The lifespan of a particular vehicle design could be one of the factors driving an increase in average repair severity across the US. Mitchell International compared four popular 2012 midsize sedans at various ages in their design, or styling life cycle. The two vehicles at the end of their life cycle, the Malibu and Fusion (both redesigned in 2013), reported the lowest average repair cost, compared with vehicles at the beginning or middle of their design life. The two end-of-cycle vehicles also reported lower labor costs and OEM parts spend, indicating that vehicle styling life cycle could be a driver of repair costs.
Visit go.mitchell.com/ITR to view the full Q1 2015 Industry Trends Report and sign up for free delivery of future Mitchell International Industry Trends Reports
A theme at the conference was for Abra, CARSTAR, and Fix Auto USA stakeholders to use technology to improve the customer experience and reduce the strain on estimators.
