Brits are increasing the danger on winter roads by foregoing needed repairs to their cars

21 November 2011 - In the wake of the continuing tough economic times Brits are increasingly putting off taking care of much-needed car maintenance. With winter's challenging driving conditions on their way these worrying developments were revealed to the latest survey held by Carrentals.co.uk.

1 in 3 of the 2,300 British drivers who took part in the survey stated that they did not intend to repair problems with their cars even though winter was coming soon. Their reason cited was simply not having enough cash to go around.

A lack of disposable income has seen UK drivers forced into difficult choices when it comes to car repair. More than 56% have turned to private mechanics instead of authorised car dealers for service, even at the risk of inferior work. Insurance is also taking a back seat this year, with more than 10% of those questioned foregoing comprehensive cover for third party
cover. Another 10% decided to drop rescue coverage and a disturbing 3% confessed to having no car insurance of any kind.

Gareth Robinson, managing director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: "When a household budget gets really tight, the first things to go are seemingly unimportant expenses like improving the condition of your car. But in fact, putting a new set of tyres on is an investment in your safety and should never be considered trivial or forego something to sacrifice."

"One of the hardest parts of car ownership is paying for its upkeep. It's never cheap, but drivers must make room in their budget when necessary repairs arise. Basic features like the brake lights, brake pads and tyres should always be working properly, not just for your own personal safety but all the others on the road. As winter approaches, I urge every car owner to give their vehicle a good once-over and get it ready for those slippery winter roads."

One rather surprising result of the survey by Carrentals.co.uk is how many drivers don't monitor their car's condition. More than 80% admitted they never check their brake strength and 60% don't pay attention to the state of their tyres. These two car parts are easy to monitor and very important for basic driving safety. Even worse, 2 out of 10 respondents knew their tyres were bad but continued to drive on them, while 1 out of 10 knew their brakes were in poor shape but chose to keep driving. Cost of repair was the overriding issue.

Gareth adds: "Car repair is an expensive outlay but the potential consequences of not fixing those brakes is far worse. A smart move is to keep a separate car fund available for yearly upkeep. Sometimes a whole year can pass without the need for any major maintenance, but it's sure nice to have the cash ready when something important comes up."

The award winning Carrentals.co.uk is the leading car hire comparison site comparing the best deals from up to 50 rental companies in over 15,000 locations around the world.