London drivers skip car servicing to save money
Drivers in London have been identified as the most likely to skip car servicing and essential maintenance compared to other UK areas.
New research from Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) UK found that 36% of the capital’s drivers have skipped a car service due to cost.
Its survey of 2,000 UK drivers also revealed that a third (33%) of all London motorists are likely to avoid booking a car service in the next 12 months to ease cost pressures. This is followed by 21% in Wales and one in five drivers in the West Midlands.
Meanwhile, 41% of drivers in Northern Ireland and 40% of drivers in London have driven their cars despite knowing they need safety-critical maintenance, such as new tyres, tyre pressure checks, brake light replacement, or oil level top ups.
Car servicing is essential
James Taylor, head of product at VWFS UK, said: “Car servicing and maintenance is essential to ensure vehicles continue to perform safely and optimally for the long term. We know that finances are tight and, as a result, some may not be able prioritise their annual service. And it’s concerning that many London drivers are unable to afford this critical part of car ownership.
“Whilst financial pressure is causing a considerable number of drivers to put off or avoid the recommended servicing and maintenance that all vehicles need, it’s important that drivers recognise the signals that indicate something is wrong with their car.
“We want to encourage and support drivers to keep up with to their recommended annual car service and maintenance checks. This will not only optimise vehicle performance and keep drivers safe, but it can also cut future car-related costs overall.”
