Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

NEW research from Prima, the specialist car insurance provider, reveals that only 22% (1 in 5) Brits perform maintenance on their vehicles every 3 months, suggesting that millions of drivers could be risking breakdowns, costly repairs or worse. Worryingly, a further 5% admit to never maintaining their car, whilst 8% wait until they are prompted by a warning light before acting.

Neglecting maintenance isn't just inconvenient, it's a legal and financial hazard. You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition. The Highway Code suggests regular checking your car is roadworthy, something most Brits clearly aren't doing.

Drilling down into the reasons for this, 33% reported that are not confident in knowing when maintenance is needed. Out of these, 9% report being not at all confident. This highlights a gap in understanding and suggests that more education and resources could really help these individuals out.

This lack of confidence appears most pronounced amongst women. 80% of men reported feeling confident about identifying the necessary car maintenance tasks for their vehicle compared to just 54% of women. This suggests that men are nearly 50% more confident than women in this area, highlighting a significant gender gap.

When asked what puts them off car maintenance, respondents highlighted a fear of damaging their vehicle as their top concerns with those asks saying the main reason is:- 'Not knowing what needs to be done' (35%), followed closely by:- 'the cost of maintenance' (34.)

The study found that alarmingly, 66% know insurance claims can be rejected for poor maintenance yet 22% remain unsure, exposing a knowledge gap with real financial stakes.

For those who do regularly maintenance their car, safety is the largest motivating factor, with 56% citing it as the main reason for keeping up with maintenance. The fear of breaking down at an inconvenient time (52%) and the cost of car repairs if not maintained were the other main motivating factors.

Morad Benmoussa, Prima's UK Head of Customer Care commented that;- "This worrying research reveals that a significant portion of drivers lack confidence and knowledge about maintaining their vehicles. There is a clear opportunity for insurance companies to provide better support and resources to help people understand when and how to maintain their cars. The financial burden of maintenance is an understandable concern for many, suggesting that more affordable options and incentives could encourage regular upkeep."

Top tips to manage the cost of car maintenance:-

Schedule routine checks every:- 3 to 6 months to avoid expensive repairs.
Learn basic car care tasks to reduce reliance on costly professional services.
Use reminder systems or apps to ensure timely maintenance and prevent issues.
Invest in affordable maintenance plans to spread out costs and save money.

Methodology;- Research conducted by Opinium among a nationally representative panel of:- 2,000 UK adults, between:- 21 February to 25 February 2025.

Liverpool (Gladstone)

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