March 21, 2018—On Wednesday, RepairPal.com released the results of a survey detailing consumer research habits during the car-buying journey. The study marked the launch of RepairPal's new Car Comparison feature, which allows users to compare vehicles side-by-side in terms of reliability, repair costs, and owner reviews — all for free.
RepairPal surveyed over 1,000 Americans through an independent pollster in February 2018, learning more about consumers' research processes when purchasing a new or used vehicle.
In researching what vehicle to purchase, respondents said the price was the most important factor at 46 percent, followed by the reliability at 21 percent. When considering repairs for their vehicles, new-car buyers are more likely to visit a dealership, with quality of the repair and scheduling convenience as the most important factors. On the other hand, used-car buyers are more likely to visit local, independent repair shops, holding the quality and price of the repair as the most important factors.
