Underlining just how time-poor so many of us are, the survey found drivers aged 17 to 34 and 35 to 44 are far more likely to view servicing and repairs as a major inconvenience – four-in-10 (38%) of drivers in these groups see it as a hassle, compared to just 15% of those aged 65 to 74.
The top bugbear for those who regard repairs and servicing as a pain is the time getting to and from the garage (for 68% of these drivers) – rather than the time they’re without a car while it’s been worked on (for just 47% of these drivers). Not knowing how long a car will be at a garage is also a clear annoyance, cited by four-in-10 (42%) drivers.
The RAC’s research also shines a light on why drivers find getting to the garage so frustrating, especially if they don’t live in towns and cities. More than a third of all drivers who get their vehicle serviced or repaired (35%) have to travel five or more miles to a garage, a figure that rises to 48% for those who live in rural locations. As many as 7% of respondents – or an estimated 2.4m drivers – face the unenviable task of travelling over 20 miles to get to a garage, rising to 10% for those in rural locations.**
More than a fifth of drivers (22%) meanwhile depended on someone giving them a lift to and from the garage the last time around, with 10% using public transport and 4% having to pay for a taxi. These are all costs to motorists in terms of both time and money which most would probably rather do without.
Several drivers the RAC surveyed provided first-hand accounts of the hassle they encounter with routine servicing and repairs. Some described having to take two buses to and from a garage, while others complained about having to take annual leave: “Nowhere has a courtesy car I can use while mine is being serviced, so I have to take a day off work and wait at the garage while my car is serviced – which takes more than three hours. Not how I'd choose to spend a day off!”
The frustration of dealing with booked-up garages a long way from home might explain why a fifth of drivers (18%) who get their vehicles serviced don’t always do so on time – increasing the risk of them breaking down in the future. But it’s also a question of cost, with 45% of those who don’t get their cars looked at professionally saying it’s because they are short on cash.
The worry of a garage finding something else wrong with a vehicle when it’s in for a service could also be a factor: the likelihood of this happening to drivers is 28%, according to the RAC’s figures. As a result, a quarter (24%) of drivers who have found themselves in this situation say shelling out for unexpected costs actually puts them off servicing their car in the future.
To support drivers in always getting servicing and repairs done on time, and for the ultimate in convenience, the RAC now has a nationwide network of mobile mechanics who can complete this work at motorists’ homes or workplaces – removing the need to have to go to a garage. More information is available online.
RAC chief executive of mobile servicing and repairs Paul Coward said: “Simply put, keeping on top of servicing and repairing a vehicle is the best way to avoid it breaking down in the future. But it’s clear there are some common factors that conspire against us getting our cars looked at as soon as we should.
“Whether it’s the difficulty of finding a slot at a garage, a lack of courtesy cars, or the time we have to take out of our days to get to and from a garage, there’s certainly a degree of ‘repairs rigmarole’ involved that drivers would probably like to do without. And it’s those drivers who are short of time – the working population and those with families – as well as people who live in more rural areas who appear to be most affected.
“Our nationwide Mobile Mechanics service helps solve this by giving drivers the chance to get their vehicles serviced at home or at their workplace – removing the need to go to a garage. Our mechanics can also complete a wide variety of repairs at home, whether that’s fitting new brake pads and discs or replacing a spring that’s failed after hitting a pothole.
“Skipping repairs, or delaying or even cancelling planned servicing, is a false economy – you’ll always end up with a bigger bill down the line. And a car that’s not been looked after and has a patchy service history is worth less and is harder to sell on in the future.”
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* RAC research conducted among 1,050 UK motorists in February 2025, who hold a full, current, UK driving licence and drive at least once a month. Results were weighted to match official DVLA driving licence interlocking age and gender profiles
** Based on there being an estimated 34.52m full car licence holders in the UK (source: DVLA NTS0201)
