People turning to DIY car servicing due to cost of living pressure
Nearly one in four drivers are either putting off getting their vehicles serviced or are doing it themselves
23% of drivers are either putting off getting their vehicles serviced or are doing it themselves due to cost of living pressure according to a new survey.
The RAC polled 1,900 UK drivers and the results showed that 10% have postponed their next car service by up to a year to save money, while 5% have delayed getting their vehicles checked for even longer due to the same reason.
An additional 10% of respondents said they have either started servicing their cars themselves or called on the assistance of a friend or relative who knows how to do it.
Car servicing at a garage involves a mechanic examining the condition of the vehicle and checking parts for wear and tear.
It often includes replacing the oil filter.
Unlike the annual MOT, a service is not a legal requirement.
The RAC acknowledged that high inflation “inevitably” leads to an increase in the price of services, but warned that failing to maintain vehicles poses myriad risks.
Rod Dennis, a spokesman for the company, said: “Not keeping on top of servicing a vehicle is almost always a false economy, as the probability of suffering a breakdown emergency and having to fork out even more for expensive repairs down the line goes up massively.
“While drivers might feel the best thing to do is to put off servicing or opt for a cheaper service even if their car is due a full one, we advise strongly against it as repair costs are likely to snowball when things start to go wrong.”
Cost of living crisis
Interest rates and inflation go up
Inflation rose by 8.8% in the 12 months to January 2023, down from 9.2% in December 2022. With interest rates also rising to 4%, those saving money will earn more interest on their finances, whilst those paying mortgages would pay more interest to the bank.
Energy bills
The price of energy went up incredibly as the cost of living crisis hit, with the gas price spike caused largely by the war in Ukraine. The price cap - which is set by an independent regulator to help offset costs onto customers - was set to rise to £3,549 for an average home in October but a price freeze from the government restricted the typical bill to £2,500. That's still an increase of 27% from the previous energy cap and as it's a cap on unit cost, the more energy you use the higher your bill will be.
Food prices
The cost of a weekly shop also has gone up as a result of the cost of living crisis. As a result of the war in Ukraine, a number of products including cooking oils and wheat have been disrupted. This means that several products are now considerably more expensive, driving bills up for customers.
Prices at the pumps
The average cost of petrol has also rose to unprecedented levels. Supply lines for petrol have been thrown into doubt as a result of the war in Ukraine, as Russia is a large export partner for gas, oil and fuel. In April 2022, the average price for a litre of petrol on the forecourt was 160.2p, whilst a litre of diesel would cost 170.5p. By late June 2022 the price had risen to an average of 190.9p for a litre of unleaded and 198.9p for a litre of diesel. In March 2023 the price wass on average of 147.03 in petrol and 167.04 in diesel.
Average cost of filling up a car with petrol hits £100
On 9th June 2022, the average cost of filling up a car with petrol hit £100 for the first time ever. Diesel had already hit that milestone. It comes as the cost of fuel hit a record high of one pound eighty a litre. The 2p rise was the biggest daily jump in 17 years. Prices have dropped by at least 20p per litre since the high point.