A quarter of UK drivers have admitted to skipping their annual vehicle service, with cost being the main factor in their decision.
According to data from Volkswagen Financial services (VWFS), 18% also suggested they were likely to do so again in the next 12 months.
The findings come from an independent survey of 2,000 UK drivers, who were asked about their attitude towards their vehicle service, 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 their vehicle service, ensuring their cars run efficiently and safely.
Most likely to skip vehicle service
VWFS’s research also found that younger drivers, aged between 24 and 34, are more likely to skip getting their vehicle service due to cost pressures, with 38% responding in this way. This is compared to just 14% of those aged 65 and over.
And, with the cost-of-living hitting the younger generation harder, 45% of all younger drivers feel they are also likely to miss their vehicle 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.
In the same study, 24% of all drivers admitted they 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. When it comes to genders, 29% more males admit to these habits, compared to 19% of females.
Considering that funding a vehicle service, including essential 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.
Spreading the cost
Young drivers are most in favour of being able to spread costs of their vehicle service, with 69% of 25–34-year-olds recording the highest response. But 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’.
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. 25 to 34-year-olds are the most likely demographic to take this course of action, with 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, 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.
Regular servicing essential
“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,” commented James Taylor, Head of Product at VWFS UK
“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 vehicle service and maintenance that all vehicles require.
“We know that the cost-of-living continues to affect many households and understand that, naturally, some drivers may opt to skip servicing recommendations to prioritise alternative, compulsory costs. But not keeping up with regular car services and maintenance checks can compromise safety standards, and we believe drivers should be able to access the support and information they need to help them address the cost challenge.”
