NCA market research on consumers and transport

National Consumer Agency

Market Research:Economiser – Transport Section

February 2011Research Conducted by

2

Making Complaints

Section 1: Travel Behaviour

Section 2: Fuel Consumption

Section 3: Vehicle Servicing

Methodology & Profile of Car Owners and Cars

Table of Contents

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Making ComplaintsSection 1: Travel Behaviour

4

Making Complaints

49

51

Type of Driving; Urban vs. Open Road

%

Open Road

Urban Dublin Petrol Engines Smaller engines (1.3 or lower)

Overall drivers have indicated that their driving is split half and half between Urban/City driving and open road driving. Obviously the geographic location plays a big part in

the driving split with those in Dublin driving more in a Urban/Built up areas.

Higher for:

Outside Dublin Social Class F Diesel Engine Larger engines (1.4 or larger)

(Base: All drivers who are responsible for driving costs – 65%)

5

Making Complaints

Alternative Transport Methods

%

Incidence of using

52

21

20

11

11

9

2

4

40

Walking

Taxi/hackney

Bus

Dart/Luas

Train

Cycling

Ferry/Boat

Other

None

1 in 2 drivers claim to walk as an alternative transport method, 1 in 5 use taxis and buses, 1 in 10 use Dart, train, bicycle. The youngest age cohort and the Dublin region are most likely

to utilise these alternatives; Dublin people potentially as distances are shorter and a full spectrum of options are available; The younger age group potentially due to costs.

Younger age cohorts, Dublin, smaller cars (1.0 or smaller)

Higher for:

Dublin, younger (under 34), social class AB.

Under 24’s and over 55’s, Dublin.

Dublin and rest of Leinster

Under 24’s

Under 24’s


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Making Complaints

87

16

15

54

Attitude to Alternative Transport

%Very easy (5)

7 in 10 drivers believe that their journeys would be difficult to accomplish without using their vehicles. Almost 3 in 10 Dublin drivers admit that it would be easy to use alternative transport methods. The F social class (farming households) are least likely to be able to use alternatives.

69%

15% Higher for:DublinPetrolSmaller engine

(4)

(3)

(2)

Not at all easy (1)

Mean Score: 2.0

“How easy would it be for you to use other means of transport instead of your vehicle for most of the journeys you take?”

Higher for:35-54 yrsDieselSocial Class F


7

Making ComplaintsSection 2: Fuel Consumption

8

Making Complaints

Attitude to Fuel Efficiency

%

30

20

27

9

13

Make an effort all the time (5)

Half of all drivers claim to be grouping journeys in order to save money – women and the 45-54 year old age cohort most cognisant of this. Those in more rural areas (farming households and

Connaught/Ulster region) were less likely to make an effort in this element.

22%

50%

(4)

(3)

(2)

Make no effort (1)

Mean Score: 3.5

“Would you say you make an effort to combine trips in your vehicle in order to be more fuel efficient?”

Higher for: Females 45-54 year olds Munster Smaller engines (1.4 or lower)

Higher for: Males Over 55’s Connaught/Ulster Social Class F Large engines (2.0 or larger)


9

Making Complaints

81

76

72

71

62

18

Actions Taken to Improve Fuel Efficiency

%

%

Service the car (at correct time)

Drive in as high a gear as possible

Shop around when buying fuel

Check tyre pressure

Empty boot of unnecessary items

Buy fuel in units rather than euro

46

32

Drivers claim to be quite compliant with actions to improve fuel efficiencies, 4 in 5 servicing regularly, 3 in 4 drive in a high gear etc. 46% drive faster than they should increasing their fuel

consumption.

Drive above the speed limit (even a little)

Drive with car windows down


10

Making Complaints

Actions Taken to Improve Fuel Efficiency

72

18

46

Shop around when buying fuel

Buy fuel in units rather than euro

Drive above speed limit

Higher for: Under 24’s and 45-54 yrs. Munster Social class F Diesel engines Larger engine sizes (1.5+)

%

%

Higher for: 45-54 yrs Leinster Diesel Larger engine sizes

Higher for: Males Under 44 yrs Dublin


11

Making Complaints

(11)11

31

17

75

29

%

All drivers responsible for

costs (65%)

42%

Frequency of Checking Tyre Pressure

%

15

43

25

107

Weekly

Of those who check their tyres 3 in 5 claim to check at least monthly. Those with Diesel and larger engine sizes are more likely to check

more frequently.

All who check tyre pressure

(71%)

Monthly

Every 2-3 months

Every 3-6 months

Less often

Higher for: Males Under 34 Connaught/Ulster Diesel Engines Large Engines

58%

Do not check pressure


12

Making ComplaintsSection 3: Vehicle Servicing

13

Making Complaints

34

48

9

5

4

Frequency of Car Servicing

%

Ever 6 months

Every year

Every 18 months

Every 2 years

Less often

4 in 5 drivers are servicing their cars at least annually, a third claim to be doing so every six months. From data not shown Dublin drivers service their vehicles less frequently, their average is once per year and 43% of diesel drivers are getting a

service once every six months.

82% serviced at least annually

Average = 1.3 times per year


14

Making Complaints36%64%

Incidence of Shopping Around for Service

YesNo

Only 1 in 3 drivers are actually shopping around for vehicle servicing – Dublin drivers’ incidence is higher potentially due to wider choice available. Only 26% of the over 55’s shop around – most likely to opt for one provider consistently.

Higher for: Older (55+) Outside Dublin Social Class F

Higher for: Younger (under 44) Dublin


15

Making Complaints

12

28

22

13

6

6

4

10

Cost of Last Standard Service

%

Under €100

€100-€149

€150-€199

€200-€249

€250-€299

€300-€399

€400+

Not sure

Two thirds of services are between €100 and €250, the average being €184. Understandably averages increase as the engine size does. Those in the Dublin region are paying more than

outside Dublin.

Average Service €184

Dublin €207

Petrol €178Diesel €201

1.0 or smaller €1272.0 or bigger €236


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Making Complaints

Methodology and Profile of Car Owners and Cars

17

Making Complaints

• A larger sample size than the usual 1000 was used as the data was collected for use in the transport section of the Economiser – an online budgeting tool.

• The data was collected using both the NCA Tracking Research (face to face) and Amarach Omnibus (face to face and online) to arrive at a total sample of 2,000 adults aged 16 and older.

• Both samples were quota controlled to provide a nationally representative sample of respondents.

Methodology

Face to face Face to face Online and face to face

Online and face to face

NCA Tracking Research December

2010

Amárach Omnibus December 2010

2,000 adults

1,000 adults1,000 adults

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Making Complaints67

6

14

13

Responsibility for Vehicle and Costs

Yes

Responsible for running costs

Personally or jointly own a car

%

No

No but drive a car in household

() = % of Total sample

65

8

14

13

Yes

No

Do not drive a car

(Base: All Adults 16+)

No car in household

In order to speak to those responsible for costs, we firstly established if the household had a car (13% did not) then if the respondent drove (14% did not) and finally if they were

responsible for driving costs (8% were not), this left us with 65% of adults surveyed who are drivers and are responsible for driving costs .

No car in household

%

19

Making Complaints27%73%

Engine Type

DieselPetrol

Almost three quarters of engines are petrol, this incidence is higher for the youngest age group, females and Dublin. Diesel accounts for just over a quarter and this is even more

prevalent outside Dublin and for social class F.


Female 17-24 yrs Dublin

Male 45-54 yrs Outside Dublin Farming

households

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