Over one million UK drivers have skipped their last service

One in 10 drivers across the UK are skipping their vehicle service, with a third citing cost and as the main reason for holding off.

The new research from Green Flag, which polled just over 2,000 UK drivers, also showed that 5% are unsure if their car is due for a service, but a quarter said they also felt like their car didn’t need one because they believe the vehicle “is running fine”.

Six per cent also felt their car was so old it wasn’t worth it.

Green Flag estimates that there could be as many as two million vehicles without a current service with potential defects on UK roads.

The stats hint at the need for dealerships and garages to check their servicing data and review their marketing and communication strategies for vehicle health checks, service reminders and service plans.

When drivers do get their car serviced, their provider of choice tends to change depending on the age of the vehicle.

As might be expected, dealerships where vehicles were purchased were more popular than independent garages in the first two years (52% vs 28%).

Once a car hits five or six years, however - when the warranty is likely to have expired, just over half of drivers go to an independent garage (52%) over a dealer (31%).

Two thirds of drivers confirmed the main reason they get their cars serviced is to ensure the car’s safety (66%) and over half (55%) wanted to avoid a breakdown.

More than a third (35%) also do so to ensure they maintain the potential resale value of their car.

Katie Lomas, managing director of Green Flag, said: “To see such a large number of vehicles on the road without being serviced recently is concerning for both drivers and other road users.

“It can increase the likelihood of breakdowns and accidents, which could be easily avoided by getting it regularly checked by a professional.”

Main reasons for UK drivers not servicing their vehicle (those whose service is not up to date)