Brits take steps to crunch motor costs

With economic turbulence rife, nearly three quarters (70%) of financially savvy Brits are taking steps to reduce their motoring costs, according to new research from Saga Motor Insurance.

Rather than compromising on essential insurance cover, many Brits are finding both innovative and easy ways of saving money on the day to day running of their vehicle. The average motorist who has taken steps to cut costs is saving £17 a month - which adds up to a massive £4.9 billion a year across the UK.

In a bid to save cash, two fifths (37%) of motorists have reduced the number of miles they drive each week. Almost half (44%) of the over fifties have adopted this approach, with positive results for both the environment and their wallets.

Searching for cheaper fuel is also a top priority as over a quarter (28%) are checking prices before they buy. Women are especially keen on finding a bargain price (31% vs 26% men). Such small changes make a real difference with a quarter (24%) saving over £20.

Other drivers are taking a particularly practical approach, with 15% taking more care over car maintenance to ensure increased fuel efficiency and 17% choosing to wash their cars themselves, rather than use valet services.

In addition, a significant number of motorists are also taking further cost-cutting measures, such as car-sharing (6%) and switching to cars with lower emissions (4%), therefore saving on both fuel and road tax. Over one in ten thrifty drivers (11%) are also using less energy by switching the air conditioning and heating on less frequently.

Although these money saving steps are very easy to follow, almost a third (30%) of people are apparently not feeling the pinch, as they make no attempt to curb their motoring costs.

Andrew Goodsell, Chief Executive, Saga Group, commented: "It's a positive thing that people are taking practical steps in order to cut down on motoring costs. By adopting simple changes, such as washing cars by hand or checking tyre pressures more regularly, motorists can significantly cut their monthly outgoings."

Steps to reduce motor costs include:

Reduce the number of miles you drive each week
Search for the cheapest petrol station before buying
Wash your car by hand rather than using car wash/valet
Take more care over car maintenance, such as checking tyres are pumped properly
Use air conditioning/heating less
Switch your car to a cheaper model/make
Rent out your driveway/parking space