- Caura research finds women are charged a premium for the same car service as men
- About 59% of women said that the workshops are more geared toward men than women.
- In 2017, a third of women said their gender meant they were “ripped off” for performing services.
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Women across the UK are suffering from “pink pricing bias” in car workshops, according to a new undercover report.
Car management app Caura recently conducted a blind survey of workshops and service centres, and the gender price disparity it identified has been described as “shocking”.
The research found that women are charged five per cent more than men for vehicle servicing, even when it is the same car at the same workshop.
Women pay five percent more than men for vehicle service, even if it is for the same car in the same workshop, highlights a new study by Caura
The undercover investigation was carried out today ahead of International Women’s Day.
Under the aliases ‘Emma and Edward’, alternative members of the Caura team contacted different 100 garages across the country, requesting an MOT and/or a service quote for the exact same car with the same mileage to make a Realistic comparison in each quote.
Three different cars (of different prices) were used to carry out the research: a Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.0 EcoBoost (2013) with 91,000 miles; BMW 3 Series 330i (2019) with 45,000 miles; and a Porsche Cayenne S (2019) with 67,000 miles
Caura team members contacted 100 different garages across the country, requesting an MOT and/or service quote for the exact same car with the same mileage to make a realistic comparison on each quote. This included a 2013 Ford Fiesta Zetec with 91k on the clock.
The other two models used for the investigation were a 2019 BMW 3 Series 330i with 45,000 miles (left) and a Porsche Cayenne S from the same year with 67k on the clock.
Some 70 workshops responded to both calls, revealing a significant gender disparity in the quotes provided.
For one service, Edward was quoted £229 on average, while Emma was quoted £241 on average, which is a five per cent increase for women.
The most worrying finding was a huge 265 per cent female premium at one workshop, where Emma received a quote almost three times (£475) more than Edward, who was given a quote of £130 for an identical job.
And the same thing happened with the annual ITV contributions, something that is normally fixed.
There is also a maximum legal fee of £54.85 that a workshop can charge. However, women – or Emmas – were quoted on average two percent more than men.
Caura’s team recently carried out a blind survey of workshops and service centres, and the gender price disparity it showed was worrying, with a 2% difference in MOT quotes and a 5% service premium for women .
Highlighting a systemic problem within the automotive sector that requires urgent attention, Janice Pang, Head of Vehicle Maintenance at Caura, said: “A one per cent increase in price (when comparing men versus women) on any gender change It’s wrong, but when Our research shows a five percent increase (on average) in comparable prices, we were surprised by the price bias for women.’
Other gender biases in pricing and treatment by car shops were pointed out using Caura’s mixed methods, from mystery shopping to a YouGov of more than 4,000 women and men.
Three-fifths (59 percent) of women said they thought vehicle maintenance and service shops are aimed more at men than women, and almost half (46 percent) of women surveyed said they felt pressured to approve additional work on your car when you book and agree to work.
More than four in five (83 percent) of women surveyed said they understood the language used when describing what their car needed in terms of maintenance, refuting the stereotype that women don’t understand automotive jargon.
In 2017, female motorists surveyed by MotorEasy said they would take their custom elsewhere if they felt they were being taken advantage of in terms of gender-discriminatory pricing at garages.
Disturbingly, this data shows little progress since we reported that women felt cheated by workshops in 2017.
At the time, a third of women told car maintenance service MotorEasy that they had been “ripped off” because of their gender, and almost one in three overall (29 per cent) believed a garage would charge them more for jobs maintenance and repair. simply because they are women.
Unsurprisingly, the women noted that they were willing to take their businesses elsewhere if they felt they were being taken advantage of.
And as younger generations tell Caura they feel more prejudiced (65 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds (both genders) agree that garages are spaces traditionally designed for men), they’re likely to do so. precisely that.
More than half of women would not feel safe in some public electric vehicle charging places
A survey of more than 3,700 female drivers in Britain found that 55% are concerned about their personal safety while charging an electric car at some public charging locations.
A joint survey of 3,712 female drivers by Electrifying.com and The AA found that two-thirds of women do not want to give up their petrol or diesel cars, citing concerns about charging an electric car and a lack of trust in the infrastructure. as key reasons.
More than half (55 per cent) of women surveyed said they were concerned about their personal safety due to the location of some charging points.
Female drivers also expressed concern about running out of battery with their family in the car, with 60 percent citing this as a reason for their reluctance to switch.
Women’s enthusiasm for adopting electric vehicles has declined dramatically over the past two years: Only 16 percent say they feel confident about the prospect of charging an electric car, compared to 40 percent of men.
While the number of women who feel less safe at the prospect of driving an electric vehicle than a petrol or diesel car has increased to 60 per cent, up from 50 per cent in 2021.
Electrifying.com Founder and CEO Ginny Buckley said: ‘As the founder of a female-led car brand, I know that owning a car empowers women and gives them independence. That is why it is crucial that female drivers are not left behind on the path to electrification due to lack of knowledge.
“Our research clearly shows that women have concerns and questions about electric vehicles that differ from those of men, which is why we are calling on policymakers and car brands to provide clear and accessible information to help female car buyers. to become familiar with this new technology.
‘As the founder of a female-led brand and a long-time EV driver, I know firsthand that once women experience an electric car, they quickly become familiar with things like charging and enjoy a quiet driving experience. , clean and fun.
“Women are a key influencer in car sales, and often have the final say in model choice – and we know that 48 per cent of license holders are women – so bringing them on this journey is key, not just for the air we breathe in our towns and cities, but also for the wider economy and the UK automotive industry.’