Maintenance Costs - Tagged Posts

Synthetic Oils, Higher Labor Rates Increase Preventive Maintenance Costs

On average, PM costs have increased due to higher labor rates, expansion of models requiring synthetic motor oil, and more expensive cartridge oil filters. One offset is that longer lasting synthetics have extended oil-drain intervals.

Replacement Tire Costs Increased 8% in 2018

Upward cost pressures on replacement tires have emerged in 2018, due to higher cost for the commodities used to manufacture tires and the trend to larger diameter 17- to 18-inch wheels, which are more expensive to replace.

Higher Motor Oil Prices Nudge Preventive Maintenance Costs Up

Citing the higher cost of crude oil, many major manufacturers of finished lubricant products increased prices from 5% to 8% in CY-2018. Plus, each model-year, more OEMs require the use of more expensive synthetic motor oils.

Maintenance Costs Increase as Labor Rates Rise

Despite high build quality, vehicle maintenance costs are trending up due to increased advanced technology content, skilled labor shortages, higher tire prices, and more engines requiring synthetic oils and high-capacity oil pans.

Vincentric Adds Maintenance Costs to Data Stream

Vincentric has begun offering more in-depth maintenance data as part of its automotive cost-of-ownership database covering more than 45,000 vehicles, the Bingham Farms, Mich.-based data provider has announced.

Advanced Safety Systems Cost Twice as Much to Repair

Vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) can add on average an extra $3,000 to the repair bill after a crash due to pricey sensors and their calibration requirements, according to new research from AAA.

Diesel Vans Beat Gasoline Models in Total Ownership Cost

Diesel-powered cargo vans are providing fleet buyers with a lower total cost of ownership than gasoline models, while many diesel-powered trucks aren't recouping the higher acquisition cost, according to a Vincentric analysis.

Using Performance-Based Incentives to Optimize the Cost-Effectiveness of Fleet Operations

A fleet cost reduction program goes straight to the corporate bottom line. If a company operates at a 10% annual net profit margin, reducing annual fleet expenses by $100,000 is the equivalent of generating $1 million in sales. Although fleet managers manage hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars in corporate assets, only half are incentivized to achieve targeted performance goals. I advocate incentivization should be a universal best practice extended to all fleet managers.

Replacement Tire Costs Increase 5-10%

For the past four years, tire costs have been stable. But, new cost pressures have emerged in 2017, due to higher prices for the commodities used to manufacture tires and the trend to larger diameter, more expensive tires.

Overt & Hidden Costs of Extending Truck Replacement

Extending truck replacement cycling parameters beyond stated fleet policy is typically a short-term tactic used by senior management to solve a budgetary constraint; however, there are long-term fleet consequences to this strategy.