The firm’s 19th annual fleet passenger car maintenance study analysed actual maintenance expenses incurred by nearly 37,000 passenger cars from 1st January tp 31st December 2013, covering maintenance costs including unscheduled repair services, preventative maintenance, tires and replacement rentals. Research found monthly preventive maintenance expenses decreased 14% in 2013 and average vehicle maintenance costs decreased from $50.47 to $48.36 per vehicle per month.

Key factors referenced in the study that influenced the downward trend include:

• Increased oil service intervals – Despite the fact that costs for oil services increased by three dollars from the previous year ($39 to $42), the interval for oil changes increased from 3.6 months to 4.3 months and from 7,515 miles to 8,817 miles. This can be attributed to improvements in engine design, onboard vehicle technology and oil quality.

• Proper vehicle cycling – Although costs for replacement tires increased by 10% in 2013 as compared to 2012, fewer tires were purchased due to proper vehicle cycling. This resulted in a 3% decrease in overall tyre cost per vehicle. Additionally, new tire technology has helped to extend tire tread life.

• Improvement in overall vehicle quality – Overall vehicle quality continued to improve across the industry, resulting in longer lasting parts and less frequent maintenance requirements.

‘Vehicle quality improvements will continue to present opportunities for fleet maintenance savings in 2014 and beyond,’ said Eric Strom, maintenance and safety product manager for GE Capital Fleet Services. ‘However, labour rates, rental costs and the price of replacement parts are expected to increase in the year ahead. As cost savings remains a top priority for fleet managers, our team of experts aims to provide customers with a thorough list of options for finding and achieving savings within their fleet.’