Company car mileages have fallen in the depth of the recession despite the average age of stock increasing, according to an analysis of used fleet cars sold by the Aston Barclay Auction Group.

 

Analysing over 45,000 ex-fleet cars sold by the group’s three sites over the past 36 months shows mileage falling by over 20% at the height of the recession in 2009, despite the average age of stock rising.

Contract extensions were the main cause of average age of fleet stock sold by Aston Barclay increasing to 60 months in 2009. In 2008 and year to date in 2010 average age of fleet stock sold was 46 and 49 months respectively.

Annual average company car mileages were relatively static at 13,746 and 13,873 in 2008 and 2010, but in 2009 they fell by over 20% to 11,349.

Aston Barclay’s new managing director Tim Hudson puts the annual mileage fall in cars sold in 2009 down to a range of pressures primarily caused by the recession.

This includes a call for employees to be more efficient with their time spent out of the office, the increased use of video conferencing with clients/suppliers and the rapid rise in the price of fuel and fleet costs in general.

He said: “Our data clearly shows the increase in contract extensions in 2009, but average mileages went in the opposite direction in the same year.

"One key reason could be that employers have been more focussed on both reducing cost and improving efficiencies in the recession, which has ultimately impacted on company car use and average mileages.

“Generally employees will have also been covering fewer private miles as their fuel costs continued to rise above the rate of inflation.”