Drivers warned of ‘expensive repairs’ when delaying car service

The RAC have warned that the cost-of-living crisis has led to 23 percent of drivers delaying servicing or doing it themselves to save money.

The study revealed that five percent of those surveyed had delayed getting their car maintained for over a year, instead relying on the vehicle’s annual MOT to check if it is in roadworthy condition.

Rod Dennis, a spokesperson for RAC Breakdown, explained why delaying servicing could cost you more money in the long run.

He explained: “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.

“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”.

Whilst each vehicle requires servicing at different times, the RAC recommends giving a car a full service every year or after 12,000 miles have been covered.

Rod Dennis highlighted that strong inflation driving up the price of servicing costs is one of the biggest factors discouraging people from getting their vehicle serviced.

Mr Dennis added: “We understand the cost-of-living pressures drivers are under which is why we’ve launched a range of services to help manage the costs of running a car.”

The study also revealed that another 10 percent of drivers had started to service their own car or get help from a friend or family member.

The RAC also noted that a further nine percent had swapped a full service for a cheaper alternative which would not cover some tasks such as changing the oil.

Whilst the Highway Code does not expressively require vehicles to be fully serviced each year, neglecting the health of some components could lead to an MOT failure or breakdown.

Rod Dennis explained that the RAC are introducing measures to make sure that vehicle maintenance is more affordable.

He explained: “The RAC MOT and Service Plan allows drivers to spread the cost of routine servicing and MOTs over two years, locking in a price when they take out the policy and therefore avoiding any price increases over this time.

“And with RAC Mobile Mechanics now in 20 of the UKs biggest towns and cities, it’s never been easier for drivers to get their cars serviced at home or at their place of work, avoiding the time and hassle of having to get to and from the garage.”