UK drivers claim mechanics have cheated them out of over £800 million
British motorists feel their mechanic is not being entirely honest with them, and could be swindling them out of money.
IT IS one of the oldest stereotypes in modern society: the idea of the shifty mechanic that rips off the naive, unsuspecting motorist.
While most would like to believe that this concept is exactly that, a stereotype, new research has shown that if you ask British drivers, it may not actually be too far off the mark.
A recent survey conducted by car maintenance app company, Engie, has found that British motorists believe they may have been tricked out of over £800 million by their not-so-faithful automotive specialist.
One in seven (14 per cent) claims to have been ripped off when paying for repairs, with the average person cheated out of £155, according to the research.
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Engie said the figures suggest 5.4 million British drivers have been overcharged by a total of £833 million.
The poll of 1,300 motorists found that four out of 10 (42 per cent) mistrust mechanics, while 12 per cent believe they have been sold something their vehicles did not need.
"Mechanics may not actually be ripping customers off, but the research demonstrates the extent of UK drivers' lack of confidence in mechanic quotes," Engie co-founder Gal Aharon said.
"They simply don't understand what is being sold to them and if it's really necessary."
The amount that drivers believe they have been overcharged is highest in Edinburgh at £248, while the lowest is in Southampton at just £103.
Around one in 10 (11 per cent) drivers admits to having a poor understanding about the health of their car, with nearly a quarter (23 per cent) saying they do not understand any technical automotive terms.
Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: "Over the past decade, the average cost of maintaining a car has risen by about 40 per cent. This is more than the rate of inflation and almost twice as much as the growth in wages.
"It's unsurprising that drivers want to believe they are getting a good, or at least fair deal, every time they visit the garage.
"Anything that causes car owners to cut back on servicing risks costing them more in the long run, and also means their vehicle might not be road worthy."