More fleets are now choosing to hang on to cars an extra year and de-fleet them at four years old, the Fleet Operator Attitude Survey found.

Although the majority of fleets (54%) still defleet vehicles at three years, an increasing number, up to 37% from 29% last year, are choosing to hold on into the fourth year.

With residual values holding up strongly due to a lack of defleeted volume, industry experts are concerned that fleets are holding back vehicles which will result in a sudden glut, and a potentially catastrophic fall in used car prices.

The Sewells survey also found that only a fifth of fleets take mileage into account when changing vehicles, although nearly half change their cars cover between 60,000 and 99,000 miles. Only 12% of fleets change their vehicles before 60,000 miles.

Not keeping a close tab on mileage could leave many fleets open to end-of-contract recharges for excess mileage.

The highest mileage fleets are in the construction industry, where nearly half (46%) run their cars for more than 100,000 miles, the survey found.

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