A recent national survey from FinanceBuzz shows that U.S. drivers are avoiding essential maintenance due to fear of costs, as shared by Motor Biscuit.
The survey of 1,000 U.S. adults found that 58% of drivers can’t handle an emergency repair bill of over $1,000. Over a quarter said they couldn't afford one over $500.
Unfortunately, this seems to be leading to drivers putting off essential maintenance. Nearly one in five drivers are driving on tires that need to be replaced, while 7% are driving with bad brakes. Additionally, almost four in 10 drivers said they let a dashboard warning sit for two weeks or more without taking action.
The reason behind this, for many, is cost related, with 42% saying the potential repair bill was the reason they had put off receiving essential maintenance. This has led to drivers having to pay even more for repairs they wouldn’t have otherwise needed, with two-fifths of respondents saying they received repairs that could have been avoided with maintenance.
