Drivers sacrifice beer for cars

British drivers would sacrifice going to the pub, having take-aways and eating out rather than give up their cars, research by car insurer swiftcover.com reveals. In fact a third of drivers (36%) would run their cars on recycled chip oil to cut their motoring costs.

Almost seven out of ten (69%) drivers say their motoring costs have increased in the last 12 months, leading motorists to consider a range of sacrifices to save their cars.

28% would sacrifice going to the pub instead of giving up their car
26% would stop buying electrical gadgets such as TVs and iPods
21% would stop having take aways or eating out
15% would give up buying new clothes and furniture

British drivers love their cars so much they’d consider various ways of cutting their motoring costs – some more unusual than others.

36% would run their cars on recycled chip oil to save money on their motoring
34% would use public transport to cut costs
31% would buy a tiny city car such as a Smart car to slash costs
27% would join a car-sharing scheme for the commute to work
13% would swap their nice car for a dirt cheap banger
6% would be paid to have their car covered in sponsorship adverts

Tina Shortle, marketing director for swiftcover.com, says: “Brits must really love their cars if they’re willing to give up their trips to the pub, take aways and in-home entertainment. The fact that they’d also be willing to run their motors on chip oil or trade down to an old banger confirms that even more.

“swiftcover.com found that 69% of drivers reckon their motoring costs have increased over the last year – with most of them blaming the government and the high cost of fuel and road taxes. But drivers don’t need to go to the extremes of sacrificing their leisure activities or covering their vehicles in adverts to save money – simply shopping around for cheaper motoring essentials like insurance, petrol and servicing can save hundreds of pounds.”

swiftcover.com’s essentials for saving money on your motoring

Always shop around for insurance quotes – Don’t just accept the renewal price from your existing insurer, prices are going up so always check what else is on offer

Search for cheaper petrol – Sites like petrolprices.com help you find your cheapest station, which could save you £s on a tank full

Don’t use a main dealer for servicing – If your car is out of warranty, find a recommended local garage via a website like weknowcars.co.uk

Get an MOT from your council – Council garages carry out MOTs but not repairs, guaranteeing you a fair test. Check yourarea.gov.uk for your nearest garage

Don’t be a boy racer – Driving fast and speeding away from the traffic lights drinks petrol, so moderating your driving could help you save £500 a year on fuel

Don’t pay for what you don’t need – Lower insurance costs by ditching extras you don’t need, such as overseas cover and car hire supplements

Drive green and save money – swiftcover.com encourages environmentally friendly driving by giving drivers a 10% discount on insurance for greener cars

Cut out the junk – Hauling around a boot full of unnecessary junk will increase your fuel use, so get rid of what you don’t need and save money on petrol

Keep your car in good nick – Good engine maintenance, keeping your tyres inflated correctly and fixing stone chips in windscreens will save you money in the long term

Lose the roof rack – Even when it’s not being used, the roof rack causes drag and increases your use of petrol