South Australian motorists pay more for car servicing | survey
Car service costs in South Australia are the highest in the nation, a survey has revealed.
And almost four in five SA drivers fear being "ripped off" when having their car serviced.
The survey also shows many motorists in this state are putting their safety at risk, with 49 per cent delaying a scheduled service and another 30 per cent not having one if their car seems to be "running well".
The national survey shows the car maintenance bill for motorists in this state is $426 on average - $78 more than the cheapest state in the nation, Queensland. Even the cost in the next most expensive state, NSW, is $28 cheaper, the survey of more than 1000 motorists found.
Although we pay the most for maintenance, 59 per cent of local drivers said they still had to pay for repairs which they were not expecting, the survey by consumer analyst Canstar Blue found.
RAA mobility manager Mark Borlace said such cost surprises could be a result of many motorists begrudging having to regularly service a car and taking "a minimalist approach to what the costs are going to be".
"Conversely in some instances it may be over servicing by a repairer where they are doing work that may not be necessary," he said.
Mr Borlace said he couldn't be sure why servicing costs were highest in this state.
South Australia motorists were the least likely in the nation to shop around for a cheaper price
However, he said the survey also showed that local motorists were the least likely in the nation to shop around for a cheaper price, which could be "an indication of customer loyalty that may be higher here''.
Mr Borlace also warned motorists who skip regular servicing could be victims of a false economy. This could include failing to replace worn brake pads, resulting in brake discs also having to be replaced down the track at twice the cost.
To avoid anxiety about maintenance costs, Mr Borlace advised that it was best for motorists to ask questions of mechanics and to "ring someone like the RAA or a friend who know about cars for advice".
Canstar Blue spokesman Simon Downes said that the survey results showed that there was an "air of mistrust" regarding the car servicing industry.
"Once you have a mechanic you know you can trust, they'll probably have a customer for life," he said.
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