Motorists 'putting off car checks'

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01 December 2009 at 09:09

A survey has revealed that motorists are deferring routine vehicle repairs, servicing and maintenance jobs in response to the recession and the rise in motoring costs.

The survey, conducted by www.glass.co.uk, found that almost half of motorists (46%) deferred some of their car-related expenditure over the past year.

A further 15% have also postponed routine servicing while 8% of motorists have deferred the decision to purchase replacement tyres.

Andy Carroll, managing director at Glass's said: "While it is inevitable that some consumers will respond to deteriorating economic conditions by cutting back on aspects of their motoring expenditure, it is concerning that scheduled services and tyre purchases are being deferred.

"These are crucial for safety, and also have an impact on resale values. Prospective buyers are always more likely to buy a car which has a full service history over one that does not. Moreover, by delaying these important checks and thus missing manufacturer-stated service intervals, motorists are putting warranty cover at risk."

About 24% of the respondents in the Glass's survey said they had put off the purchase of car accessories, such as alloy wheels and off-the-shelf satellite navigation systems, while 13% said they had pushed back a scheduled check on their vehicle's air conditioning system.

Links

Vehicle checks - http://www.rac.co.uk/vehiclechecks/

Glass's Guide - http://www.glass.co.uk/?prtid=uk44b8ucen&gclid=CJy43JGwsp4CFRGY2Aod6DoSmw