Over half of UK motorists are delaying essential car maintenance, including servicing, to save money during the ongoing cost of living crisis. This trend raises concerns about vehicle safety and the potential for increased costs in the long term.
A recent survey revealed that 53% of motorists are avoiding vehicle maintenance to reduce expenses. Additionally, 56% of garages anticipate customers delaying vital repairs, including MOT checks.
Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and managing director of The Motor Ombudsman, commented: “Households across the UK are facing some tough financial choices. While it may be tempting to cut back on car maintenance, this can lead to greater costs and safety risks down the line. We therefore encourage households to prioritise essential repairs that ensure their vehicles remain safe and legal when on the road. By shopping around at Motor Ombudsman-accredited garages, who help consumers make informed decisions about maintenance, households can protect their finances and ensure their vehicles serve them well for years to come.”
The Motor Ombudsman warns that postponing maintenance can lead to more complex mechanical problems, higher repair costs, reduced fuel efficiency, and a greater risk of breakdowns.
Of particular concern is the potential for vehicle abandonment at garages. 28% of garages believe customers may abandon their cars if repair costs become too high or the vehicle is deemed uneconomical to repair.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has also highlighted the pressure on the garage sector due to the “stagnant” MOT fee, capped at £54.85 for cars, light commercial vehicles, and motorhomes, and £29.65 for motorcycles. The IGA has written to government ministers, noting that the MOT fee cap has remained unchanged for 14 years, causing significant financial strain on testing stations.
Have you ever had a car left abandoned at your garage over non-payment? Let us know below and how you dealt with it.
Source: Birmingham Mail
JAMIE
This has happened twice to us here at our garage, and this particular issue can be a massive headache as we (garage owners) have no back up or anywhere to go or get help, especially if the customer refuses to respond to calls, emails ect.
we have had to reconstruct our own rules around payments when over x amount
Peter Davidson
Jamie
I’m sure you have covered this but we now ask for money up front for car parts to be fitted so at least we have the parts covered and we can live with the labour thing. If it’s a big job lots of hours there is no harm in asking for 50% up front to start the work just like builders do.
As you don’t own the car you can’t scrap it so only way is this way to limit losses to you. I still have a 400 caliper on my shelf from years ago that will end up in the scrap bin as it’s for a weird car, no chance of selling on at any price.
graham+cox
we adopt a simple policy
anyone that we have not seen before we take a deposit on parts and make it clear that if vehicle is not collected after 48 hours of fixing we charge a fee for storage
this has stopped all the timewasters and no marks from using us and as such we now have zero debt
try it
Marie
The caliper you have just put it on ebay or facebook and you will be suprised to find that there is someone looking for it.
Mark
I’m scrapping two cars on Monday,i have had the cars left with me for two and three years respectively, despite my calls being ignored, i don’t have the space for them, i have even kept them at home to free off some space at the workshop, there’s being reasonable and also being had for a fool