Purchase habits –
The Swiss prefer the direct purchase of cars at leasing
A TCS survey reveals that the Swiss favor direct purchase, but that leasing is gaining ground among young people and in French -speaking Switzerland.
The Swiss mainly prefer the direct purchase of cars with 92% of owners.
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In Switzerland, when you buy a car, you like to pay it cash. This is what a survey of Touring Club Suisse (TCS)conducted with more than 1150 members. The 80% survey of the proportion of owners who bought their current vehicle directly, either in cash or by bank transfer. Only 20% opted for funding, mainly in the form of leasing.
“The main reasons for direct purchase are the availability of financial means, The desire to avoid debt And the intention to keep the vehicle in the long term, ”explains Nina Hecht, manager of the TCS study.
Latin young people love lease
The study highlights significant disparities according to age and the linguistic region. If 70% of respondents generally favor direct purchase for their vehicles, the youngest and residents of French -speaking Switzerland and Ticino are much more inclined to opt for leasing.
Young drivers up to 25 years old, contrary to popular belief, mainly prefer (88%) to direct purchase for their used vehicles. This trend is explained by their concern to avoid debt and their need for financial independence.
Conversely, for the purchase of a new vehicle, 27% of 18-40 year olds would consider leasing, compared to only 9% of the over 60s. The contrast is even more marked between the regions: 27% of the Romans and 25% of Ticino consider the lease for a new vehicle, against only 12% of the German Swiss.
Buying a car, a source of fear
Surprisingly, two thirds of respondents admit that they have not been informed about the various financing methods before their purchase. Only one third actively compared several options. “Swiss consumers show a certain passivity in their approach to automotive financing,” notes the study.
For those who opt for funding, three -quarters choose the leasing, and the main source of information remains the dealer (77%). This figure even rises to 84% in French -speaking Switzerland, compared to 70% in German -speaking Switzerland, where consumers more readily consult the leasing companies (31%) directly.
Respondents identify as the main risks of financing long -term financial commitment and additional costs. The fear of not being able to assume monthly payments is particularly present in those under 25.
As for the future, if direct purchase remains the privileged mode of acquisition, leasing is gaining ground for new vehicles, especially among those under 60s. The automotive subscription, on the other hand, is struggling to convince: 73% of respondents judge him “not at all possible”.
A Swiss Automobile Landscape in full change
The electric vehicle market, which currently represents 10% of the respondents’ park, could influence these trends in the future. “The rapid depreciation of electric vehicles is a factor that pushes certain consumers to lease to avoid supporting this risk,” concludes the study.
Direct purchase therefore remains king, but mentalities are evolving: the vast majority of Swiss have its own car (92%), while alternative models such as carsharing (1%) or car subscriptions (2%) are still marginal.
In an in full changing automotive landscape, the Swiss financing habits are gradually evolving, according to the study, but attachment to direct property remains deeply anchored, reflecting a prudent and traditional approach to individual mobility.
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