Fear of unexpected repairs puts 3.8m drivers off getting their car serviced

Half of UK drivers (47%) worry about having to pay for unexpected car repairs when they get their vehicles serviced, new research has found.

The survey of 2,000 drivers for the RAC¹ found that it is those drivers in London, the West Midlands and Northern Ireland who get most agitated, with a majority of respondents in these areas saying they get concerned about hidden problems coming to light.

But perhaps more worryingly, a quarter of all drivers (24%) who worry about unexpected problems with their cars – the equivalent of 3.8m people – say that this uncertainty actually puts them off getting their car maintained in the future, suggesting there may be millions of cars on the UK’s roads that are in a less-than-perfect condition.

The research also found that when it comes to a vehicle’s annual MOT of roadworthiness, drivers are regularly forking out hundreds of pounds to pass. While the cost of the test is never any more than £55, more than half of drivers (52%) have paid £300 or more to get their car through the MOT, with 5% of drivers – the equivalent of 1.7m people – having paid a staggering £1,000 or more to get their vehicle through the test.

Have you ever had a nasty surprise when you took your vehicle in to the garage? Let us know your servicing horror stories in the comments below.

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