New research from CarNext.com reveals love-hate relationship with cars

New research conducted to coincide with the launch of CarNext.com, a new digital high-quality used car platform powered by LeasePlan, revealed how strong Britons’ love affair with their motors is. The research revealed that cars (72 per cent) rank second only to their partners (74 per cent) in importance to everyday life. It turns out, cars are prioritised over jobs (52 per cent), television (43 per cent) and jewellery (18 per cent).

However, despite playing a critical role in daily life, choosing a car was described as difficult by nearly a third (30 per cent) of Brits. Consequently, 10 per cent confessed breaking up with their partner was less challenging, with only 37 per cent of men finding breaking up more difficult, compared to 46 per cent of women. Almost a fifth (19 per cent) of Brits said planning a wedding was just as difficult as choosing a car, with 28 per cent of respondents saying renovating a house, despite the stress and upheaval, took the same amount of effort.

The research also highlighted that the current buying cycle is too much for some Brits to handle. In fact, the data revealed that over a quarter of Brits (26 per cent) admitted it took them longer to choose a car than an engagement ring, with another 34 per cent taking more time pondering their choice of car than their holiday destination. Surprisingly, 8 per cent of respondents admitted it took less time to buy their house than it did their car.

The main challenges Brits encountered when selecting their new motor included trying to haggle (30 per cent), finding a reliable car (27 per cent), and the cost (25 per cent). The time it takes, the terminology used and the associated admin were also listed as ongoing gripes for car buyers.

Lesley Slater, LeasePlan UK’s business development and operations director commented: “Driving is such a key part of modern life, so it’s no surprise that people value their cars highly. However, there’s still a challenge to overcome in that Brits find buying a car a testing experience. The way we buy cars is still very traditional and can often take days or weeks to complete, but our research is showing us that Brits are ready and waiting for this process to change. It is now becoming more common for people to buy big ticket items entirely online (14 per cent), or for them to do most of their research online before buying (24 per cent). It’s time for our industry to catch up.

Lesley Slater continues: “This is exactly what we are aiming to do by launching a digital marketplace for people to buy used cars in the way they are ready for. It’s time the industry embraced the digital opportunity and met consumer’s demands – there will be more choice, clearer information and quicker turnaround, so it’s a win-win for all.”