise of compact sport utility vehicles.
Of the nearly 17 million auto sales projected for 2015, a growing number of them are car-based, compact sport utility vehicles. In addition to the continued drive for increased fuel efficiency, Jeep, Mazda, Honda, and other auto brands are rolling out these compact models and targeting today’s growing number of urban explorers.
For the first time ever, more SUVs have been sold this year than sedans. The popularity of these new pint-sized SUVs are a major driving force behind this. During the first five months of 2015, 36.5 percent of all vehicles sold were SUVs, while sedans only accounted for 35.4 percent. Just two years prior in 2013, sedans edged out SUVs by nearly three percent. With an array of new fuel-efficient, turbo-charged compact SUVs now on the market to choose from, experts agree the gap will widen even more by the end of the year.
3. The decline of the do-it-yourself auto repair market.
Modern cars, trucks, and SUVs are much more complicated than their predecessors. Today’s vehicles are comprised of complex, interdependent systems within systems and utilize on-board computers with millions of lines of code. From tracking tire pressure, fuel mileage, and sensor input to achieving the perfect spring ratio for every condition, modern cars are lightyears ahead of cars being made not that long ago.
Moreover, vehicles will continue to become more complicated as technology evolves at a rapid pace and new systems are introduced. With the complexity of today’s autos and engine designs, more and more do-it-yourselfers are finding themselves stumped and turning to experienced auto repair shops trained in repairing such complicated machines.
Once simple, auto care has truly turned into a complicated affair, even for older generations who grew up wrenching on cars. With DIY auto repair declining, more and more DIYers are bringing their cars to trusted independent repair professionals.
In a changing auto market, it’s more important now than ever before to find a quality auto repair shop to take care of all of your car’s maintenance and repair needs. The auto industry may be evolving rapidly, but change isn’t new and many of today’s auto body shops have highly trained technicians who are more than capable of taking care of all of your car’s maintenance needs. At Desert Oasis European Auto Repair, our entire staff uses ipad technology for service orders and processing. We insist on using only the most advanced equipment for our business and repair.
We know you are keeping your car longer. So, when it breaks down or you begin hearing funny noises, put down your socket wrench and contact Desert Oasis European Auto Repair for your luxury car maintenance. Our mechanics committed to staying up-to-date on all of the latest industry trends! To Schedule Auto Repair Service, call 702-255-4090.
