Quarter of drivers delay servicing due to cost-of-living crisis

Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of motorists are delaying having their car serviced or carrying out maintenance themselves as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

The survey from the RAC found that 10 per cent had postponed a service on their car by up to a year, but five per cent had delayed this essential maintenance by more than a year, and are relying solely on the annual MOT test.

A further 10 per cent had decided to start servicing their car themselves or called in the help of a friend to do so. Of the 1,900 motorists surveyed, nine per cent had opted for cheaper servicing, such as swapping a major service for a minor one. Elsewhere, eight per cent had switched to a different garage to help save money.

While it’s easy to see why motorists are keen to save money when finances are tough, the RAC has advised motorists “strongly against” skipping on maintenance as it risks safety and increases the chance of a breakdown.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Not keeping on top of servicing a vehicle is almost always a false economy, as the probability of suffering a breakdown emergency and having to fork out even more for expensive repairs down the line go up massively.

“So, while drivers might feel the best thing to do is to put off servicing or opt for a cheaper service even if their car is due a full one, we advise strongly against it as repair costs are likely to snowball when things start to go wrong.”