www.garagewire.co.uk – 12th November 2020
Half of UK drivers at risk after delaying essential car maintenance this year – drivers failing to service and repair their car because of reduced mileage, tighter finances and MOT extension.
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.
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.
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.”
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