Canadians spend thousands of dollars on their cars each year, according to a new survey, but drive them very little.
“The average Canadian car owners only spends about seven hours per week (7.3) behind the wheel, meaning that the car sits idle 96 per cent of the time,” said the report released Wednesday by Angus Reid Global.
At the same time, 78 per cent of respondents believe it would be impossible to not have a car, while another 49 per cent said they would have to change jobs if they didn’t have a car.
The average market value of cars in circulation is more than $25,000, and Canadians spend thousands of dollars more each year on lease or financing payments ($5,149 on average), insurance ($1,499), and maintenance ($821).
Most people said they try to offset the cost of ownership by washing their own car, searching for fuel deals online, doing their own repairs, and carpooling.
READ MORE: Metro Vancouver gas prices tie all-time record at $1.63 a litre
Eighty-four per cent of Canadians own a car, while nine per cent who don’t own one would like one.
“Canadians continue to have a special relationship with their cars, with more than half of Canadians – 55 per cent – saying that they feel emotionally attached to their cars and 61 per cent of respondents saying that they have a ‘dream car’ that they would like to own,” the report said. One in five people aged 18-34 said their dream car is a Tesla.
The poll, conducted with a car-sharing company, surveyed 2,017 Canadians from Feb. 12 to 15.
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