A quarter of UK drivers skipping annual car service due to financial pressures

A quarter of UK drivers admit to skipping their annual vehicle service due to cost, with 18% stating that they’re likely to do so again in the next 12 months, according to new research by Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) UK.

The findings come from an independent survey of 2,000 UK drivers, who were asked about their attitude towards vehicle servicing, key pain points, and their knowledge of vehicle dashboard warning symbols.

With the cost-of-living continuing to affect many households, VWFS wanted to understand how this could be impacting driver behaviour.

The results demonstrate that the cost of keeping a car in good shape can feel like a burden for a lot of drivers, especially as cost-of-living continues to grip many households.

This has resulted in many drivers feeling they need to cut corners when it comes to ensuring their vehicles run efficiently and safely.

Cost pressures compromising car servicing and safety

The research also found that younger drivers, aged between 24 and 34, are more likely (38%) to skip getting their car serviced due to cost pressures.

This is compared to just 14% of those aged 65 and over.

And with the cost-of-living hitting the younger generation harder, almost half (45%) of all younger drivers feel they’re also likely to miss their car service in the next 12 months, further compromising the performance of their cars, as well as potentially creating safety issues for themselves and other road users. Comparatively, just 10% of those aged 55 to 64 said the same.

Drivers taking chances

Nearly a quarter (24%) of all drivers are choosing to take additional risks. They admit to driving their car despite knowing it requires essential safety maintenance, such as needing new tyres, tyre pressure checks, brake light replacement or oil level top ups. The trend continues as 53% of 25 to 34-year-olds are most likely to ignore such warnings. More males (29%) admit to these habits compared to females (19%).

Tackling the cost of servicing

Considering that funding servicing and essential car maintenance is an ongoing challenge for drivers, 39% said they are interested in finding out more about how they could spread the financial cost and pay via regular monthly payments instead of a single bill.

As a result, servicing and maintenance plans as an add-on are becoming an increasingly attractive option when taking out car finance.

Young drivers are most in favour of being able to spread costs, with 69% of 25–34-year-olds recording the highest response. But nearly a quarter (23%) of those 65 and over also consider this to be a helpful way to fund ongoing car maintenance obligations.

According to the 60% of drivers who voted in favour of spreading costs, the main reason is that it would ‘ensure I get all necessary servicing and maintenance’, while 30% admit such a solution would mean they are ‘less likely to skip recommended servicing and maintenance’.

Safety first knowledge levels

There was general understanding across all age ranges that ‘yellow warning lights’ on the car dashboard flag up potential problems that need checking as soon as possible.

Worryingly, 58% of drivers also say that they would keep driving to their destination despite seeing a ‘red warning light’ on their dashboard.

The 25 to 34-year-old age bracket are the most likely demographic to take this course of action, with over two thirds (63%) saying they would continue driving regardless of the red signal.

When asked to identify common but important dashboard warning signals, just under half of drivers correctly identified symbols such as ‘tyre pressure’ and ‘check engine’.

However, one in five (20%) had no idea of the symbol indicating a problem with car tyre pressures and 8% did not recognise the red ‘check engine’ sign, which could be a precursor to a much bigger problem. 

James Taylor, head of product at VWFS UK, said: “Regular car servicing and maintenance is essential to optimise driving performance, keep vehicles safe both for the driver and other road users and cut future car-related costs overall. 

“Our research highlights that a considerable number of drivers, especially those in younger age groups, continue to experience cost pressures and more likely to avoid or delay the recommended servicing and maintenance that all vehicles require."

Taylor said cost-of-living continues to affect many households, so naturally, some drivers may opt to skip servicing recommendations to prioritise alternative, compulsory costs.

He added that service plans can offer an option for customers to spread the cost in a more affordable way.

Taylor said: “Some benefits of a service plan include a fixed cost that guarantees customers are covered for the duration they chose, have no interest on monthly payments and have access to approved parts and trained technicians nationwide.

"Such plans can lift a lot of the financial burden for drivers, so we recommend people ask their dealership about potential service plans to ensure their cars remain safe for the road, with no unexpected costs, all year round.”