Half of UK drivers at risk after delaying essential car maintenance this year

Drivers failing to service and repair their car because of educed mileage, tighter finances and MOT extension

Half of UK drivers at risk after delaying essential car maintenance this year
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Nearly half of UK motorists have put off servicing their cars or carrying out essential maintenance this year, new research suggests.

Some 48 per cent of drivers have spent less time looking after their vehicle amid plummeting car usage and the six-MOT extension.

In the poll of more than 2,000 motorists aged between 18 to 65, just under a third admitted that their car was currently displaying a warning light, or that they were driving it fully aware that it had mechanical issues.

This lack of attention to car maintenance could even be putting lives at risk; tyres were the most ignored area, with 68 per cent of respondents admitting that they hadn’t checked their tyres since the beginning of the year.

Related: MOT demand peaks with test stations now facing a fall in volume

Of those that did check them, more than a quarter said that they knew that their tyres needed replacing but hadn’t done so because of the cost of new ones.

The average mileage for a car has dropped by more than half in the UK – vehicles are expected to cover just 3,500 miles in 2020, down from 8,000 in 2019.

Some 40 per cent of drivers blamed how little they were using their cars for not checking mechanical issues – other reasons given included tighter finances and delayed MOTs.

Oil changes and dashboard warning lights were also likely to be ignored.

Related: Average independent garage labour rates revealed

Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert for Money.co.uk warned: “With most regular drivers making smaller, more infrequent journeys, it’s easy to see why some might be tempted to put off repairs and maintenance, especially particularly expensive work.

“However, doing so could have serious consequences to the safety of your journey, and even invalidate your insurance.”

Home Page Forums Half of UK drivers at risk after delaying essential car maintenance this year

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  • #203796 Reply

    Nearly half of UK motorists have put off servicing their cars or carrying out essential maintenance this year, new research suggests. Some 48 per cent
    [See the full post at: Half of UK drivers at risk after delaying essential car maintenance this year]

    #203803 Reply
    Meat-Head
    Blocked

    Get no end of cars in all the time that have only had the bonnet
    Lifted due to a non start situation.

    Nobody wants to pay anything for anything, you get the odd customer that does.
    Most the time dont give customers the choice of a cheaper part, odd job yes.

    As for warning lights “it’s just a light, its been on six months, my retest for mot expires tomorrow”

    “How many corners can you cut®” Helps a lot of the time.

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