Toco Car Maintenance Survey – Topline Results
Background and Methodology
The Toco Car Maintenance Survey was conducted online among a
nationwide sample of 1,001 car owners and lessees age 18 years and older in the
U.S. Data was gathered on behalf of Toco in late 2014 by global data collection
service provider Critical Mix, to determine whether and how often respondents
perform, or have a professional perform, basic car care items.
1. Do you own or have a lease on a
car that you, personally, drive at least once a week?
|
Yes,
own a car
|
95%
|
|
Yes,
have a lease on a car
|
5%
|
2. Age
|
18-‐24
|
6%
|
|
25-‐34
|
18%
|
|
35-‐44
|
18%
|
|
45-‐54
|
19%
|
|
55-‐64
|
21%
|
|
65+
|
19%
|
3. Gender
|
Male
|
49%
|
|
Female
|
51%
|
4. Region
|
Northeast
|
20%
|
|
South
|
36%
|
|
Midwest
|
24%
|
|
West
|
20%
|
Today we would like to know about you and your car. For the
remainder of this survey, please think about the car owned or leased by you
that you drive most often.
5. Which of the following best describes
your car?
|
Sedan
|
49%
|
|
SUV
|
24%
|
|
Pick-‐up Truck
|
9%
|
|
Minivan
|
6%
|
|
Sports
car
|
5%
|
|
Other
|
4%
|
|
Station
wagon
|
2%
|
|
Mini
car
|
1%
|
6. For what do you primarily use
your vehicle?
|
Personal
use
|
97%
|
|
Business
use
|
3%
|
When it comes to taking care of your car, please tell us who
PRIMARILY does each of the following—you or someone in your household, a
mechanic/service professional or you have no idea—and how often they do it.
|
|
Me or someone in my
household
|
Professional
|
No one or I
have no idea
|
|
7. Check Tire Pressure and Condition
|
60%
|
38%
|
2%
|
|
8. Wash Your Car (to remove road salt and
grime)
|
70%
|
26%
|
4%
|
|
9. Change the Oil
|
30%
|
68%
|
2%
|
|
10. Change Transmission, Steering, and
Other Fluids
|
25%
|
73%
|
2%
|
|
11. Check the Battery, including Terminals and Cables
|
44%
|
53%
|
2%
|
|
12. Check the Spark Plugs
|
29%
|
69%
|
2%
|
|
13.
Change the Air Filters
|
41%
|
57%
|
2%
|
|
14.
Check the Engine Belts
|
29%
|
68%
|
3%
|
|
15.
Check the Brakes
|
28%
|
69%
|
2%
|
|
16.
Change the Coolant (antifreeze)
|
36%
|
61%
|
3%
|
Approximately how often does someone do each of the following
things? [NOTE: Respondents not
asked time interval for any maintenance items they do not do]
|
|
Every Month
|
Every
3mo/
3,000mi
|
Every
6mo/
6,000mi
|
Every
12mo/
12,000
mi
|
Less often than every
12mo/
12,000
mi
|
Don’t know
|
No
not do
this
|
|
17. Check Tire Pressure and
Condition
|
41%
|
26%
|
17%
|
5%
|
2%
|
8%
|
2%
|
|
18. Wash Your Car (to remove road salt and grime)
|
57%
|
18%
|
10%
|
3%
|
3%
|
5%
|
4%
|
|
19. Change the Oil
|
4%
|
46%
|
35%
|
7%
|
2%
|
4%
|
2%
|
|
20. Change Transmission, Steering, and Other Fluids*
|
6%
|
14%
|
20%
|
17%
|
22%
|
18%
|
2%
|
|
21. Check the Battery, including Terminals and Cables
|
17%
|
21%
|
23%
|
15%
|
9%
|
12%
|
2%
|
|
22. Check the Spark Plugs
|
5%
|
14%
|
19%
|
21%
|
21%
|
18%
|
2%
|
|
23. Change the Air Filters
|
4%
|
18%
|
27%
|
24%
|
11%
|
13%
|
2%
|
|
24. Check the Engine Belts
|
9%
|
18%
|
23%
|
18%
|
14%
|
15%
|
3%
|
|
25. Check the Brakes
|
7%
|
19%
|
26%
|
22%
|
12%
|
11%
|
2%
|
|
26. Change the Coolant
(antifreeze)
|
7%
|
14%
|
18%
|
22%
|
19%
|
16%
|
3%
|
*Item not included in the index.
