The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Survey says economy driving motorists to wait out repairs

GARY STELZER/MBR

Inmate escapes sheriff’s car
5/26/12
Cable worker hurt on the job
5/25/12
Beach Waterpark sued for failure to deliver
5/25/12
Lakota to discuss open enrollment proposal
5/25/12
AD resigns to take job at Kettering
5/25/12
> More headlines

By By Eric Schwartzberg, Staff Writer 7:00 PM Sunday, August 7, 2011

The economy is making drivers slow down on their repairs and may be inflicting long-term damage to their vehicles and their finances.

One quarter of drivers surveyed by AAA said they are saving money this year by waiting out less expensive repairs and maintenance on their vehicles.

“This may save money at first, but neglecting vehicle maintenance greatly increases the chance of a serious on-the-road mishap and the likelihood of costly repairs later on,” said AAA spokeswoman Kimberly Schwind.

Jeff Ziepfel, service manager at Zips Auto Repair in Hamilton, said his shop began noticing a decline in car upkeep 10 years ago.

“It’s been steadily increasing as the economy has gotten worse,” he said.

Customers mostly postpone routine maintenance, such as changing their vehicle’s oil, replacing aging tires or replacing the battery.

“We’ve seen cars come in that are 5,000 to 7,000 miles overdue for an oil change and only have a quart or two in the crank case when we drain it,” he said.

As a result, motorists are most commonly faced with several unappealing options: paying thousands of dollars for engine replacement from postponing an oil change, getting stranded because of a dead battery or dealing with a flat or blown-out tire, the latter of which could result in an accident or injury.

A repair bill of more than $1,000 can appear quickly, especially on older vehicles that have not been properly maintained, Schwind said. While repair costs vary by make, model and type of repair, a transmission repair can cost between $2,000 to $4,000, while an engine repair can top $5,000. while a new set of tires can run from $300 to more than $1,000.

One quarter of drivers surveyed could not afford for a car repair of $2,000 and one in eight would be unable to pay for a repair bill of $1,000.

The survey also found that more than half of vehicle owners are holding onto their vehicle longer to avoid the financial burden of a newer model.

Kolby Watkins of Tony’s Auto Service in Middletown said that’s a trend he’s seen firsthand for about the last 18 months.

“They’re definitely buying older cars or holding onto their cars,” he said. “They’re fixing more and (making) bigger repairs. People would rather fix their older cars than buy a new car and have more payments.”

Share this article