Cost-of-living pressures are seeing some car owners delaying servicing for their vehicles or even attempting to do the work themselves.
That’s according to a study commissioned by servicing provider mycar, which found 60 per cent of vehicle owners were changing their maintenance habits amid economic pressures and 77 per cent were performing some form of car maintenance themselves.
The inaugural mycar Mobility Index was prepared to show how Australian drivers are managing their vehicle’s maintenance requirements, while also examining the uptake of electric vehicles (EV) and the role of technology in cars.
Of the 2004 vehicle owners surveyed, 24 per cent said they have extended the intervals between regular services, while 21 per cent said they have opted for lower-cost services or repairs when possible.
25 per cent of respondents said they are rotating their own tyres, 15 per cent are flushing and replacing brake fluid, 19 per cent are replacing fuel filters, and nine per cent are inspecting and replacing suspension components.
The report also found Gen Zs were the most comfortable performing some type of their own car maintenance (91 per cent), followed by Millennials (84 per cent), Gen X (78 per cent), and Boomers (58 per cent).
Of the respondents, 17 per cent said they had chosen to handle more complex and consequential tasks like brake system maintenance themselves, which mycar says could be hazardous if done incorrectly.
Managing director Adam Pay says proper vehicle maintenance requires the work to be carried out by trained professionals, even amidst external financial pressure.
“When it comes to vehicle maintenance, it’s tempting to think you can do it yourself,” he said.
“But the reality is these tasks require the expertise of trained technicians … while understanding your car is important, the actual maintenance should always be in the hands of experts.”
Maintenance isn’t the only corner being cut by people struggling with financial pressures. The study revealed nearly half of all respondents had been prompted to adjust their insurance coverage to ease costs.
11 per cent said they had dropped insurance entirely, while 27 per cent have opted for cheaper policies while maintaining some level of coverage. 14 per cent said they had missed or struggling to make a vehicle insurance payment due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Additionally, 32 per cent of respondents said if they were to buy a new car, they’d consider buying an EV to mitigate some of the costs relating to maintenance and fuel.
The rising cost of fuel in particular was also a factor when considering next vehicle purchases for 40 per cent of respondents.
It’s not the first time high costs have been cited as reasons why Australian motorists are neglecting vehicle maintenance.
A report compiled by insurance firm Youi earlier this year found 35 per cent of its more than 2000 respondents were delaying servicing.
A survey conducted by Continental Tyres last year also revealed 56 per cent of its 1007 respondents were delaying vehicle maintenance due to the rising cost of living.
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