What you need to know

The market for car servicing, maintenance and repair is valued by Mintel at £8.48 billion in 2014. This is 2% down on its value of £8.68 billion in 2010 with much of the decline in the market coming between 2010 and 2013. With an improvement to the market in 2014, driven by stronger consumer confidence, economic growth as well as expansion in the size of the UK car parc, further expansion to £8.62 billion is forecast for 2015.

The amount spent on the servicing, maintenance and repair, based on the size of the UK car parc, averages at £260 in 2014. This is largely similar to the amount spent in 2013.

Independent garages lead the market in terms of revenues with an estimated 57% share in 2015. Their strong showing reflects the large number of companies operating in the market. The two other channels of note are franchised dealers and fast fit outlets with 20% and 17% of revenues respectively. Autocentres and mobile mechanics, both 3%, account for the remainder of the market.

The number of outlets offering service, maintenance and repair services in the market has fallen back slightly since 2010 from 25,170 to an estimated 24,380 in 2015. There is some consolidation taking place in the market with a number of larger service providers currently investing in improving their customer experience. Use of the internet to assist drivers in finding outlets for service, maintenance and repair is growing.

A number of groups identified in Mintel’s exclusive research are most likely to rely on others for the maintenance of their car. These are women, young adults and those on the highest incomes. Our research also identifies that 70% of car owners spend up to £500 per year on servicing and maintaining their vehicle. When it comes to factors sought, quality is the most important overall.

Scope of this report

Service, maintenance and repair services comprise a range of support for car owners who require regular or ad hoc support for their cars. Such services have grown in recent years as a growing number of drivers have eschewed DIY servicing and maintenance, with outlets commonly approached for such services comprising:

  • Independent garages

  • Franchised dealers

  • Fast-fit centres

  • Autocentres and

  • Mobile mechanics.

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