Money pressure delay essential repairs

One in seven drivers put off essential repairs because of financial struggles.

According to Gocompare.com Car Insurance, a third (37%) of motorists drove up to 500 additional miles before getting their car serviced or repaired, 15% delayed repairing or servicing their car while nearly a fifth (18%) have driven their car with one or more warning light rather than pay for a repair.

The survey of 2,000 UK motorists found that replacing tyres was the repair most likely to be delayed by motorists with brake related problems, mechanical repairs and windscreen repairs also highlighted.

Drivers aged 25-34 were the most likely to delay a repair and service, while drivers aged 55 or older were the least likely to delay car maintenance.

Matt Oliver, car insurance spokesperson for Gocompare.com, said, ‘If you’re on a tight budget, it can be tempting to delay car maintenance and repairs to save money. However, poorly maintained cars can become unreliable, with drivers more likely to break down or contribute to an accident. And while you might think you are saving money in the short term, postponing or avoiding services and repairs may prove more costly in the future.

‘Worryingly, our research revealed that nearly a fifth of drivers have put off replacing their tyres. UK law requires you to have a minimum depth of 1.6mm of tread on your car’s tyres. The depth of tread on your tyres makes a big difference to your car’s stopping distance, particularly in wet weather.

‘If you’re stopped while driving a car with tyres that are damaged or worn beyond the legal limit you could face three penalty points for each tyre and £2,500 in fines.

‘On top of that, if poor car maintenance leads to an accident you could face criminal charges for driving a vehicle in an un-roadworthy and dangerous condition. This could also invalidate your car insurance leaving you to foot the bill should you need to make a claim.’

 

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