The £2 Billion Wasted by UK Motorists on Car Servicing
MotorEasy Reviews: Service & MOT Savings
Car servicing & MOT tests are our bread and butter here at MotorEasy, we'e been delving into the figures to pick out some pretty alarming figures - and share with you some money-saving tips.
Service & MOT savings
Most car owners aren't aware that 80% of faults identified during car servicing would be flagged during an MOT test anyway, meaning that the car service can be unnecessarily duplicating work and labour costs.
Analysis of MotorEasy’s database of more than 20,000 cars shows that the average MOT test takes around an hour of a garage's time, meaning that an hour’s worth of labour could be saved in any subsequent service.
Reducing garage labour can save significant £££How much is an hour's labour worth?
As we found out in April, the average UK hourly garage labour rate is around £77.
By having the MOT test first, this hour can be saved on during car servicing.
If every motorist got an MOT test before a car service and every car required at least one hour’s worth of work, the amount of money saved would total a staggering £2,224,742,905.*
This means UK motorists could save more than £2 billion simply by making sure they get their MOT test done ahead of their annual vehicle service.
UK motorists could save more than £2 billion simply by making sure they get their MOT test done ahead of their annual vehicle service
What else?
MOT testers are twice as likely to pass a car that should have failed (19.3%) than to erroneously fail a car (8%)**, meaning that if a motorist’s vehicle fails the test, it is more likely to have a genuine fault that requires attention.
MOT Test Checks Duplicated At Service
The most common service items that would be flagged during the MOT are as follows:
- Windscreen wipers
- Lights
- Suspension parts
- Tyres
- Brakes
MotorEasy founder, DuncanMotorEasy's Advice
MotorEasy founder, Duncan McClure Fisher, said: “If you get your car serviced before your MOT, you are potentially wasting money. The majority of faults that could be picked up in the service would have been identified as part of the MOT anyway.
“The problem is that, even if you get faults repaired as a result of the service, you’ll still have to pay for the MOT anyway because that is a legal obligation for all vehicles. So, when booking the two together, you should always request that the MOT is done first so that there is less work to carry out on the service.
“While we know that not every single car will require work at every service or MOT, there’s a good proportion of motorists who are needlessly doubling up on costs. With better planning and organisation of your car’s maintenance schedule (maybe through your MotorEasy account area), those costs could be avoided.”
The MOT test covers the following major areas: bodywork, steering, suspension, emissions and brake performance. That just leaves any hidden leaks and planned renewal items, such as oil, filters, spark plugs and gearbox oils as the main things that would be covered by the service.
MotorEasy's concierge-like bookings include provision of your own personal mechanic who will ensure not only that all service, car repair and maintenance procedures are completed on time, but that labour and parts costs are kept to a minimum and any unnecessary work is halted. Plus, our car warranty offer's the UK's best protection from just £20 per month.
Car service & MOT summary:
- Vehicle owners are doubling up on garage costs by having car service before MOT test
- 80% of faults requiring work will be flagged by MOT test, saving time and money on servicing
- Asking for "MOT first" should save you money as less car servicing checks are required
END
Editor’s notes:
*In the year 2015-2016, the DVSA recorded 28,892,765 MOT tests (excluding goods vehicles and private passenger vehicles with more than 12 seats); 28,892,765 x the average UK labour rate of £77 for an hour’s mechanic time = £2,224,742,905
**Source: DVSA
