Repairing and maintaining your car is becoming increasingly expensive. This is confirmed by a new investigation. The price of spare parts in particular has been rising steadily for several years. However, it is possible to reduce your vehicle budget by saving on insurance For example or by comparing garages online.
An average price increase of 6.7% for the major overhaul in 2020
Car repairs are becoming more and more expensive. This observation, which is confirmed year after year, has again proven correct in 2020, according to the organization SRA (Security and car repairs). According to this survey, the increase is now having an impact All services sold by garagesand not just the price of spare parts.
To arrive at these conclusions, the SRA analyzed the prices charged by the mechanics for each month of 2020 and compared them with those of 2019. As feared, the prices of spare parts continue to rise: + 8.1% on average.
But labor costs have also risen: on average, they have risen by 3.2% per hour. After all, the price of paintings was also more expensive last year with an average increase of 4.8%.
All in all, the SRA concludes Inflation of 6.7% of the cost of a major overhaul in 2020. With these tariff statements you can also find out how your bill is broken down in the garage: With an estimate of 100 euros, more than half of the sum is used to replace the parts (51 euros). About 30 euros are then used to pay for the work, the rest is used for the cost of painting.
Prices driven by those for spare parts
Of course, these numbers are given on average over the entire area. In reality there are: as for auto insurance rates, big price differences depending on where you live. Car repairs are more expensive when insurance is also the most expensive: in the Paris region and the PACA region.
But how can you explain this surge, which is being felt almost everywhere and is putting a strain on your car budget? In terms of the price of spare parts, the increase has been at work for several years. Already, An increase of 6.6% was observed in 2019.
For SRA, this steady rise in spare parts costs is primarily due to the automobile manufacturers. The latter want to remain the only producers and sellers. Without competition, therefore, they can raise prices at will without fear of competition. Result, Peugeot or Citroën for example increased their rates three times over the past year.
The authorities also have something to do with it, as the European Union decided in 2004 to liberalize the aftermarket in order to attract competitors for the manufacturers. But 16 years later this European provision has not yet produced a law. and therefore does not apply.
Beyond parts, if repairs cost more and more on average, that’s also because of this Newer vehicles are more expensive to overhaul. Their purchase price also increases from year to year. The fashion of SUVs thus has a strong influence on the increase in the bill in garages. Likewise, Electric and hybrid cars are booming require new skills from mechanics. SUVs and “green” cars therefore need new tools and new parts that drive the bill up.
How can you save your car budget in 2021?
To bring it down, for example, you can trust used parts (which allow a reduction of up to 70%) or use an online garage comparator. We have listed some of these tips in a File for savings on maintenance and repairs.
To reduce the overall cost of your vehicle budget, we invite you to save up to money Compare car insurance online. The observed increase in garage prices could actually affect your posts this year. Assurland is more likely to expect price stability in 2021, but other players are heralding an average increase that could be in between 1.5% and 2% this year.
