The Ageing Vehicle Fleet – Opportunity or Constraint for the Aftermarket?
Industry data shows a clear and accelerating trend – drivers are replacing cars less often and running vehicles deep into their second decade. Rising living costs, long OEM lead times, and increased new vehicle prices have all contributed to owners delaying replacement cycles.
As the average vehicle age increases, so does demand for high-wear components, particularly Braking, Steering & Suspension, Filtration, Cooling, and Clutch systems. These segments sit at the core of First Line’s portfolio, placing the company in a strong position to support motor factors and workshops as they respond to changing customer needs.
Growing Demand – But Growing Complexity
An ageing car parc can naturally also bring new pressures. Extended OEM warranty coverage, modular assembly practices, and increasingly complex components are reshaping how parts fail, and how they can be replaced.
Newer vehicles often require technicians to replace entire encapsulated assemblies rather than individual components, reducing flexibility and compressing aftermarket margins. First Line products are fully BER compliant and can be fitted to vehicles in independent or main dealer workshops, even while the vehicle is still under the manufacturer’s warranty, giving factors and technicians confidence to carry out repairs safely.
First Line Ltd says that while these challenges exist, the aftermarket remains uniquely positioned to offer choice, flexibility and cost-effective independent repair or regular service in a market that depends more than ever on keeping vehicles roadworthy.
Differentiation Through Quality and Value
One clear shift in an ageing fleet landscape is polarisation between premium and value-driven product ranges. High-mileage drivers may prioritise premium components engineered for extended durability, while older low-value vehicles increasingly rely on cost-effective but trustworthy alternatives.
First Line Ltd’s dual-brand strategy is built to reflect this split:
First Line and Borg & Beck continue to deliver OE-matching premium quality for workshops requiring longevity and original performance.
Key Parts, the company’s value-driven brand, supports customers repairing older, lower-value vehicles without compromising consistency or reliability.
This portfolio breadth allows factors and technicians to make smarter, more targeted repair decisions based on a vehicle’s age, mileage, and remaining life expectancy.
Sustainability - Repair Over Replace
With sustainability becoming a defining issue for both government and industry, the aftermarket has a powerful role to play. Repairing, refurbishing and maintaining existing vehicles significantly reduces environmental impact compared with new vehicle production.
Older vehicles create a steady stream of demand for components that extend useful life and reduce waste. With more than 50,000 references across its ranges, First Line Ltd supports workshops in completing sustainable repairs that keep cars on the road, and out of scrapyards, for longer.
Kelvin Olds, Product Director at First Line Ltd commented: “The ageing vehicle parc is one of the most significant structural trends shaping the aftermarket today. It brings both opportunities and challenges, but what it absolutely guarantees is continued demand. Our role at First Line is to help motor factors and workshops turn that demand into long-term growth by providing the right products, the right quality levels, and the right value at every stage of a vehicle’s life.
“With drivers keeping their cars for longer, high-quality replacement parts become even more important. Factors and workshops need confidence that components will fit first time, perform reliably, and support sustainable repair. That’s where our investment in product development, testing and range breadth continues to make a real difference.”
Looking Ahead
As the industry prepares for another year of economic uncertainty and shifting mobility patterns, First Line Ltd believes that its ability to support both new vehicles, as well as an ageing fleet, will be one of the aftermarket’s biggest competitive advantages.
By understanding how usage patterns, warranty coverage, wear rates and vehicle lifecycle economics are changing, First Line Ltd says the sector can position itself at the heart of a long-term growth trend, one where quality, reliability and intelligent product choice matter more than ever.