The maintenance vehicle owners tend to ignore

Changing engine oil was one of the top vehicle maintenance procedures Canadian vehicle owners didn’t stay on top of, according to a new report.

The Automotive Industries Association of Canada released its latest Consumer Behaviour Series report, Vehicle Owner Attitudes Towards Maintenance and Repair – Views of 2,000 Canadian Car Owners, last week.

It found that, in addition to an engine oil change, drivers were also not staying on top of other procedures, such as checking engine oil, changing their tires, checking tire wear and checking tire pressure.

When it came to knowledge about maintenance and repair one in 10 said they were “very knowledgeable” while nearly four in 10 (37%) said they were “not very knowledgeable.” Though it appears many Canadians have some comfort around the topic as nearly half (45 per cent) said they were “somewhat knowledgeable.”

The survey also painted a good picture of how much Canadian pay attention to vehicle repair and maintenance. Virtually all respondents (96 per cent) said they consider it a priority — 59 per cent said maintenance and repair is a high priority, plus 37 per cent recognizing it as a medium priority.

Furthermore, seven in 10 (71 per cent) said they at least follow their vehicle’s maintenance schedule — 30 per cent said “very closely” with another 41 percent “more or less” following it.

And the reason they do so is for safety, to prevent breakdowns, extend their vehicle’s life and reduce long-term expenses.

When looking at how much they spend, the average annual spend on maintenance was $400, with $516 spent on repairs.

And while customers prefer to have a sticker inside the windshield or their dashboard system remind them of required maintenance, they also like to be notified by their shop via email, an app and text messaging.

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