Have you put off your cars service?
Posted by Richard Sinclair
As the cost of motoring and living in general continue to increase in the UK, many drivers are being tempted to put off taking their beloved motor for a check-up.
While it may save some money in the short term, the simple fact is that putting off services, where minor issues may be spotted, could be costing motorists as much as £2,000 a year in repair bills to fix issues when they escalate.
According to a study by the AA, more and more people are skipping their car's service in a bid to save a few pennies, but insurance and warranty specialists MB&G said the practice is in fact a false economy.
Servicing can be an expensive process, particularly with franchised dealerships, but ultimately they are far cheaper than correcting damage further down the line.
According to MB&G, missing a single service on a car over three years old could cost the owner more than £2,200 over its life – a figure based on the average cost of repairing the major issues that could have been prevented during a service.
Issues including poor wheel alignment, which can cause uneven tyre wear, driveshaft and steering rack wear, potentially costing around £600 if both need to be replaced, and low oil levels, which can impact on an engine, can all be spotted during a service.
Allan Simpson of MB&G said: "We understand that drivers are looking to save money where they can, and although they may think they are saving by not servicing their car, they could be in for a nasty surprise a few months down the road.
A service generally costs somewhere in the region of £300 and could save you a large chunk of change, so why not spend a little to save a lot?
