Thought leadership: Consumers opt to repair instead of replace to cut down on costs

Keeping a car on the road is getting exceedingly expensive. With fluctuating petrol prices and high running costs, more consumers are starting to ask the age old question of “should I repair or replace a faulty part?” when something goes wrong with their car.

The answer is not as clear cut as it seems, as the solution will vary depending on your financial position, the lifespan of the part and the degree of damage. According to Anesh Govender, Head of Claims Procurement at Old Mutual Insure, more consumers are choosing the repair option rather than replace in a bid to cut on excessive spending. As much as 70% of the car park remains uninsured, repairs and the use of alternative or grey parts, remain attractive solutions to the customer.

“While it is completely understandable why people choose to repair rather than replace, they need to understand that from an insurance perspective, the quality of the repair is of paramount importance as they could be at risk of additional costs in the event of a complete failure,” explains Govender.

Govender stresses the importance of maintaining quality when deciding to repair, rather than replace. “People need to be mindful that if the quality of the repairs is substandard or not up to industry standards, it raises the risk of component failure and ultimately complete breakdown,” he explains.

However, with technological developments in repair techniques, it is now much easier than ever before to find a reliable means to repair various components. Various techniques such as plastic repair kits, panel repair equipment, for example straightliner assist auto-body repairers in performing quality panel repairs.

“Look at how easy it is to repair a crack or chip in your windscreen,” says Govender. “Instead of paying for an entire new windscreen, within a matter of minutes the cracks are repaired and your windscreen is as good as new.”

Furthermore, repairing a faulty component is also friendlier on the environment than replacing it. “Going green has become much more important for people as society is taking mankind’s impact on the environment far more seriously than ever before,” he adds.

Govender provides the following helpful tips to help consumers decide when to consider replacing instead of repairing:

• If the cost of repairing outweighs the cost of replacing, you should rather replace;
• Consider the critical importance of the component. For example, if it’s essential to your car’s engine, rather replace;
• If the component is damaged beyond repair, you have no choice but to replace the faulty component;
• Consider how close the component is to the end of its lifespan. If it is close, you need to replace instead of repair;
• If you are not confident that any service provider will adequately restore your component to industry standards, rather replace with a new component.

While replacing does provide for added peace of mind, it is far more expensive. Unless manufacturers find ways of bringing down the cost of production and improve the manufacturing process, repair will continue to be a more cost effective solution.

However, if you are in doubt on when to repair or replace, you should always seek the advice of your insurance provider and your approved auto body repairer.