More Republican shoppers than Democrats to be impacted by election
With just saying the last names of the presidential candidates often triggering intense reactions, Swapalease.com on Tuesday released results of its 2016 Election & Cars survey, revealing interesting findings that show the differences in how the two parties view aspects of the automotive industry.
When it comes to how the election might impact how dealers move metal, more than three-quarters of respondents (77.1 percent) said election results wouldn't likely have an impact on when they replace their car. Meanwhile, just over 16 percent said it could impact their decision, while under 7 percent said it would definitely have an impact, depending on the winner.
That said, Swapalease noted that 25 percent of Republicans said the election could impact when they buy.
Swapalease presented the online survey in front of 2,500 drivers across the U.S. during September. Of those participants, approximately 41 percent said they are registered Republicans, with 27 percent showing as Democrats.
While 68 percent were male and 32 percent female, two-fifths of survey takers (39 percent) said they were planning to vote for Donald Trump with 36 percent opting for Hillary Clinton.
When asked how long they typically keep their vehicles, both Republicans and Democrats picked between 21 and 36 months. However, roughly a third of women (32 percent) said longer than five years and 34 percent of men said between 21 and 36 months.
The majority of Democrat drivers (60 percent) said they’re most worried about high repair and/or maintenance costs when it comes to their vehicle. Most Republican drivers (58 percent) cited escalating costs of cars and trucks as their biggest concern.
Two-fifths of respondents said Volkswagen should be “ashamed of itself” over the scandal. However, many Democrats said they will never get another Volkswagen again; whereas more than twice as many Republicans said they wouldn’t want to fix the car’s issue.
Interestingly enough, when analyzed by gender, Swapalease.com found that 42 percent of men said Volkswagen should be ashamed of itself, and more than a third of woment (36 percent) weren’t aware of any scandal associated with the brand.
Here are the complete results from the survey:
1. Do you consider yourself a car enthusiast?
I love cars – 60.88 percent
I like cars but would not consider myself a car enthusiast – 33.10 percent
Cars are just a mode of transportation for me – 6.02 percent
2. What is your vehicle preference?
Car – 65.51 percent
SUV – 28.85 percent
Truck – 7.64 percent
3. Which of the following vehicles most describes your personality?
Tesla – 43.02 percent
Chevy Corvette – 27.44 percent
Honda Accord – 10.23 percent
Ford F-150 – 8.60 percent
Hummer – 8.14 percent
Chevy Volt – 2.56 percent
4. What political affiliation do you consider yourself?
Democrat – 26.64 percent
Republican – 41.36 percent
Independent – 32.01 percent
5. If you had to vote today, who would you vote for?
Trump – 39.34 percent
Clinton – 36.30 percent
Someone Else – 34.36 percent
6. Which of the following best describes the personality of this year’s election?
A driverless car – 34.03 percent
A four-wheel SUV going off road where ever it wants – 29.84 percent
A Volkswagen where what see, may not be what you get – 18.41 percent
Battle of the hummers – 16.32 percent
Chevy Volt – 1.40 percent
7. What kind of car do you think Hillary Clinton prefers to drive?
Mercedes-Benz GL Class – 13.38 percent
Cadillac Escalade – 12.68 percent
Mercedes-Benz E Class – 11.50 percent
BWM 5 Series – 5.40 percent
Cadillac CTS – 5.16 percent
Buick Lacrosse – 4.23 percent
Chevrolet Suburban – 3.76 percent
Lexus RX – 3.76 percent
Audi A6 – 3.29 percent
Mercedes-Benz C Class – 2.35 percent
BWM X Series – 2.11 percent
Buick Regal – 2.11 percent
GMC Yukon – 2.11%
Subaru Legacy – 2.11%
Toyota Corolla – 2.88%
8. What kind of car do you think Donald Trump prefers to drive?
Cadillac Escalade – 28.07 percent
Mercedes-Benz GL Class – 16.75 percent
Mercedes-Benz E Class – 11.32 percent
BMW 5 Series – 6.84 percent
Cadillac CTS – 5.42 percent
Audi A6 – 3.77 percent
BMW X Series – 3.30 percent
Chevrolet Suburban – 3.07 percent
GMC Yukon – 3.07 percent
Mercedes-Benz C Class – 2.36 percent
Ram 1500 – 1.89 percent
Volkswagen Jetta – 1.42 percent
Ford F-150 – 1.18 percent
Infiniti QX80 – 1.18%
Ford Expedition – 0.94%
9. How long do you currently keep cars for?
6 – 12 Months – 33.06 percent
12 – 20 Months – 10.82 percent
21- 36 Months – 32 percent
36 – 48 Months – 18.82 percent
48 – 60 Months – 9.18 percent
Longer than 5 years – 26.12 percent
10. Are the elections results likely to affect how often you replace a car?
Not very likely – 77.10 percent
It could have an effect on me – 16.12 percent
Most definitely, depending on who wins – 6.78 percent
11. Which of the following are you concerned about when it comes to cars?
The prices are getting too high – 56.22 percent
Concern over high repair and/or maintenance costs – 53.11 percent
Cars are getting too complex and complicated – 17.46 percent
Subprime loans are getting out of control – 14.59 percent
Autonomous vehicles will ruin our roads – 11 percent
12. What do you think of Volkswagen scandal?
Volkswagen should be ashamed – 39.81 percent
Not cool, but I still wouldn’t get it fixed – 21.06 percent
I was not aware of any scandal – 13.66 percent
They were wrong, I will never get a VW again – 13.43 percent
Nothing wrong, the cars perform better – 12.04 percent
13. What is your gender?
Female – 16.32 percent
Male – 83.68 percent
14. How old are you?
18 – 29 years old – 6.98 percent
30 – 39 years old – 16.74 percent
40 – 49 years old – 20.70 percent
50 – 59 years old – 24.42 percent
60 – 69 years old – 20.23 percent
Over 70 year old – 10.93 percent