Aftersales specialists still have a long way to go in convincing drivers of the necessity of regular servicing, in particular with regard to the benefits outweighing the cost.

• 52% of drivers admitted to typically putting off car maintenance
• 62% said cost is the primary reason they put off car maintenance
• The cost of car maintenance is a particular issue for older drivers

The results come from a survey commissioned by dealer Evans Halshaw, a trading company of Pendragon.

It was found that women are more likely than men to put off maintenance, with 56% of women and 47% of men admitting to delaying car care.

The cost of getting work done was the most commonly cited reason for putting off maintenance (62%).

The hassle of having to fit getting to a garage in around other commitments was an issue for 47% of respondents; finding a trustworthy mechanic and the worry about not having a car while it's in the garage were also common problems (32% and 24% respectively).

The 'hassle' of finding time to book their car into a garage is a bigger issue for people aged 18-24 than it is for it is for any other age demographic.

Three-quarters of those aged 65 and over said cost was a barrier to carrying out car maintenance. The oldest demographic also seems to have the biggest concerns about finding a trustworthy mechanic, with the 40% of this age group citing this as a reason for putting off car maintenance.

Despite these concerns of cost and trust, drivers aged 65 and over are the least likely to put off car maintenance: only 22% of respondents in the age bracket said they typically put it off. In contrast, young drivers are the most likely to put it off, with 68% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 69% of 25 to 34-year-olds saying so.

Emma Pochin, aftersales marketing leader at Evans Halshaw, said: “For lots of people their car is such an important part of daily routine, so it’s sometimes easy to take it for granted.

“We find many of our customers are now taking our pay monthly service plan - it’s interest free and an easier way to spread their servicing costs rather than pay for it all in one go. We also find customers like the flexibility of being able to make a booking online - they can check the cost, find their nearest dealer, arrange any extras such as courtesy cars and confirm an appointment time - so it’s about making things as easy as possible for the customer.”