KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — A recent survey found that over 90 per cent of Malaysians are concerned about taking public transportation amidst the Covid-19 health threat, preferring to self-drive as a safety measure.

The survey, conducted by a tech-driven automotive content hub, WapCar also found that respondents are prudently opting to reduce spending and lower their budget for a car.

The findings showed 57.9 per cent of respondents will not take public transportation while 32.7 per cent will, despite being concerned about health safety.

Of the 318 respondents surveyed, many (55.4 per cent) say they are reconsidering their plans to buy a car in the next six months.

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“It appears that while Malaysians are concerned about their safety, they will continue to take public transportation out of prudence or because they have no other alternative,” WapCar said.

The findings reflect car sales trend as well as the spike in demand for used cars in Malaysia in June 2020 that was recently reported by Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) and Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Association of Malaysia.

The survey supported MAA’s announcement that car sales will trend towards cheaper and fuel efficient vehicles.

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Price and discounts will influence the current car purchase decision with 83 per cent of respondents noting these as the most important consideration factors.

Almost 47 per cent of the respondents are only willing to spend less than RM100,000 for their next car purchase.

The survey also showed that 70 per cent of the respondents are concerned about the economic situation and this affected their decision in buying new cars.

Almost 50 per cent of the respondents said they are extra cautious on their spending and prefer to save for emergencies instead of purchasing big ticket items such as cars in the next six months.

The survey was conducted for over a week in July by WapCar to understand the concerns of car buyers and how the automotive industry can meet these requirements. — Bernama