WHEN IT COMES TO CAR REPAIRS, WOMEN AREN'T TREATED 'LIKE ONE OF THE GUYS' - 43 % OF WOMEN FEEL THEY RECEIVE WORSE SERVICE THAN MEN, PAY MORE TOO
Speedy Corporation launches Women Drivers Workshops [Download PDF Version]
TORONTO, February 26 - She can run for U.S. President, and she can walk on the moon, but today's woman still takes a back seat to her male counterpart when it comes to servicing her car. A poll commissioned by Speedy Corporation, a leader in while-you-wait automotive services, found that almost half of Canadian women surveyed (43%) feel they receive worse service than men when it comes to having their cars fixed; further, 42 per cent of women believe they are quoted higher prices than men when looking to service their cars.
This old-fashioned notion that automotive repair shops favour the male driver is not only held by women; the survey found that more than one-third of men polled (36%) feel the level of service delivered by a mechanic is affected by gender. Clearly, men are also noticing that women don't receive the same level of service.
In an effort to empower women to feel confident and comfortable within an automotive repair environment, Speedy today announces that it will roll out Women Drivers Workshops across the country over the next few months.
"Across all our Speedy locations we are seeing a tremendous amount of interest from women regarding car maintenance and servicing," said Steven Goldman, President and CEO, Speedy Corporation, Toronto. "In response to this growing demand, Speedy is proud to announce that it will offer Women Drivers Workshops through the spring and summer months. Maintaining your car today is the single most effective way to avoid expensive repairs tomorrow."
Added Goldman: "Speedy hosted its first Women Drivers Workshop at our Victoria location in British Columbia, to an overwhelmingly positive response. We understand that knowledge is extremely empowering; the women who attended our sessions not only wanted to understand what the mechanic was doing, they also wanted to learn how to do it themselves."
Mustang Sally
Despite a biased treatment at the shop, women appear to be adopting a do-it-yourself attitude in their own garages. Not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get down with dirt, 70 per cent of women surveyed said they know how to check their car's oil. Just over half of Canadian women surveyed (52%) said they could change a windshield wiper, and one-third said they are comfortable changing a tire.
However, the level of car-care confidence seems to be generational, with women aged 18 to 44 showing the highest rates of do-it-yourself skills, while women 50 and older had the lowest response rates for hands-on maintenance.
East vs. West
Women in Alberta and British Columbia feel the most affected by gender-related service preferences. Poll results reveal that 58 per cent of women in both Alberta and British Columbia - 15% higher than the national average - feel they receive worse service than men by their mechanics. In contrast, female residents of Quebec appear to be pleased with the service their cars receive, with only 27 per cent of women feeling they receive sub-par service.
Additional National Poll Results
- 30 per cent of cars on the road are nine years or older.
- 89 per cent of Canadian drivers own their cars, while 10 per cent lease.
- Canadians cite price (23%) and a relationship with a mechanic (23%) as the most important factors when deciding where to service their car; respecting terms of the warranty (22%) and convenience (11%) followed.
- Ready to kick winter to the curb? Don't do away with your snow tires too soon, as Canadians; we are still likely to receive a few late-in-the-season snowstorms!
- After months of salt, dirt and slush, the underside of your car has likely taken a beating. Be sure to clean your car's underbody to get rid of salt that could lead to erosion and rust.
- Many drivers use thinner oil in the winter months. Now that spring is around the corner, it might be time to change back to a 10W30 grade for the warmer months.
- Extreme cold, salt and dirt can affect your car's brakes, steering and suspension system. Have your brakes, steering and suspension system inspected to make sure they are in top condition.
About Speedy Corporation
Speedy Corporation owns and operates Speedy Auto Service across Canada, with four corporately owned shops and 67 franchised locations. Speedy Auto Service shops specialize in offering the very best while-you-wait service for all makes and models of cars, light trucks and SUV's. Speedy specializes in muffler replacement, brakes, shock absorbers, struts and front end repairs as well as the sale of tires, road safety inspections and vehicle maintenance services that include oil, lube and filter replacement. Prior to 1993, Speedy Auto Service was known as Speedy Muffler King, the first muffler replacement specialists in North America, and the brand that coined the slogan, 'At Speedy, you're a somebody.' Speedy also owns the Minute Muffler chain, which has 88 franchised locations across Canada.
Poll Methodology
From February 12 through February 23, 2009, Harris/Decima conducted a televox survey among a randomly selected, representative sample of 1,801 Canadians (881 women and 920 men) whose household owns at least one vehicle. The margin of error for this sample is +/-2.3%. The data is weighted in tabulation to replicate actual population distribution by age and sex within region according to the 2006 Census data.
For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Tiffany Fisher at Whetstone Communications
Tel.: 416-595-9776 ext. 222
E-mail: tiffany@whetstonepr.com