As pressures mount on household finances garages are seeing motorists putting off repairs. A recent survey of independent garages and franchise dealer workshops by The Motor Ombudsman, has revealed the five most deferred aspects of vehicle maintenance by car owners:

• Replacing a timing belt (79%)
• Changing the oil and filter (72%)
• Replacing worn tyres (58%)
• Fixing an engine oil leak (49%)
• Replacing worn brake pads (39%)

The pressure on household finances

Over half of the vehicle repairers (56%) polled stated that they had seen consumers readily putting off essential repairs in the past year, as households cut back in the face of rising bills.

Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: “As households across the country continue to grapple with the strain on their finances, and an increasing cost of repair when it comes to their car, our research has painted a stark picture of how vehicle maintenance can be left behind to make savings in the short-term, as well as how costs can mount up significantly if small problems are left to escalate into something much more serious.”

Bill added: “Planning ahead to budget for any unforeseen expenses is vital, because neglecting any kind of repairs may not only cause significant long-term damage to vehicles, but also lead owners to breaking the law, and compromising their own safety and that of others – all coming as a result of not acting with the right level of urgency to address concerns.”

For more details check out The Motor Ombudsman website.