London, 22 April 2025 A survey of independent garages and franchise dealer workshops by The Motor Ombudsman, has revealed the five most deferred aspects of vehicle maintenance by car owners, and where potentially expensive bills can be avoided. Over half of the vehicle repairers (56%) polled stated that they had seen consumers readily putting off essential repairs in the past year*, as households faced mounting pressures on their finances, and cut back in the face of rising bills.

According to nearly eight in ten respondents (79%), the study by the Ombudsman for the automotive sector showed that not having the engine timing belt replaced at the required manufacturer-recommended intervals (typically at every 60,000 to 100,000 miles) is subject to the most delay by consumers. Costing £600 on average to change, the cambelt is a component which is vital for ensuring the smooth running of an engine. Avoiding making the swap in line with the prescribed schedule can result in significant engine damage, or even cause complete failure. Engine replacements can carry an average bill of £5,400 according to those surveyed, a cost nine times greater than the original scope of work for changing the belt.

Cited by 72% of survey participants, the second most common aspect of vehicle maintenance likely to be postponed by owners is not having the engine oil and filter changed (a cost of around £150) if required between annual services, for example, due to higher-than-average mileage, where this vital fluid is replaced. Driving with oil beyond its recommended lifespan can see it thickening and collecting dirt and grime, leading to reduced engine efficiency, overheating, or a complete seizure, ultimately rendering a

vehicle unusable.

Furthermore, over half of the repairers surveyed (58%) explained that tyre replacements are also shunned to cut corners when it comes to household budgets. However, this can carry costly safety and financial consequences. This is namely, that driving on rubber which has worn below the legal minimum tread depth limit of 1.6 mm, affects performance and grip. Similarly, having tyres in such a condition equally risks a fine to the owner of £2,500 and three penalty points on a driver’s licence per tyre, extending to £10,000 and a possible ban if all four are found to be in the wrong. This is in comparison to a much smaller average replacement cost of £94 per tyre (or under £400 for all four), based on the findings of the study.

Mirroring the impact of not having oil changed, leaving an engine to seep oil, and not having adequate lubrication, can result in damage to components and eventual starvation, causing a complete engine breakdown, and leading to its full replacement. Furthermore, in the extreme case, oil may also catch fire if it leaks onto a hot exhaust. According to the latest Motor Ombudsman study, 49% of vehicle repairers have reported customers delaying fixing a leak, which costs around £355 to rectify – a small price to pay relative to the potential bill if this is left to fester.

Rounding off the top five most delayed aspect of owners caring for their car, as stated by just over a third (39%) of repairers, is not changing brake pads (costing an average of £266 for a set of two per wheel) when they have been identified as worn – with squealing or grinding noises often being the tell-tale signs. Not taking a car into a garage for spent pads to be removed may not just escalate into needing to have more of the braking system, such as discs and calipers, replaced later down the line, but is also a danger to life, as stopping distances can be greatly reduced, especially in adverse weather conditions.

Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: “As households across the country continue to grapple with the strain on their finances, and an increasing cost of repair when it comes to their car, our research has painted a stark picture of how vehicle maintenance can be left behind to make savings in the short-term, as well as how costs can mount up significantly if small problems are left to escalate into something much more serious.”

Bill added: “Planning ahead to budget for any unforeseen expenses is vital, because neglecting any kind of repairs may not only cause significant long-term damage to vehicles, but also lead owners to breaking the law, and compromising their own safety and that of others – all coming as a result of not acting with the right level of urgency to address concerns.”

Rebecca Pullan, Managing Director at The Motor Ombudsman-accredited Carmaster Garage in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, explained: “If a car is still usable, and a problem is not immediately visible, it may prove an inviting prospect to continue driving and delay incurring any repair bills until a much bigger problem is apparent, by which time the issue may be either be too expensive to rectify or too late to fix. As tempting as it may be to avoid paying out for repairs, this often proves a false economy, and we are therefore reinforcing to motorists that it’s absolutely crucial to visit a garage as soon as they identify something may be wrong, to nip any issues in the bud there and then.”

In light of the survey findings, The Motor Ombudsman is highlighting the five following steps that car owners can proactively take to help drive down the likelihood of costly repair bills:

1. Make time to carry out regular basic checks, including tyre pressure and condition, and fluids levels, such as oil, to ensure that they meet vehicle manufacturer recommendations;
2. Contact an accredited repairer listed on The Motor Ombudsman’s Garage Finder; (TheMotorOmbudsman.org/Garage-Finder) in the event of any dashboard warning lights, and