With the UK feeling out of pocket due to the cost-of-living increase, household’s car ownership and driving habits have been hugely impacted. Are you making the best effort to keep your costs down and protect your investment?

Regular Servicing & MOT

Halfords recently surveyed 2,000 motorists and 1 third of them claimed that they will struggle to afford car maintenance this year due to the rising living costs.

Of the same survey, 12% of the audience said they had missed their car's MOT test because they could not afford it.

Motor Ombudsman’s poll of 2,000 drivers showed that 32% will spend less on their motoring this year and of those without pre-paid servicing plans for their cars, a worryingly number intend to push back or skip having their vehicle checked over by a mechanic.

Almost a quarter of drivers without a pre-paid servicing plan for their car will delay their motor's annual service this year, while a third said they will miss it entirely in a bid to reduce their outgoings, the survey of 2,000 motorists revealed.

Regular servicing maximises your engine’s performance and efficiency, saving you money on fuel (another increased cost to add to the tally). Worn components can have an adverse effect on other aspects of the car, which could cause parts to suffer from premature failure.

If you chose to miss your regular service which could pick up any worn or damaged parts, this could result in your vehicle breaking down and may require costly roadside assistance – luckily, we provide free breakdown cover with every Best4 Warranty policy.

Buying a Car

Research carried out by eBay Motor Group showed that one in five car buyers said that the cost-of-living crisis will make them delay their next purchase.

Drivers are also keeping their vehicles for longer due to the slow production of new cars. Unfortunately, the outcome for car owners could be large repair bills in the years to come. If you are keeping your car longer than expected, our AutoBronze warranty will cover vehicles up to 140,000 miles!

2022 has seen a huge shift of vehicle owners switching to EV and Hybrid cars in order to reduce overall costs. Recharging their batteries is almost always cheaper than filling a car with petrol or diesel. They also cost less to tax and can benefit from even greater savings for company car drivers who pay Benefit In Kind tax. EV drivers can save money when travelling into urban areas. For example, in London, EVs are not liable for the Congestion Charge or Ultra Low Emissions fees.

Driving Habits

After covid shifted our working structure, more and more workers are choosing to hybrid work. With over 24% of workers hybrid working in May 2022 compared to 13% in early February, there’s less of a need to use your vehicle daily. On top of that, online E-Commerce has become the new norm meaning groceries and shopping can be delivered right to your doorstep.

While staycations became popular after the lockdowns and before air travel was permitted, many travellers have returned to vacationing abroad and enjoying the summer sunshine. Fuel prices have made long car journeys unappealing to holiday-goes along with the price of UK holidays increasing. Due to inflation, the cost of camping pitches and youth has risen by 24% along with hotels rising by 14% in price.

Driving now more than ever can be a hefty day-to-day expense and with no way of predicting when the cost of living increase may end, it’s unlikely to change for the better.

Now more than ever you need to protect your investment and save yourself from hefty, unexpected bills. If you’re planning on keeping your vehicle for longer to cut the cost of purchasing a new one, your components will start to fail. If your vehicle broke down tomorrow, could you afford to have it fixed?

Is your vehicle protected from unexpected mechanical and electrical failure? One cost you can guarantee won't be rising is a Best4 Warranty policy. If you are not protected, why not get yourself a free, no obligation warranty quote today from the nation's favourite warranty provider!