How car owners spend ‘me time’ with vehicles — and why Gen Z, Millennials differ: survey

Your car whitethorn beryllium your sanctuary wherever you get to walk immoderate of your astir treasured “me time,” but really you take to walk it differs importantly by generation, according to a caller study.

In nan study of 2,000 American car owners, drivers reported doing everything from readying their futures, bopping to music, and taking naps successful their automotive havens.

The investigation recovered that millennials are doing nan astir self-improvement successful their car time.

They’re much apt than different generations to deliberation astir life and scheme their futures (44%) and to perceive to podcasts (39%) while driving.

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Ziebart, nan study revealed that Gen X drivers are nan astir upbeat while connected nan road, arsenic they’re nan astir apt of each property groups to perceive to euphony (89%) and galore springiness themselves small pep talks while en way to activity aliases large events (18%).

Meanwhile, Gen Z drivers spot their cars arsenic safe havens to calm down for immoderate remainder and relaxation. They reported enjoying elemental soundlessness (55%), processing agelong workdays (43%) and taking naps successful their cars (25%), much than older generations, who bask much uplifting activities.

But sloppy of age, there’s 1 point astir drivers person successful common, and it’s that nan clip they walk successful their cars is truthful valuable that they want to make judge it lasts.

When asked astir nan property of their cars and their car attraction habits, connected average, car owners reported that their vehicles are 9 years old.

Respondents besides said they’d for illustration their cars to past different 4 years, connected average, and judge that it will beryllium different 3 years, connected average, earlier they tin spend a caller thrust without it being a important financial strain.

In ray of this, astir respondents whose cars are a fewer years aged said that though their cars aren’t marque new, they for illustration to do everything imaginable to make them consciousness caller (79%).

“Since Ziebart is successful nan car business, we were funny to study much astir what our customers do successful their cars,” said Thomas A. Wolfe, president and main executive serviceman of Ziebart International Corporation. “It’s clear to america that for galore drivers, vehicles are much than a mode of proscription — they service a assortment of individual purposes, which explains why truthful galore group spell supra and beyond to protect them wrong and out.”

In bid to lengthen their car’s life expectancy, almost half of car owners (46%) person taken their car attraction up a notch complete nan past 12 months.

Practically, this looks for illustration doing interior (57%) and exterior (51%) cleaning, checking tyre unit and tread extent (43%), and lipid levels (43%) much often.

A 3rd (33%) are besides taking their rides successful for check-ups and tune-ups much frequently.

Along pinch mechanics, galore are cognizant of their car’s exterior. Over a 4th of car owners (26%) are worried astir rust, and 23% said overgarment deterioration is 1 of their apical concerns.

More than a 5th (22%) are anxious that their cars’ undercarriage will beryllium damaged, and a bully number (17%) are paying attraction to interior leather and cloth deterioration arsenic their cars age.

“While it’s easy to retrieve to support up pinch mechanical maintenance, galore group don’t recognize that things for illustration rust, chipping paint, undercarriage damage, and cloth aliases leather interior deterioration tin impact nan car’s lifespan,” said Nick Lambie, a Ziebart franchise owner.

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American car owners; nan study was commissioned by Ziebart and administered and conducted online by Talker Research betwixt June 6 and June 12, 2025.