AS LIVING COSTS RISE, CAR OWNERS CONSIDER MISSING OR DELAYING SERVICE

A study by the Motor Ombudsman found that 68% of car owners who said they were looking to make savings due to rapidly increasing living costs, planned to reduce motoring-related expenditure during 2022

The study polled more than 2,000 car owners and found the majority (56%) of respondents who do not currently have a service plan in place are planning to miss (33%) or delay (23%) their vehicle annual service and surpass the manufacturers recommended interval.

Bill Fennell, chief ombudsman and managing director of the Motor Ombudsman, said: “April has seen a coming together of several cost of living increases, which have unfortunately hit the wallets of consumers all at the same time. It’s therefore inevitable that something has to give, and our study has shown that servicing and vehicle maintenance is being seen as less of a priority.

"This is of course concerning – not following the vehicle manufacturer’s servicing schedule, and not taking their car to a garage to be looked at by a professional in the event of any mechanical problems is essentially compromising the safety and value of the vehicle.”

Although not all car owners felt the same way as 35% of car owners appreciated and recognised  that fulfilling and completing a service history improved the resale value of a car, with around one in three (29%) agreeing that keeping to a vehicle manufacturer’s servicing schedule helps to maintain the validity of a car's warranty and stay fully protected if they wished to make a claim whilst the agreement was in force.

Living costs across the nation saw a 54% increase in the price cap for gas and electricity bills, and rises in council tax and Vehicle Excise Duty, which all came into force at the beginning of April. People across the nation a vehicle owner or not, will need to consider more than ever how cut backs can be made and aftersales services could be the first to go for many.

The aftersales sector has already lost an estimated £600m over the last two years due to decline of new car sales because of the coronavirus pandemic and semiconductor shortage. Over 5 million drivers are now turning to online tools such as Book My Garage. 2021 Book my Garage served more than two million instant prices to customers for MOTs, servicing and repairs.

These insights are clear that education and campaigns can be implemented by brands, highlighting to customers not carrying out a service when needed may save money now, but may not save money in the long run. Motorists need to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and information at the right time can help change the perception to what should be a spending priority.