Around half of all motorists claim they drive around with vehicle faults, are you one of them?

ACCORDING TO research by UK-based safety charity Brake and Direct Line a staggering 50% of UK motorists are driving around knowing their vehicle has a problem or defect. The IMI (UK equivalent of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association) believes fears of being overcharged or given poor service is contributing to motorists leaving their vehicles in poor shape.

Beyond that, a quarter (26%) of motorists surveyed said that they wouldn’t feel confident challenging a bill because of technical jargon used and 1 in 10 said they don’t like visiting a service centre because they feel they are not treated with respect.

Steve Nash, CEO of the IMI, believes the latest research from Brake and Direct Line simply underlines consumer fears about the service they will receive in garages.  “Clearly there is a serious safety risk if motorists are not taking heed of vehicle faults and don’t feel comfortable going to a garage for maintenance and repairs.

While the above findings relate to the UK, Practical Motoring believes they’re just as applicable to Australian drivers. Do you know of anyone who ignores their car’s warning signs? Have you had a high bill that you haven’t queried because you didn’t understand what was written on it? Let us know.