More than 1 in 10 motorists never get their car serviced, new poll reveals

Go.Compare car insurance has today released the results of a new survey which has found that 12% of motorists never get their car serviced.

The comparison site asked over 1000 motorists how often they take their car in for a service, and while 58% said that they get their car serviced every year, or every 12,000 miles, 12% of those who took part said that they “never” take their car in for its annual check.*

A further 30% of respondents said that they regularly get their car serviced but perhaps leave it a little longer than is recommended. And when it came to the age groups, motorists aged between 18-24 were the most diligent when it came to servicing, with just 8% - a third less than the overall average – saying they never get their car serviced. But when it came to those who were most likely to skip servicing altogether, 16% of those aged 45-54 - almost double the average – admitted they never get their car serviced.

Generally, it’s recommended that motorists service their vehicle once a year, or when they have driven 12,000 miles. If a car has a full-service history (FSH), it means that the car has been serviced according to the manufacturer’s service schedule.

A good service history will provide details of all the services, maintenance and repairs that have been done. It should show the name and address of the garage, the service date and the car’s mileage. A service record should also provide details and proof of any parts that have been replaced. All of this information can help motorists avoid unexpected and unnecessary costs in the future.

Tom Banks, Go.Compare car insurance spokesperson, commented: “The number of people who said they aren’t getting their car serviced seemed worryingly high in this survey. Keeping on top of your car’s servicing is really important – if only from a safety perspective, as having a well-maintained vehicle ensures that your everything is in good working order and your vehicle is less likely to break down due to an ongoing fault.

“A full-service history is also helpful if you plan to sell the vehicle at some point. Often if someone is buying a used car, they may want to check its service history, which will tell them how well the car’s been maintained by previous owners. The service history is also important if you have a warranty in place, as a failure to regularly service your vehicle could invalidate a warranty claim.”

As well as those who claim to skip servicing their car, the Go.Compare survey also found that as many as 39% of motorists aren’t currently planning on doing any preparation to make sure their car is fit for the winter. With the clocks having just gone back on the 27th October, the experts at the comparison site are encouraging anyone with a car to do some maintenance and preparation now, to make sure their vehicles are ready for the darker and more unpredictable driving conditions.

Tom added, “Making sure your vehicle is maintained and regularly serviced may seem like an additional cost initially, but it will almost certainly pay dividends in the longer-term – whether that’s through the residual value of the vehicle or purely through not having technical faults that can cause a breakdown or an unexpected repair bill.”

Go.Compare has produced a guide about the importance of a full service history and what you can do if you’re missing this information – this can be found here.