Kwik-Fit Survey Says More People Service Their Own Cars

With the country forced to tighten its collective belt by a tough economic climate, people are cutting all kinds of corners in an effort to save money.

One of the first things to fall by the wayside is regular servicing for the car. A survey conducted by Kwik-Fit suggested that more than a third of car owners in Medway are now working on their own cars, despite 69 per cent admitting they don't really know what they're doing.

While two in three might be doing more harm than good, the survey also suggests that the number of cars going without any servicing at all is also on the rise.


Kwik-Fit's researchers estimated that 2.5 million fewer cars were taken into a garage in the past year. Of the 2,000 people surveyed, most admitted they were attempting to save money.

"Car owners shouldn't rely on the MoT to pick up faults as this mainly focuses on safety factors," said customer services director at Kwik-Fit, David White. "A proper service will highlight issues which could cause a future breakdown and also cover areas too complicated for most DIY mechanics, such as timing belt replacement."

Obviously Kwik-Fit has a vested interest in getting motorists back into the habit of having their car serviced by a professional mechanic, but its survey does inadvertently highlight just how expensive it has become to maintain a car's service history.

Thanks to the reliability of most modern cars, people are more likely to default on the advised schedule, fearing a big bill when there is nothing visibly wrong with the vehicle. At the same time, the mechanical sophistication of everyday cars has increased, making owners unsure of their own ability to deal with basic issues.

The result? Until the good times return we might just start to see a few more people than normal stranded on the verge.Tags: diy, garages, mot, servicing

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