Brits Aren’t Repairing Their Cars Due To Surging Costs
Brits are putting off repairing their cars because of money worries, according to a new survey. It’s also shed light on the disturbing half-measures some of us are using to get around faults and defects…
Disturbing Figures
The survey, which was conducted by Halfords, has revealed the lengths Brits are going to to avoid repairing their motors. For example, 18% of the respondents said they’d continued to drive their cars even after becoming aware of a fault. 13% suggested this was the case even when the problem was ‘serious’. Alarmingly, 23% of respondents said they’d ignored faults with their braking systems. Other problems often concerned suspensions, exhausts and steering. A large number of motorists ignore bodywork, too, 39% to be precise. An additional one in five of us also ignore electrical problems. On average, we’re leaving faults unaddressed for a staggering ten months. Perhaps most worrying of all, however, is the fact that younger drivers are the most likely to neglect repairs because of money trouble. One in three drivers aged between 25 – 34 admitted to ignoring important repairs; compared to just 7% of those over 55. That’s particularly troubling given that younger motorists are the most likely to face accidents anyway.
Quick Fixes
Even more worrying is the fact that many drivers are opting for their own, ‘botched’ repair jobs. The survey discovered that many of us are opting for solutions straight out of a cartoon. 20% of us, for instance, have used the likes of string, newspaper, stockings and gaffer tape to keep our cars moving. Bob Masters, a spokesman for Halfords, sympathised with motorists who are struggling with the mounting costs of ownership. He did, however, stress the dangers of neglecting repairs and maintenance, “there’s no doubt that rising cost of living is squeezing household budgets, forcing people to make difficult choices on how they spend their money”. He added, “but motorists who avoid repairing safety-critical items such as brakes, steering and suspension could be putting themselves and others in danger”.
No matter how important our cars might be to us, either for sentimental or practical reasons, they’re never worth our own safety; or that of other people. If you can’t afford to keep your car road-worthy, you can’t afford to drive; a tough but honest message, repairing our cars is a responsibility towards all road-users. That said, there are a wide variety of ways in which motorists can reduce their bills and safely; you just need to take a little time to assess your options. Check out the Autoserve Club’s Member benefits and latest offers for massive savings opportunities; and our blogs for practical advice and motoring news.
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