Drivers Delay Car Fixes

Motorists are putting off needed car maintenance and repairs, most likely because of ongoing money woes, according to a recent survey conducted by Consumer Reports' National Research Center.

Twenty-two percent of respondents said they've delayed taking their cars in for minor maintenance-recommended scheduled service, while 17 percent admitted to ignoring replacement of wear-and-tear items like brake pads and tires. Eleven percent of motorists polled reported leaving major scheduled service unperformed and 10 percent failed to replace exterior light bulbs in a timely manner. Delaying service can not only lead to costlier repairs down the road, but disregarding replacement of items like light bulbs, brakes and tires can compromise a car's safety.

Specifically, the survey determined that motorists in lower-income households were most likely to delay necessary work overall, while younger drivers ages 18 to 34 years were more likely to leave wear items, such as brake pads or tires, unattended.

Results were based on interviews with 1,699 random adult car owners contacted by telephone during November 2011. -