A third of motorists are putting off getting their vehicle serviced because of cost, Motor Trader has reported[i]. Financial constraints during coronavirus are cited as the reason 32% of drivers said they had delayed car servicing, even though the majority would usually have an annual service as standard.

The survey of 10,000 motorists, undertaken by garage comparison website BookMyGarage, found that 29% said they’d put off servicing because they’ve been doing fewer miles in their car during lockdown. Fewer than 4 in 10 (38%) said they felt comfortable undertaking maintenance work on their car themselves. With nearly half of drivers concerned about the safety of their vehicle, demand on garages is likely to rise in coming months.

The end of the MOT exemption will mean that even drivers who have chosen not to service their car will need to book into a garage fairly soon, for any vehicles that are not MOT exempt due to age. Demand for MOTs is expected to rise by 50% this autumn, and the DVSA has revealed the postcodes where demand is likely to be highest.

Birmingham to be one of the busiest areas for MOTs

Birmingham topped the list of postcode areas likely to see highest demand for MOTs in October and November, according to data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Also in the top 5 were Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, and Peterborough[ii].

“Now exemptions have ended, millions of motorists will be making sure their vehicle is safe by getting a MOT done,” said Chris Price, head of MOT policy at DVSA.

“Garages across the country will see demand start to peak during September, with almost double the number of MOTs due in October and November.”

The DVSA have reported that an additional 86,753 tests will be required this year, an increase of just over 59%[iii].

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[i] https://www.motortrader.com/motor-trader-news/automotive-news/third-motorists-put-off-servicing-financial-restraints-09-09-2020

[ii] https://autotechnician.co.uk/dvsa-reveals-top-20-postcodes-for-mot-demand-this-autumn/

[iii] https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/postcodes-where-demand-mot-tests-highest/