When it comes to buying cars, everyone’s priorities are a little different, according to their requirements and budget. However, the research team at Scrap Car Network have recently carried out detailed analysis of the most common car-related Google searches made in the UK, and discovered that some buyers’ priorities are universal. The data they’ve collected paints an interesting picture of what car buyers really care about when they’re on the hunt for their next vehicle.
1. Reliability
This is the single most-frequently searched subject of all buyer-focused queries, and it’s not difficult to see why. Reliability is the biggest influence on long-term value; a cheaply-bought car can’t be truthfully described as good value if the owner has to regularly shell out for expensive or frequent repairs. Luxury brands are all very well, but it appears the vast majority of consumers still value substance over style.
2. Cost
With very few exceptions, most of us have to buy our cars, according to our means, so cost is understandably another central focus of most searches. Queries around what brands are cheap or expensive (and crucially, why that’s the case) are all made by searchers to help them navigate the potential pitfalls of certain models, avoiding unexpected and unwelcome dents in their savings after the purchase is made.
3. Safety
Many buyers purchase their cars with their families in mind, so finding the model that best guarantees their safety is naturally another big concern. Plus, learning of a dangerous potential fault, or even a product recall immediately after buying a particular car is a nightmare scenario for most buyers, so at the very least it’s a very basic check to give them some peace of mind.
4. Maintenance
Another common query, this has a natural overlap with the subject of reliability. Questions regarding maintenance will commonly seek to find out how often a particular car requires a tune-up or repair, whether there are any problems it may be notably prone to, and that the cost of these repairs won’t end up offsetting any savings made on the purchase price.
What don’t buyers search for?
Despite the increasing amount of press that environmental concerns have garnered in recent years, it appears that for now, it’s far from a priority for most buyers, as queries focusing on emissions or fume tests remain absent from the top searches. On a related note, the great value doesn’t appear to be a major factor, despite the controversy arising from the government’s U-turn on diesel in recent years. And it appears electric cars still have some way to go before they become a serious consideration for most buyers.
The most telling queries, by far, are those relating to maintenance and repair. Most car parts gradually wear out, including essential ones like brake calipers and engine oxygen sensors. These will require replacing over a car’s lifetime if it’s to continue running safely, in addition to the other repairs, it may need as a result of any collisions or damage. Many of these aren’t cheap – and with too many repairs, a car simply becomes uneconomical, costing more to run than a new one would be to buy. Although it’s not an easy decision for owners to make, this is when scrapping it often becomes the only option that makes financial sense. Thankfully, this is where Scrap Car Network can help. They make the process as simple, fast and easy as possible, providing owners with great value on their end-of-life vehicles.
