Motorists have been putting off essential car repairs over the past year in a bid to save money, according to the results of a garages survey published today.
More than half of vehicle repairers (56%) polled by The Motor Ombudsman (TMO) said car owners had readily put off repairs amid financial pressures.
According to the survey of independent garages and franchise dealer workshops, replacing engine timing belts topped the most overlooked area of vehicle maintenance (79%).
Forgoing oil changes (72%), not replacing worn tyres (58%), leaving oil leaks unresolved (49%), and shunning brake pad replacements (39%), were the other principal repairs left to linger by consumers, TMO said.
Nearly half of vehicle repairers reported customers delaying fixing a leak, which costs around £355 to rectify, which TMO said is a small price to pay relative to the potential bill if this is left to fester.
TMO chief ombudsman and MD, Bill Fennell, 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.”
Rebecca Pullan, MD at the TMO-accredited Carmaster Garage in Harrogate, said: “As tempting as it may be to avoid paying out for repairs, this often proves a false economy, and we are therefore reinforcing to motorists that it’s absolutely crucial to visit a garage as soon as they identify something may be wrong, to nip any issues in the bud there and then.”
The survey saw 125 service and repair businesses respond online between March 6 and 13, 2025. The full results are online.
