A new survey has revealed 56 per cent of drivers are delaying their vehicle maintenance as a result of the increased cost of living.
1007 people participated in the survey – commissioned by Continental Tyres and conducted by Pureprofile – which asked a variety of questions relating to vehicle and tyre maintenance as well as road safety.
Almost everyone surveyed (99 per cent) said they’ve noticed an increase in the cost of living over the last 12 months with 39 per cent of drivers admitting to postponing vehicle maintenance due to financial constraints.
67 per cent of people said they delay vehicle or tyre maintenance to prioritise bills and rent/mortgage repayments, while 56 per cent of people admitted they are struggling with the increased cost of living overall.
In terms of age groups, Gen Z respondents said they struggle the most financially to keep up with the cost of living including car and tyre maintenance, while in terms of geographic area it was respondents from regional Western Australia who said they were most feeling the pinch.
90 per cent of people surveyed said delaying vehicle or tyre maintenance causes stress or lowered confidence on the road.
Gen Y (17 per cent of those surveyed) are the most likely to admit vehicle maintenance is not something they want to spend their money on while Baby Boomers (19.7 per cent) are the most likely to procrastinate when it comes time to complete vehicle maintenance.
Concerningly, 16 per cent of people surveyed said they are unwilling to spend money on vehicle maintenance and 22 per cent are under the belief that vehicle maintenance can be postponed without consequences.
The report revealed 22 per cent of people surveyed would choose a cheaper tyre option, though 61 per cent of respondents claimed the cost of living crisis doesn’t affect their decision to purchase cheaper tyres.
Other survey findings of note include:
- 59 per cent of people admitted to delaying a scheduled service
- 57 per cent of people said they’d likely to delay a wheel alignment
- 48 per cent of people are likely to delay purchasing new tyres
- 35 per cent of people are likely to delay an oil change
- 24 per cent of people say they are likely to delay battery replacement
- 75 per cent of people say they are more likely to delay cosmetic fixes like dents and scratches
On average 42 per cent of people say they will delay vehicle or tyre maintenance due to financial challenges by one to three months, while 28 per cent of people say they will only delay vehicle upkeep by less than a month.
However, the survey found 4.7 per cent of people surveyed have experienced negative consequences after postponing vehicle maintenance, while 82 per cent said they haven’t had any concerns.
There were 494 men and 504 women surveyed, aged between 21 and 59. A total of 341 people lived in regional areas around Australia while 629 people lived in major cities.
