Delaying Car Repairs Could Be Costing UK Drivers Hundreds More

Motorists trying to save money by delaying repairs and routine maintenance could end up facing substantially larger bills later, as growing numbers of UK drivers struggle with the cost of keeping their cars on the road.

Independent garages are increasingly seeing the consequences of deferred maintenance, according to automotive aftermarket supplier First Line, with relatively minor faults developing into more complicated – and expensive – repairs when they are left unresolved.

The warning comes as separate RAC research shows the average UK repair bill has climbed to almost £700, while 60% of motorists say the cost of maintaining and repairing their car has increased during the last 12 months.

The problem is particularly acute among younger motorists, with one in four drivers under 25 admitting they have delayed necessary repairs or tyre replacement because of the cost.

For garages, the trend presents a difficult challenge: helping financially stretched customers understand that postponing maintenance can sometimes turn a relatively affordable repair today into a much bigger bill tomorrow.

Drivers are putting off essential repairs

First Line says the effects of continued financial pressure are becoming increasingly visible across the independent aftermarket.

Motorists are extending service intervals, postponing non-urgent repairs and looking for cheaper ways of keeping their vehicles on the road.

But delaying repairs can have a knock-on effect.

A worn suspension bush, for example, can affect wheel alignment and contribute to accelerated tyre wear.

Similarly, continuing to drive on badly worn brake pads can eventually damage brake discs and other braking components, increasing the amount of work required when the vehicle finally reaches a workshop.

The result is that garages can find themselves dealing with multiple related faults rather than replacing the original worn component.

Average repair bill approaching £700

Recent RAC research demonstrates why motorists are tempted to postpone work.

The RAC says the average repair bill has now climbed to almost £700.

Its latest Report on Motoring found 32% of drivers are worried about the cost of maintaining their vehicle, up sharply from 25% a year earlier.

Some motorists are responding by taking risks.

According to the RAC, 10% of drivers admit they have either avoided getting an MOT or failed to replace worn-out tyres.

Three per cent said they had deliberately avoided their MOT, while 7% admitted failing to replace worn tyres.

The behaviour is particularly prevalent among younger motorists.

A quarter – 25% – of drivers under 25 said they had delayed necessary repairs or tyre replacements for financial reasons.

Among 25 to 44-year-olds the figure was 21%, compared with just 5% of drivers aged 65 and over.

Garages expect the problem to continue

The problem isn’t confined to one survey.

Research published by The Motor Ombudsman earlier this year found 68% of UK garages and workshops expected motorists to skip essential repairs during 2026 in an attempt to save money.

Around four in 10 repairers also expected some customers to abandon their cars completely where the required work became too expensive.

Previous research among workshops identified several types of maintenance that customers commonly postpone.

Replacing a timing belt at the manufacturer’s recommended interval topped the list, cited by 79% of garages.

Oil and filter changes were next at 72%, followed by replacing worn tyres at 58%, repairing engine oil leaks at 49% and replacing worn brake pads at 39%.

All can potentially become significantly more expensive if deterioration is allowed to continue.

How a small repair can become a big bill

The problem with deferred maintenance is that vehicle components don’t necessarily fail independently of one another.

A worn component can place additional strain on associated parts.

Brakes provide an obvious example.

Replacing worn pads at the appropriate time is routine workshop maintenance. If they are allowed to wear excessively, however, additional damage to the brake discs can turn a straightforward pad replacement into a more expensive braking-system repair.

Timing belts provide an even more extreme example.

Replacing a belt at its scheduled interval represents a known maintenance cost. On many engines, allowing a timing belt to fail can cause severe internal engine damage.

Oil is another area where postponement can prove expensive.

Engine oil deteriorates over time and mileage. Failing to maintain the correct oil level or extending servicing substantially beyond the manufacturer’s requirements can increase wear and potentially contribute to expensive engine problems.

The exact consequences and costs depend on the vehicle, component and severity of the fault, but the underlying principle is straightforward: catching deterioration early can prevent damage spreading to other components.

Nearly seven in 10 garages expect customers to skip vital work

The Motor Ombudsman’s research suggests workshops are already having to deal with these difficult conversations.

Nearly seven in 10 repair businesses surveyed expected motorists to skip essential repairs this year to save money.

That presents garages with a difficult balance.

Customers are entitled to make informed decisions about non-mandatory work, but technicians also need to communicate clearly when a defect has implications for safety or could cause significantly more damage if ignored.

Rather than simply telling a customer that something “needs doing”, showing the condition of the component and explaining what could happen if repair is postponed can help motorists make a better-informed decision.

Digital vehicle health checks can help

First Line says workshops are increasingly using digital vehicle health checks, inspection reports and visual evidence to demonstrate why repairs are being recommended.

This can be particularly useful when dealing with defects motorists cannot easily see themselves.

A photograph showing a deteriorated suspension bush, leaking shock absorber or badly worn brake component gives the customer evidence of the problem rather than requiring them simply to accept a verbal recommendation.

Garages can also distinguish between work that requires immediate attention and components that are beginning to deteriorate but can be monitored.

That distinction becomes especially important when customers have limited budgets.

