- One in five UK drivers admit not repairing a vehicle they know to be faulty because they can’t afford repair cost
- Avoidance drops to 8.5% amongst over 55s
- Average UK car repair cost is £300
- Rising inflation means motorists are compromising car maintenance
Nearly one in five* UK motorists admit to driving their car despite knowing it needs repairs because they can’t afford the bill, according to new research by car maintenance and ownership service, motoreasy.
The claim comes at a time when the Government is considering extending the start of MoT testing – which checks the road legality of every vehicle – from three-year-old cars to vehicles aged four years.
According to motoreasy, which manages car maintenance and repairs on behalf of the motorist, nearly 25%** of under 55s admit to ignoring necessary repair work on their vehicles. In comparison, that figure falls to just 8.5% from over 55s.
The findings come as annual inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index, reached 1.8% in January – its highest level since 2014.
Men are more inclined to dodge necessary car repairs than women, with 19.5% and 17.3% respectively claiming to have driven cars carrying faults like worn brake pads and discs or broken suspension springs and shock absorbers. Warning lights – especially when intermittent – are frequently ignored, leading to costly repairs.
Drivers in the North West (14.8%) and East Midlands (15%) are least likely to skip repairs, where as those surveyed in Scotland (22.8%) were most prone to avoiding repairs because of the cost. When questioned, London (18%) motorists reflected the national average of 18.8%.
Motorists who have continued to drive cars in need of repair
| East Anglia | East Midlands | London | North East | North West | England | |
| Yes | 20.69% | 15% | 17.98% | 23.58% | 14.83% | 18.68% |
| No | 79.31% | 85% | 82.02% | 76.42% | 85.17% | 81.32% |
| Scotland | South East | South West | Wales | West Midlands | Yorkshire and the Humber |
|
| Yes | 22.78% | 20.60% | 18.83% | 15.89% | 19.17% | 17.41% |
| No | 77.22% | 79.40% | 81.17% | 84.11% | 80.83% | 82.59% |
“Drivers are clearly prioritising other commitments if faults occur between annual MoT tests,” said Duncan McClure Fisher of motoreasy. “Naturally, that comes with a risk – especially if it relates to safety-critical items like brakes, steering, power and visibility.
“That is a risk to all road users, not just the faulty vehicle and its occupants.”
motoreasy’s concierge-like service provides customers with their own personal technician, who liaises with garages and negotiates lower prices for parts and labour on their behalf.
*based on a survey of 2,000 drivers (2,000 responses). Actual figure 18.35%.
**Actual figure 24.72%.
motoreasy takes the stress and hassle out of car maintenance and ownership for the motorist. As the trusted home of car maintenance and ownership, motoreasy provides independently-approved, nationwide MOT and servicing, repairs, market-leading warranty protection, breakdown cover, GAP insurance plus much more.
Designed to make motorists’ lives easier, membership of motoreasy gives customers an online home for all car-related documents and automatically provides members with MOT, tax and annual service reminders, as well as recall notifications, live valuations and the ability to track vehicle repair progress live 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Founded by motor industry stalwart, Duncan McClure Fisher, themotoreasy proposition has been designed with the know-how and first-hand experience gained from supporting over 500,000 UK drivers during the last 20 years.
motoreasy is part of a group of companies, which includes Warranty Assist, provider of UK & Irish dealer warranty plans; AutoTrust, a warranty provider in the Netherlands; Motor Angel, a fleet-to-garage trading platform and MinsterSoft, a SAAS warranty platform offering sales & claims functionality.