National Oil Check Week gets thousands under the bonnet

National Oil Check Week has been declared a success after an estimated 7,200 motorists took advantage of free checks across the country, thanks to an initiative started by Comma, which aimed to get more of us to look under our car bonnets more often.

The campaign (CheckYourOil.co.uk) highlighted the 5 million drivers who risk an average repair bill of £1,413 by failing to carry out the 60-second dipstick test to check the oil level in their cars. After being started by Comma, the campaign gathered support from Mobil 1, Halfords, Esso service stations, Haynes manuals and the AA.

A National Oil Check Roadshow visited shopping centres in Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and Kent checking and topping up people’s oil free of charge, while branches of Halfords, Esso service stations and hundreds of independent retailers carried out free checks.

The roadshow revealed that, across the country, 45% of motorists are running low on oil, with one in seven driving with dangerously low oil levels, meaning their motors could expire expensively at any moment.

Mike Bewsey, Comma’s Sales and Marketing Director, said: “The week as a whole went very well and the feedback we got from the motorists who came through our oil check roadshows was extremely positive. Most people we spoke to were surprised to discover that their cars needed such regular attention, and I’m certain we saved at least a few people having to shell out for a new engine.”

Among the case studies from Comma’s roadshow were a woman whose husband had told her to ignore her oil light (even though her car was running with hardly any oil), while one car expired as it reached the oil check point, as it was out of both oil and coolant.

For further information about the campaign, visit CheckYourOil.co.uk or to find your nearest stockist, visit commaoil.com and click on the Where to Buy button.