RAY MASSEY: Why avoiding dear repairs will value extra in the long term

Getting hit with a hefty car maintenance or repair bill is never fun – but it is often a necessary stitch in time that can save nine, and might also save your life.

I’ve just paid out nearly £700 to keep my trusty, though admittedly ageing, SUV on the road.

Despite having the privilege of driving an array of brand-new vehicles for road tests, I have always owned a car of my own and paid for its servicing, repairs and tyres, while keeping a full service history. So every time I fill up at the pumps or pay a garage bill I share the pain endured by readers.

However, the worsening economic climate is tempting many cash-strapped motorists to skimp on vital maintenance work.

Classic car fix: A mechanic gets to grips with an Austin Healey

The Motor Ombudsman’s annual poll of UK car garages and workshops reveals this week that nearly seven in ten (68 per cent) expect drivers to skip vital work on their cars as a quick way to save money – up from 61 per cent last year and 53 per cent in 2024.

But ignoring warning lights or delaying repairs, no matter how small, is a false economy and potentially dangerous – leading to more costly bills down the line, says the consumer champion (themotorombudsman.org). It is vital not to do the following:

• Put off replacing a timing belt – which ensures the engine’s smooth running. This can turn a £600 bill into a ‘worst-case scenario’ of £5,400 if it leads to engine failure.
• Ignore squealing or grinding noises from the brakes and fail to change the pads (typically £266 per wheel). This could see bills soar to £700 per wheel to replace the braking system, and put lives at risk by reducing stopping distances. 
• Fail to replace worn tyres with tread lower than the legal 1.6mm minimum (costing around £94 tyre). This not only impacts safety but could land you with a £2,500 fine and three points on your licence for every tyre. 

With motorists now keeping their cars for an average of 9.5 years, the study also showed that four in ten (38 per cent) garages expect drivers to abandon their cars if repairs prove too expensive – up from 28 per cent in 2025.

Research from vehicle warranty provider Warranty Solutions Group (WSG; warrantysolutionsgroup.co.uk) reveals three in four motorists think running costs have soared over the past year – with nearly 40 per cent unable to cover a repair bill of between £400 and £500 without borrowing. WSG group director Steph Newbery said: ‘Routine repairs are being delayed and many people are now questioning whether they can afford to keep a car on the road.’

Rebecca Pullan, of The Motor Ombudsman-accredited Carmaster Garage added: ‘Avoiding repair bills might feel like a tangible saving in the short-term, but it often proves a false economy.’

New car sales over 2m for first time since 2019 

New car sales exceeded the two million mark last year, for the first time since 2019.

Almost one in four of these were electric, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

However, most electric sales were made to business and fleet buyers enjoying generous tax breaks. 

Bright spark: Ford’s Puma was the biggest seller for the third year running

Ford’s Puma was the biggest seller for the third year running (55,488), followed by the Kia Sportage (47,788) and Nissan Qashqai (41,141).

Biggest EV sellers were the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. 

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: ‘Rising EV uptake is an undoubted positive, but the pace is still too slow.’