Women drivers steer clear of dipsticks

Female drivers lag behind men when it comes to performing basic car maintenance, according to research by Autoquake.com, UK online used car retailer.

More than one-in-ten female drivers (12%) never check their car’s oil level. Just under 8% of men confess to the same neglect. Twice as many women (14%) as men (7%) admit to never checking their tyre pressures while almost one-in-five say they never check the tread-depth.

Women drivers are also more likely than men to pay someone else to carry out basic maintenance for them. Just over 14% of women pay to have coolant levels checked compared with 5% of men. A staggering 9% of women pay someone else to check their washer fluid level. Just 3% of men won’t do this simple job for themselves.

Autoquake’s CEO, Dermot Halpin, said: “We’re surprised to find such differences between the sexes. Pumping up your tyres or checking the oil level doesn’t require any special mechanical knowledge or muscle power, yet women drivers in particular are neglecting these basic but important checks.

“Failing to top up the car’s oil level could lead to engine failure and a huge repair bill, while not checking your tyres’ tread depth could mean your car is unsafe – and illegal.” Halpin added.

Autoquake.com’s survey also revealed differences around the country. Drivers from Northern Ireland take more care of their cars than most. Over 11% check their tyre pressures every week, compared with just 1% of drivers in south east England. A third of Northern Irish drivers check their car’s oil level weekly. Again, drivers in the south east are most neglectful, with just 3% carrying out this check every seven days.