27. In the past 12 months, have you spent any money on
routine maintenance and repairs to keep your car running? This includes things
such as oil and tire changes and repairs from general wear and tear, but does
not include things like gas or repairs from an accident.
|
Yes
|
83%
|
|
No
|
15%
|
|
Not
Sure
|
3%
|
28. Approximately how much have you spent on car repair and maintenance in the past 12 months?
|
|
(base
= 827)
|
|
Less
than $250
|
36%
|
|
$250
-‐ $499
|
23%
|
|
$500
-‐ $749
|
15%
|
|
$750
-‐ $999
|
9%
|
|
$1000
-‐ $1499
|
8%
|
|
$1500
-‐ $1999
|
4%
|
|
$2000
or more
|
3%
|
|
Not
Sure
|
2%
|
29. Approximately how much of the above amount was
covered by a warranty or vehicle service contract?
|
|
(base
= 827)
|
|
$0
|
72%
|
|
$1
-‐ $249
|
7%
|
|
$250
-‐ $499
|
6%
|
|
$500
-‐ $749
|
3%
|
|
$750
-‐ $999
|
3%
|
|
$1000
-‐ $1499
|
2%
|
|
$1500
-‐ $1999
|
*
|
|
$2000
or more
|
1%
|
|
Not
Sure
|
5%
|
30. Which of the following categories includes things
that were replaced or repaired on your car? [SELECT ALL THAT APPLY]
|
|
(base
= 827)
|
|
Routine
Maintenance
|
73%
|
|
Engine
|
19%
|
|
Air
Conditioner
|
13%
|
|
Cooling
System
|
12%
|
|
Electrical
|
11%
|
|
Transmission
|
10%
|
|
Drive
Axle
|
5%
|
|
Other
|
19%
|
|
Not
Sure
|
6%
|
That’s it! The rest of the questions are for classiļ¬cation
purposes only, so we can group your responses with people like you.
31. Do you live in an urban, suburban or rural area?
|
Suburban
|
54%
|
|
Urban
|
24%
|
|
Rural
|
21%
|
32. Approximately how many miles are on your car?
|
Less
than 10,000
|
8%
|
|
10,000
– 19,999
|
6%
|
|
20,000
– 29,999
|
8%
|
|
30,000
– 39,999
|
9%
|
|
40,000
– 49,999
|
9%
|
|
50,000
– 59,999
|
10%
|
|
60,000
– 69,999
|
7%
|
|
70,000
– 79,999
|
6%
|
|
80,000
– 89,999
|
6%
|
|
90,000
– 99,999
|
4%
|
|
100,000
or more
|
25%
|
33. What model year is your vehicle?
|
1980
and earlier
|
1%
|
|
1981-‐1990
|
3%
|
|
1991-‐2000
|
16%
|
|
2001-‐2010
|
54%
|
|
2011+
|
27%
|
34. Do you have a vehicle service contract (in other
words, a contract for repair, or replacement for an operational or structural
failure of a vehicle)?
|
Yes
|
19%
|
|
No
|
73%
|
|
Not
sure
|
7%
|
35. Are there children under the age of 18 living at home with you?
|
Yes
|
35%
|
|
No
|
65%
|
36. Does anyone in your household who is under the age of 18 drive your car?
|
|
Base
=355
|
|
Yes
|
17%
|
|
No
|
83%
|
37. Which of the following best describes you?
|
White
or Caucasian
|
80%
|
|
Black
or African American
|
10%
|
|
Asian
or Paciļ¬c Islander
|
5%
|
|
Hispanic/Latino
|
4%
|
|
American
Indian or Alaskan Native
|
1%
|
|
Some
other race
|
1%
|
38. Into which of the following categories did your TOTAL household income fall before taxes in
2013?
|
Less
than $25,000
|
17%
|
|
$25,000
-‐ $34,999
|
13%
|
|
$35,000
-‐ $49,999
|
18%
|
|
$50,000
-‐ $64,999
|
18%
|
|
$65,000
-‐ $79,999
|
10%
|
|
$80,000
-‐ $99,999
|
9%
|
|
$100,000
-‐ $149,999
|
12%
|
|
$150,000
or more
|
4%
|
