UK motorists delay car repairs and maintenance over cost fears

Most common reason for delaying is fear they wouldn’t be able to afford repairs needed

UK motorists delay car repairs and maintenance over cost fears
Image: Bigstock.

Two in five people avoid going to garages in case they’re unable to afford any repairs they might face, new survey findings suggest.

Approved car dealer Dick Lovett surveyed 2,000 UK respondents to find out how many people suffer from ‘Auto Anxiety’, what the main causes are, and the challenges they face in overcoming it.

Of the people surveyed, a 35 per cent claimed that they dislike going to the car garage on their own, with 31 per cent of people opting to take someone with them when they need to go.

The reason that most gave for not wanting to go was the fear that they wouldn’t be able to afford the repairs needed.

An intimidating environment was the second most referenced, alongside feelings of anxiety when at the mechanics with over a third of people admitting to both (38 per cent).

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The ‘auto anxiety’ capital of the UK is Liverpool with over half of people surveyed admitting to feeling anxious when they visit a car garage, closely followed by Newcastle (45 per cent), and Belfast (44 per cent).

The city with the least people feeling anxiety around car garages was Brighton with only one in five people feeling apprehensive, closely followed by Plymouth at 24 per cent.

The study also revealed that while a lot of people are concerned about visiting the facilities on their own, only 27 per cent will get a second opinion, including visiting another garage or taking an expert with them to an appointment.

Some 17 per cent of people have actually delayed getting an MOT or service due to the anxiety associated with it.

The figures show that millennials (aged 24-42) are the most likely to avoid dealing with a mechanical issue and delay getting an MOT or service due to feeling uneasy.

In contrast, older drivers aged 74 and above are the most ‘auto responsible’.

Related: Over half of drivers don’t understand dashboard symbols, survey finds

No more than one in 10 motorists in that age group felt any auto anxiety.

Results found that they are also more likely to Google a question compared to ignoring warning lights or delaying an MOT.

One in three people surveyed said that they believed they had been overcharged on previous occasions.

Additionally, almost 50 per cent of women surveyed have felt uncomfortable visiting a car garage simply because of their gender.

Female mechanics account for just 10 per cent of the mechanical workers in the UK, though the current figure has risen 125 percent since 2011.

The study revealed that 40 per cent of women would trust a car garage more if there were more female mechanics.

At the other end of the spectrum, some 45 per cent of men said that people expect them to know about car mechanics purely based on their gender.

One in five men do their own car repairs at home to avoid a garage, and 31 per cent of men would like to learn more about cars to ease any nervousness.

1 Comment

  1. All we hear is, how much this mate
    All we hear is, how much is that buddy

    All we hear is do you take credit card mate
    All we hear is, can’t afford this month

    Reply

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