A February survey showed that the more complex the hardware, the more likely customers will seek repairs at a dealership.
By Lois Tuffin
When it came time to pick out a new car, Trevor Tennant’s wife tasked him with the job rather than visit lots herself.
As president of Piston Ring Service in Winnipeg, he happily went out shopping and brought cars home for her to test-drive.
“My wife hates tech,” he told the crowd at the Canadian Auto Care Industry Conference (CAIC) in March
While trying out an Audi, she did not appreciate the traffic light information system, which displayed a red alert on the dashboard as it counted down the number of seconds until a red light would turn green.
So, it went back to the dealership.
After trying out a few other models, she fell in love with an electric vehicle – until she found out how it was powered. Suddenly, she changed her tune and wanted a more traditional model, he said.
“After you drive an EV for 10 minutes, it’s like any other car,” Tennant said. “Buying a car is very personal. Everyone wants a certain style, size and shape.”
As cars become smarter, consumers’ willingness to adapt and learn new features has its limits. Statistics show how much (and pro revealingly, how little) attitudes are changing in the shopping and repair process.
According to Transport Canada, between 2019 and 2022 (the latest data available), online vehicle purchases only grew from 2.4 to 4.1 per cent. By 2030, the anticipated rate will be 17 per cent.
Meanwhile, 54 per cent of buyers in 2022 still did the full purchase in person without doing internet searches first – down from 68 per cent three years earlier. That number is expected to drop to 39 per cent by 2030.
(It didn’t list how many spouses, like Trevor, are sent out on the mission.)
As for the hybrid option, 42 per cent of people began their search online then bought in person, up from 29.7 per cent three years earlier.
On the road
When it comes to driving, Rick Nadeau, president of Quorus Consulting in Orléans, delivered eye-opening data during his session at CAIC. He called it, “What does this button do? Consumer experiences and expectations of vehicle tech.”
His firm surveyed 2,210 consumers between Feb. 6 and 23, 2025, to find out how much they understand and value the technology within their vehicles.
Overall, one in five Canadians love new features. About half are somewhat interested, but largely ignore anything other than the basics. Almost a quarter found it to be too much and just wanted to drive.
Quorus Consulting
His team identified 25 in-vehicle technologies, ranging from creature comforts, safety features and regulatory requirements. To measure perceived value, they asked how quickly an owner would prioritize a repair.
Here’s the kicker: they would have to pay for it themselves since the warranty would have expired.
For creature comforts, heat and air conditioning, remote start systems and power-adjustable seats and steering wheels topped the list. Ambient lighting and sunroofs ranked the lowest.
When it came to safety, drivers highly valued:
- traction control systems
- electronic stability control
- rearview cameras
- tire pressure monitoring systems
- blind spot detection
- automatic emergency braking
For mandatory items, they were most willing to fix headlights, with emissions control systems a distant second.
“This is a backdrop for everything else,” Nadeau said.
Where to go for repairs?
Next, the Quorus team asked where drivers would take their cars for these repairs. This is where it gets more interesting.
In most cases, the dealership had a slight edge when it came to in-vehicle comforts and legally mandated features. However, the more sophisticated the tech, the more likely people would go back to where they bought the car.
The highest discrepancy showed up for repairs to infotainment systems and panoramic audio.
The gaps then double when it comes time to fix safety features – ranging from 8 to 13 per cent preferences to go to a dealership.
“The aftermarket was rarely ahead and, if so, it would be by a slight margin,” Nadeau said.
Almost half (44%) of survey respondents said they would feel more comfortable going to the source due to the complexity of the technology. Yet, 55 per cent recognized that independent shops have access to the same parts and repair data to do the job.
“It’s important for your industry to upskill,” Nadeau advised. “Your next task is to tell Canadians that you have those skills.”
Further, 79 per cent of drivers also believe that smarter vehicles require more money to maintain and repair. Yet, only 54 per cent would trust aftermarket parts to save money.
Going back to the initial question, do drivers understand and value the technology within their vehicles?
Quorus asked how well consumers feel they can assess the need for a repair based on a service advisor’s explanation of a problem. In the room, 46 per cent of conference attendees saw this as a barrier, compared to 58 per cent of prospective customers.
One in three people said they would shop around before deciding based on cost. Another 16 per cent said they would try a do-it-yourself approach or ask a family member to help. Often, that journey begins by viewing a YouTube video on a specific repair.
What does it all mean?
“The level of love of technology affects how quickly they fix it and how much they will pay,” Nadeau concluded. “Service advisors need tact and planning to convince them to move forward on certain repairs. Be prepared to talk about price.”
Overall, Canadians have not embraced in-vehicle perks wholeheartedly. Therefore, a large portion of the population is not confident in talking about how it works.
Nadeau encourages independent shop owners to educate their customers about the quality of aftermarket parts and their warranties. Additionally, they should talk openly about their equal access to repair data compared to dealerships.
Finally, they should sing the praises of their skilled techs to build trust with their customers. All this comes down to strong communication skills for staff who advise consumers on the need for repairs.
“It’s about more than tires and oil changes,” he said. “You need to work on those soft skills.”
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