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DRIVERS have been warned that a £5 cost-cutting trick could lead to a bill for thousands down the line.

Brits could be 'wearing out' their engines by making a little-known but very costly maintenance mistake.

Expert mechanic Scotty Kilmer warned drivers about the dangers of cheap oil filters
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Expert mechanic Scotty Kilmer warned drivers about the dangers of cheap oil filtersCredit: Scotty Kilmer
Skimping on the part could wear out your engine and cost you thousands
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Skimping on the part could wear out your engine and cost you thousandsCredit: Scotty Kilmer

Expert mechanic Scotty Kilmer shared how to keep your motor ticking over and save yourself money for years to come.

Pretty much any driver knows that oil changes are a vital part of the service schedule.

During the oil change, you should also be changing the oil filter at the same interval.

However, as Scotty explained, many filters are still only rated to 3,000 miles while the advent of synthetic oils sees many drivers running up to 10,000 between changes.

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He said: "If you buy the cheap filters, they're only good for 3,000 miles.

"People used to change their oil every 3,000 miles but now they do it every 8-10,000.

"You've got to buy a premium oil filter that's good for 10,000 miles.

"There are plenty of them out there that work perfectly fine.

"I would not use a cheap filter...in the long run you'll wear your engine out.

"You don't want to save £5 on an oil filter and ruin a £5,000 engine."

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The one Scotty was using only costs £9.99 online so, while it's double the price of the cheaper version, it's not a huge price to pay compared to an engine replacement.

The motors whizz also recommended changing your oil about every £5,000 miles, just to be safe.

You can do this at home in about 10 minutes, with new oil coming in at around £10 a pop or you can get it done professionally for as little as £25 at any local garage.

It comes after SunMotors gave Ford fans the first look at the all-new Capri in a world exclusive.

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