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*More than a third of drivers aged 17 to 24 (37%) are putting off necessary
repairs to their vehicles in an attempt to cut their outgoings as the
cost-of-living crisis bites, research from the 2022 RAC Report on Motoring
has found.**
Nearly a fifth of young people (16%) say they are delaying getting major
repairs made – which might include work such as replacing a handbrake or
cracked windscreen – while a huge 28% are putting off minor repairs, which
could be fixing minor oil leaks or replacing brake discs. What’s more,
young drivers are more than twice as likely (37%) as average (14%) to say
they have deliberately delayed getting any repair work completed, with
those who drive cars over 10 years of age (19%) and who live in town or
city centre areas (25%) also significantly more likely to put work off.
Perhaps surprisingly, drivers of all ages are more inclined to skip repairs
in a bid to save money than they are to either reduce how often they get
their vehicles serviced or switch to a cheaper insurer. Just one-in-10 of
all drivers (9%) say they are servicing their vehicles less frequently and
13% say they have got a cheaper insurance policy, compared to 14% who have
put off getting repairs done.
The RAC’s research found that a greater proportion of drivers in East
Anglia and London are cutting back on motoring costs to save money compared
to those in other areas of the UK. At the opposite end of the spectrum,
those in Scotland, Yorkshire and the South East of England are less
inclined to be trying to make savings.
Drivers are least keen to reduce their level of breakdown cover in the face
of rising prices, with just 3% saying they have done this. Again, younger
drivers aged 17-24 are more likely to say they have cut costs here than
other age groups, with 6% admitting to reducing their breakdown cover
levels.
*RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said:*
“Without question, putting off vehicle repairs or skipping routine
servicing are both false economies, but these figures show in all-too-stark
terms just how many drivers, especially younger ones, feel they have to do
this to lower their spending in the face of rising prices.
“The fact over a third of young drivers are deliberately delaying getting
their vehicles fixed to cut costs is actually a harbinger of future
unwelcome – and possibly far larger – garage bills. What’s more, not
getting work to a car done means the chances of it letting a driver down
shoots up, making it potentially less safe.
“And as the average age of cars on our roads is getting older due to fewer
people trading up to new cars, it looks as though many of them will also be
in a poorer overall state of repair which is bad news for everyone using
the roads. Given this, we sincerely hope the Government permanently shelves
its unpopular idea
to
change the compulsory MOT from once a year to every two years.** After all,
the MOT is the backstop when it comes to ensuring all vehicles using the
roads are roadworthy.
“Increasing prices are hitting drivers from all directions at the moment.
If the high cost of fuel isn’t bad enough, drivers who do the right thing
and take their vehicles to a garage will also see larger bills. It’s
unfortunately the case that an enormous number of car components and
consumables are affected by rising material prices, whether that’s oil that
goes into making tyres or is simply used as a lubricant, or steel that goes
into shock absorbers. The best, and indeed only, advice to drivers is to
stay on top of maintenance to avoid the prospect of a nasty bill further
down the line.
“We’re determined to help make it easier and more cost-effective for
drivers to look after their cars, which is why we’ve introduced Mobile
Mechanics in the West Midlands who can service or repair vehicles at
customers’ homes or workplaces– removing the hassle often associated with
taking a car to a garage. What’s more, with prices that rival many garages
it can be a really affordable route to keeping a car in good working order,
too.”
*More than a third of drivers aged 17 to 24 (37%) are putting off necessary
repairs to their vehicles in an attempt to cut their outgoings as the
cost-of-living crisis bites, research from the 2022 RAC Report on Motoring
has found.**
Nearly a fifth of young people (16%) say they are delaying getting major
repairs made – which might include work such as replacing a handbrake or
cracked windscreen – while a huge 28% are putting off minor repairs, which
could be fixing minor oil leaks or replacing brake discs. What’s more,
young drivers are more than twice as likely (37%) as average (14%) to say
they have deliberately delayed getting any repair work completed, with
those who drive cars over 10 years of age (19%) and who live in town or
city centre areas (25%) also significantly more likely to put work off.
Perhaps surprisingly, drivers of all ages are more inclined to skip repairs
in a bid to save money than they are to either reduce how often they get
their vehicles serviced or switch to a cheaper insurer. Just one-in-10 of
all drivers (9%) say they are servicing their vehicles less frequently and
13% say they have got a cheaper insurance policy, compared to 14% who have
put off getting repairs done.
The RAC’s research found that a greater proportion of drivers in East
Anglia and London are cutting back on motoring costs to save money compared
to those in other areas of the UK. At the opposite end of the spectrum,
those in Scotland, Yorkshire and the South East of England are less
inclined to be trying to make savings.
Drivers are least keen to reduce their level of breakdown cover in the face
of rising prices, with just 3% saying they have done this. Again, younger
drivers aged 17-24 are more likely to say they have cut costs here than
other age groups, with 6% admitting to reducing their breakdown cover
levels.
*RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said:*
“Without question, putting off vehicle repairs or skipping routine
servicing are both false economies, but these figures show in all-too-stark
terms just how many drivers, especially younger ones, feel they have to do
this to lower their spending in the face of rising prices.
“The fact over a third of young drivers are deliberately delaying getting
their vehicles fixed to cut costs is actually a harbinger of future
unwelcome – and possibly far larger – garage bills. What’s more, not
getting work to a car done means the chances of it letting a driver down
shoots up, making it potentially less safe.
“And as the average age of cars on our roads is getting older due to fewer
people trading up to new cars, it looks as though many of them will also be
in a poorer overall state of repair which is bad news for everyone using
the roads. Given this, we sincerely hope the Government permanently shelves
its unpopular idea
to
change the compulsory MOT from once a year to every two years.** After all,
the MOT is the backstop when it comes to ensuring all vehicles using the
roads are roadworthy.
“Increasing prices are hitting drivers from all directions at the moment.
If the high cost of fuel isn’t bad enough, drivers who do the right thing
and take their vehicles to a garage will also see larger bills. It’s
unfortunately the case that an enormous number of car components and
consumables are affected by rising material prices, whether that’s oil that
goes into making tyres or is simply used as a lubricant, or steel that goes
into shock absorbers. The best, and indeed only, advice to drivers is to
stay on top of maintenance to avoid the prospect of a nasty bill further
down the line.
“We’re determined to help make it easier and more cost-effective for
drivers to look after their cars, which is why we’ve introduced Mobile
Mechanics in the West Midlands who can service or repair vehicles at
customers’ homes or workplaces– removing the hassle often associated with
taking a car to a garage. What’s more, with prices that rival many garages
it can be a really affordable route to keeping a car in good working order,
too.”
