Rise of the 'cardrobe'
ALMOST three in four Irish motorists use their car for storage, and you’re likely to find anything from shoes to toiletries in there.
That’s according to a new survey of 528 Irish adults by car buying experts Carzone that reveals the rise of the ‘cardrobe’ whereby more and more Irish people are using their car as a second wardrobe.
Clothes are the most popular item to keep in the car (78%), followed closely by shoes (67%) and sports gear (64%). A surprising one in four admit to storing their laptop in their, car while a quarter keep beauty products or toiletries in their vehicle.
According to the Carzone poll, convenience is the main reason we keep items in our car (74%), while over one in five (22%) say they are too lazy to unpack their car on a regular basis.
Over a third (37%) say they have used their car to hide expensive purchases from their partner, but it would seem men are more likely to hide expensive items than women (43% men versus 28% women).
A significant 81% say they keep items up to the value of €400 in their car but almost half (48%) admit to being unsure whether their insurance policy would cover these items in the advent of a theft. However, just over two thirds (69%) say they are not worried about having items stolen.
While a large portion of us are using our cars as an extension of our home, 68% say they do find it off-putting getting into a car littered with clothes and gym gear.
Carzone also asked people what was the strangest thing they have ever kept in their car. A goldfish, a bale of hay, a concert-sized xylophone, a cast iron cauldron and a Christmas turkey are just some of the weird and wonderful things we have kept in our cars.
Ailish Tully, brand manager at Carzone, said it was clear from the survey findings that the 'cardrobe' is here to stay. However, she urged people to consider the value of what is being stored in their car. “Many insurance policies do not cover items stored in your car such as a phone, laptop or handbag, and with the average person keeping up to €400 worth of items in their car, these items could be costly to replace.
“Our advice is to keep valuable possessions out of plain sight in your vehicle and to always check your insurance policy so you know what it covers.”