Sloppy mechanics cost drivers millions
New research by Direct Line’s breakdown service has shown that cowboymechanics are costing drivers an average of £471 per year. The research also showed that drivers subsequently have to take their cars to another mechanic to have missed faults repaired; this then costs the nation’s drivers another annual amount, of £300 million.
More than two in five drivers reported that basic faults were missed by their mechanic and nearly one in ten have had parts fitted unnecessarily. Another 13 per cent of drivers had their cars returned with major faults which included defective brakes and tyres. Many people were charged for work that had not been done and others were overcharged for labour costs.
Worryingly around 6 in ten people feel as though they have been ripped off and many young drivers feel that they have been an easy target because of their age.
Garages are doing themselves out of business as many motorists choose not to go back to a sloppy mechanic. With so many garages in business it is easy for consumers to look around to find the most reputable mechanic. When it comes to safety a reputation for good work has to be earned. Unfortunately however, the survey of 1,300 drivers showed that one in ten would carry on driving their car even if they knew it needed further work. This could potentially lead to an invalid car insurance claim. If you have a car accident because of a fault that you knew about then you may not be able to claim on your car insurance for the repairs.