Clear prioritisation allows motorists to understand which repairs affect immediate safety, which should be dealt with soon and which can reasonably be monitored until a later date.

Britain’s ageing cars increase the maintenance challenge

The problem is being amplified by the increasing age of Britain’s vehicle fleet.

Latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show a record 45.7% of cars on UK roads are now more than 10 years old, compared with 43.4% in 2024.

The average UK car is now 9.7 years old, another record.

Britain had 36.68 million cars in use during 2025, with motorists increasingly holding on to vehicles for longer amid financial pressure and economic uncertainty.

Older vehicles aren’t automatically unreliable, particularly when properly maintained.

But keeping vehicles into their second decade inevitably increases the importance of servicing, inspection and replacement of components that deteriorate through mileage, age, corrosion and wear.

For the independent aftermarket, that creates considerable demand for maintenance and repair – but only if motorists can afford to authorise the work.

Unexpected repair costs already hitting millions of drivers

Separate RAC research illustrates how widespread unexpected repair bills have become.

Its 2025 Report on Motoring found 65% of drivers had faced unexpected repair costs during the previous year, up from 59%.

The average unexpected bill had risen to £650.

Tyres were the most commonly reported unexpected cost, affecting 54% of those facing an unplanned repair bill.

Brake repair or replacement was cited by 26%, suspension by 18%, 12-volt batteries by 17% and exterior lighting problems by 16%.

Drivers of older cars were particularly vulnerable: 74% of motorists driving cars more than 10 years old reported an unexpected repair bill.

Skipping servicing can be a false economy

Some motorists are also cutting back on servicing.

RAC research found 12% of drivers said they were having their car serviced less frequently, while 5% said they had stopped servicing altogether and were relying on the annual MOT to identify problems.

That is an important misconception.

An MOT and a service perform very different functions.

The MOT checks whether a vehicle meets specified road safety and environmental standards at the time of the test.

It is not designed to replace routine servicing or preventative maintenance.

A vehicle can pass its MOT while still having components that are approaching the end of their service life or maintenance work that is due under the manufacturer’s schedule.

Waiting for something to become an MOT failure can therefore be a much more expensive maintenance strategy than dealing with deterioration earlier.

A current MOT doesn’t guarantee a car is roadworthy

There is also an important legal distinction.

Vehicle owners are responsible for making sure their vehicles remain roadworthy whenever they’re used.

GOV.UK explicitly states that a vehicle can be unsafe even when it has a current MOT certificate.

Motorists are expected to check safety-critical areas such as brakes, lights and tyres and follow the servicing requirements specified by the vehicle manufacturer.

Driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition can result in a fine of up to £2,500, three penalty points and potentially a driving ban.

The annual MOT should therefore never be treated as a substitute for maintaining the vehicle throughout the rest of the year.

Cheaper parts aren’t always cheaper in the long run

Financial pressure can also lead motorists to focus heavily on the initial price of a repair.

First Line argues that component quality needs to remain part of that decision.

Choosing the lowest-cost component may reduce the immediate bill, but poor fit, reduced durability or premature replacement can undermine those savings.

For garages, the challenge is to explain the difference between simply being offered an expensive part and being offered a component appropriate to the customer’s vehicle, mileage and expected ownership period.

Customers increasingly need value, but value doesn’t necessarily mean the lowest possible purchase price.

What garages can do

The financial pressures facing motorists aren’t going away, so telling customers simply to spend more is unlikely to solve the problem.

Instead, garages can make it easier for customers to understand and prioritise maintenance.

Clear inspection reports, photographs and videos of defects, transparent estimates and separating immediate safety work from future maintenance can all help.

Following up previously declined work is also important.

A customer who cannot afford a repair today may be able to authorise it next month. Without a reminder, the component may simply continue deteriorating until the next MOT or breakdown.

Garages can also use MOT advisories as an opportunity for preventative maintenance.

An advisory doesn’t necessarily require immediate repair, but neither should it automatically be forgotten for another 12 months.

The cheapest repair may be the one carried out early

For motorists under financial pressure, postponing a garage bill can be an understandable decision.

But the growing body of evidence suggests that putting off maintenance can sometimes make the eventual financial problem worse.

A worn brake pad can become a brake pad and disc replacement. A neglected suspension component can contribute to tyre wear. Missing a timing belt replacement can potentially result in catastrophic engine damage.

At the same time, Britain’s vehicle fleet is older than ever and the average repair bill is approaching £700.

For independent garages, that makes preventative maintenance increasingly important – not simply as a source of workshop work, but as a way of helping customers keep older vehicles reliable and roadworthy without allowing relatively manageable faults to develop into much bigger repair bills.

The message isn’t that every advisory needs replacing immediately.

It’s that motorists need enough information to understand what can safely wait, what shouldn’t wait and what delaying the repair could ultimately cost them.

External sources:

First Line – Why Drivers Are Delaying Repairs and What It Means for Garages

RAC – Drivers skipping MOTs and delaying tyre replacement

The Motor Ombudsman – Drivers expected to delay vital repairs in 2026

SMMT – Britain’s ageing vehicle fleet

DVSA – Latest MOT defect data

GOV.UK – Vehicle roadworthiness guidance