Nearly one in four car drivers are putting off getting their vehicles serviced or doing it themselves due to cost of living pressures, according to a survey.
The RAC said a poll of 1,900 UK drivers showed that 10% have postponed their next car service by up to a year to save money, while 5% have delayed getting their vehicles checked for even longer due to the same reason.
An additional 10% said they have either started servicing their cars themselves or called on the assistance of a friend or relative who knows how to do it.
Unlike the annual MOT, a service is not a legal requirement.
The RAC acknowledged that high inflation “inevitably” leads to an increase in the price of servicing, but warned that failing to maintain vehicles poses myriad risks.
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 goes up massively.
“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.”
The RAC surveyed 1,900 UK motorists who were part of its driver opinion panel in March. The figures were weighted to be nationally representative.
