The credit crunch is forcing many motorists to venture into the unknown and look under the bonnets of their car in an effort to save money. That is the finding of a motoring survey by Auto Trader, which points to a growing trend for DIY repairs. However, it also seems that many motorists lack the knowledge and skills to tackle even the most basic vehicle maintenance effectively.

The website found that 70% of drivers are happy to replace bulbs and surprisingly brake discs. 55% say they would be happy to tackle suspension problems, while 30% would even take a look at a faulty gearbox. The survey also found that nearly half of all motorists admit that their vehicle is on the road while in need of some form of repair, with 10% describing the problem ‘quite major’ and 5% as ‘very major’.

Many experts point out that DIY repairers can also often do damage to sophisticated electronic systems due to their lack of knowledge. This can quickly and easily turns a small problem into a very costly one.