Drivers Are Giving Up Holidays And Wedding Plans To Pay For Repairs
New research has revealed that drivers are forgoing holidays and suspending wedding plans in order to pay for car repairs…
Cutting Back
Conducted by Halfords, new research has shed light on just how expensive unexpected repair bills have become for drivers. Consisting of the views of 2,000 drivers, it revealed that a whopping 34% of them have given up on travel plans to keep their vehicles on the road. The figure rises further still for younger motorists aged between 18 and 24. In addition, 47% have wavered on holiday plans and 40% have skipped on Christmas presents. Even more depressingly, 12% of respondents reported that they’d postponed a wedding in order to cover their motoring costs. As it stands, the average cost of an unexpected repair bill is an intimidating £584.48. Overall, 76% of the 2,000 drivers included in the research said they’d faced such a bill.
Unsurprisingly, 22% of the responding drivers said they’d struggled to cover the costs of unexpected repair work on their vehicles. For younger drivers, the figure rises sharply to one in three. The methods drivers are resorting to in raising the required funds are diverse. Some 33% rely on friends and family for a loan, 52% use a credit card and 3% have even sold some of their possessions. As you might suspect, a significant number of motorists are avoiding repairs altogether. Just over a quarter of respondents (27%) have skipped repairs due to the associated costs and 16% have broken down as a result. Furthermore, one in four drivers have scrapped a car rather than pay to repair it and 18% have made things worse by trying to correct faults themselves.
How To Save Money And Safely
Martin Barber, a spokesman for Halfords, was taken aback by the measures being taken by some motorists. He said, “getting an unexpected car repair bill is an unwelcome surprise at the best of times, but we were shocked at how many drivers are putting off repairing their car or sacrificing holiday spending to afford essential repair work”. No matter how we look at it, driving is expensive; it’s probably the largest and far-reaching source of expenditure many of us will ever face (after a mortgage or rent). But whilst driving is an unavoidable fact of life for millions of us, scrimping on repair and maintenance work is never a good idea; it exposes us, and other road-users, to substantial risk.
One way to avoid unexpected repair bills is to regularly service your car via a professional garage. This may sound counter-productive; but it’s better to pay manageable sums to keep on top of problems than dealing with substantial ones. In fact, a number of basic checks can be carried out at home. You can check and top-up fluid levels, change light bulbs, inspect tyre treads and air pressures and determine how healthy your car’s battery is. In addition, never accept a garage’s quote at face value, shop around instead and never raise your nose at an independent. Finally, recognise that your driving style has a massive impact on the longevity and performance of your vehicle. Use gears correctly, brake with plenty of time and avoid needless acceleration; your wallet will thank you later.
British Drivers Are ‘Too Scared’ To Get Their Cars Serviced – https://autoserveclub.co.uk/blog/british-drivers-are-too-scared-to-get-their-cars-serviced/
Rising Car Costs Linked To Car Crashes, According To Research – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/rising-car-costs-car-crashes/
