Survey Says: 1 in 10 Young Drivers Won't Service Their Cars

When I got my first car, my dad sat me down, before I could even get out and drive it, and talked to me about the importance of servicing it on a regular basis. He explained that my 'new' previously owned Vauxhall wouldn't last if I didn't keep up with the maintenance. Some Vauxhall parts and servicing issues he explained how to take care of on my own, such as changing the oil or rotating the tyres. Other scheduled maintenance had to be done by a professional, and he talked to me about when that needed to be and walked me through the owner's manual to show me what the manufacturer had to say about it. Over the next few years, he would gently remind me when each of these servicing issues would come up, so that by the time I moved out on my own, I had a good handle on how to keep my car serviced.

A 2013 survey by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, or SMMT, recently revealed that not all teenagers were as lucky as I was. According to the study, younger drivers these days are much less likely to stick to their car's regular servicing schedules than older, more experienced drivers are.

Survey Says...

The survey states that one out of every 10 drivers between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four admitted that their car needed servicing when asked by the SMMT. When asked the same question, only one out of 50 drivers over the age of fifty-five said the same thing.

In addition, the survey revealed that 57 percent of young drivers had no idea that their vehicle needed to have software upgrades on a regular basis in order to be the most efficient it could be. This means that younger drivers are putting themselves and others at risk on a daily basis simply because they don't know how important servicing is. They may also be spending more money on running costs than they actually need to because of it.

The Importance of Servicing Your Car

While service intervals for vehicles have extended in recent years, cars don't last forever. Perhaps one day they'll make transmissions, engines, and other car parts disposable and inexpensive to replace like batteries, shock absorbers, and tyres are now, but we aren't quite there yet. Right now, you still need to stay on top of your vehicle maintenance schedule. If you're a young driver and aren't quite sure why this is so important, consider these facts.

• High Expenses- One of the biggest excuses people make for not having their cars maintained is the cost of having it done. While today's vehicles do require more than an oil change to keep them running, the actual cost of getting your car serviced is worth it. Newer vehicles have more sophisticated systems that require more than 50 system checks, component assessments, and adjustments. Getting this done though keeps the vehicle running at the lowest costs, performing at its best, and producing the lowest emissions. Spending a little more money now can actually save you money later on.

• It Won't go Away- Many young drivers don't realise that ignoring a problem with their car doesn't make it go away. Let's take a trip back to when I owned my first Vauxhall. After going out with my friends one night, I pulled into our drive and heard the brakes squealing. I shrugged the sound off, turned off the ignition, and climbed out of the driver's seat. By the time my feet had touched the ground, my dad was already out our front door. He had heard the brakes as well and knew better than to ignore their warning. Why? There may be times when your vehicle may surprise you with an issue, but most of the time, it will give some sort of warning that something is going wrong. In the case of my Vauxhall parts, the brake pads were attempting to tell me they were worn down too thin and needed to be changed.

• Accidents- If my dad hadn't been there to make sure I wasn't ignoring what my brakes were trying to tell me, the consequences could have been ugly. Left untreated, Vauxhall parts like this can lead to much worse problems, like total failure. Unfortunately, your car can't live without certain car parts; they don't have the equivalent of an appendix. And when parts like the brakes fail, serious accidents can occur that can injure you or others on the road.

• Big Problems- Like the bones in our body, each car part is connected to another beneath the bonnet. When one fails, it can easily affect how another it is connected to functions. Think of these car parts like dominoes that have been set up around a room. By knocking over one, you create a 'domino effect,' causing the rest to fall. One little problem may not seem so serious that you need to rush to the mechanic, but it can lead to increased damage to the car.

• Warnings- One of the best reasons to have your car serviced, even if you don't believe it needs to be, is that taking it to a professional can help you see the future. That's right. The future. When the mechanic takes a look beneath the bonnet, he can evaluate some of the most important car parts you have and check for any signs that the parts may be wearing down. By knowing that a problem is going to occur at some point in the future, you can be proactive and fix it right now. Or, if you need to, start saving up the money so that you're ready to pay for the repair when it does become a problem.

Young drivers, don't be an unfortunate statistic in next year's survey. Take the servicing schedule of your car very seriously and be proactive with repairs. Learn what your vehicle needs from you in order to last as long as possible. Your car will thank you.