Dublin Residents Are Paying Average for Servicing

It appears Dublin residents are paying above average for car servicing according to a Poll conducted by AA Roadside Rescue. 50% nationally indicated that they paid at least €200 for their last car service, a figure which rose to 56% for those living in Dublin. Overall close to 40% of the Poll’s 6,800 respondents said they paid over €300; 7.3% paid over €500 and 3.7% paid a staggering €700 plus.
On a positive note from a maintenance and safety perspective, 47% of respondents indicated that they had their car serviced within the last six months and 9 out 10 said they serviced their car within the last year. 91% of men had their car serviced within the last year compared with 86% of women. 3.5% of women admitted to not being able to remember the last time they got their car serviced whilst 2% of men admitted the same. The under 25s are most complacent with 11.5% stating they had no idea when their vehicle last had a service. This age group are also less likely to have had their car serviced within the last year.
“These days it’s safe to assume that people need their cars to last. So it’s great to see most motorists taking a good sensible attitude towards maintaining their cars,” says Noel Keogh, Head of AA Rescue. “It’s also a question of safety, as a comprehensive service will pick up on wear and tear issues. Some of the call outs our patrolmen receive could be avoided with more regular servicing of vehicles.”
The Poll indicates that 40% of services are carried out by main car dealers, 25% by private mechanics, 22% by independent garages and 7% by AA or SIMI Approved garages. 9 out of 10 said they were satisfied that the work had been carried out professionally. 87% stated that they would use the same provider again and 82% said that they would recommend them to a friend.
Only 1 in 4 were offered a quote for their car servicing in advance and just under 40% could say that the end cost matched the initial quote. Some 14% were not asked for their approval before additional work was carried out leaving them to face a higher than budgeted for bill.
Importance of Regular Car Servicing according:
“Whether you drive a 2010 car or an older run around regular maintenance is a must,” advises Keogh.
“Having your car serviced at regular intervals will:
• Will help reduce engine wear
• Improve fuel economy
• Prolong the life of your engine.
• Will highlight any outstanding safety issues or wear and tear on suspension, steering and braking systems.”