Coronavirus pandemic has brought about greater appreciation of modern motor vehicle

“The pandemic has changed the way of life for so many. When the lockdown hit, the normal rules of engagement, socialising and doing business no longer applied.

Instead, and I remember it vividly around Easter time, traffic on UK roads fell 70percent, volumes not seen since 1955.

Since then with traffic volumes gradually increasing as lockdown restrictions ease, a very strange phenomenon has occurred of increased vehicle appreciation by motorists.

The UK was rapidly headed down a rental future for its use of the modern motor vehicle and as such seeing vehicle servicing, repair and maintenances as a necessary evil, opting to exchange or hand back a vehicle for a newer model.

Now, and with research backed up by Google* that found people are finding more comfort inside their vehicle as reliance on public transport decreases, people who didn’t own a car are considering purchasing one.

This global finding will no doubt be replicated in the UK, where expensive rentals sitting on the drive will be no match for a car that someone can call their own.

This shift should not be underestimated, for it affects the service and repair of vehicles equally.   As the UK distributor of TerraClean, we have seen a substantial increase in demand for engine decarbonizing and dpf cleaning services – helped no doubt by the period of inactivity during lockdown.

But, we have also seen people seek more preventative maintenance for their vehicle and as one garage recently said, “It’s never been so easy to sell a cabin filter”. It underlines that a vehicle is much more relied upon and valued than we could ever have thought.

Of course, we will be governed by motorists. The days of collecting a vehicle from their home and returning back, serviced, repaired, and possibly cleaned are here to stay. Garages will need to be more customer focused than ever before.

The mot exemption has also shone a light on our industry with more and more people aware of what the test actually is and its importance.

In summary, the automotive aftermarket has the attention of the motorist, let’s not waste it but use the time wisely to promote our expertise and support their motoring needs.”