If I don’t repair the leak in the roof of my house properly, it doesn’t impact my neighbors.
That’s not true if I neglect to keep my car in proper working order. Ignoring a low tire pressure light or squeaking brakes could lead to an accident that might hurt not just me, but other drivers and their passengers.
AutoZone CFO Jamere Jackson shared that customers have been cutting back on needed spending when it comes to maintaining their vehicles.
“The DIY market is experiencing a growing and aging car park and a challenging new and used car sales market, which typically provides a tailwind for our business. However, transactions are soft as the customer experiences high inflation in our industry and elsewhere,” he said during his company’s fourth-quarter earnings call.
That includes putting off needed work, or cheaping out on making repairs.
“We see evidence of deferrals and trade down in DIY, particularly with the most financially challenged DIY customers. This is not a new phenomenon for our industry, and we expect it to recover over time,” he added.
That’s not encouraging, however, for any driver who might be on the road now, rather than whenever the car repair market recovers.
Car owners are putting off maintenance
CEO Phil Daniele talked about the choices customers have been making.
“Some elements of our business are more discretionary and have more elasticities, particularly in the categories like floor mats and seat covers. Those are not necessary to drive your car,” he said.
In other cases, people are pushing off work that could, at best, make their car not drivable, and at worst, dangerous, but still operational.
“Maintenance, people will tend to push it a little bit as they get under pressure from an inflationary perspective. But over time, you have to replace those parts. You cannot continue to defer the maintenance on the product, on the car. If you do, you end up with a failure,” he said.
That failure, if it happens on the road, could have greater consequences than being late for work or not being able to pick your kid up at school.
The hidden costs of skipping car maintenance
I once waited too long to change the oil in an older car, and the impact was catastrophic. One day, the engine simply seized, and that car was now a large paperweight I had to have towed away.
In that case, the car was old, probably needed more work than it was worth, but it literally died while on the highway, and I was very lucky I was able to pull over and not get stuck in the middle of the road.
There’s another reason putting off maintenance can be a bad financial decision.
“Staying on top of regular maintenance and getting repairs done before they create other problems will save you money in the long run,” John Ibbotson, associate director and chief mechanic at Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center, said.
That’s particularly relevant when drivers are already trying to cut costs. A repair that might have been relatively inexpensive when first identified can become substantially more expensive if the underlying problem is allowed to worsen.
“Skipping routine car maintenance may seem harmless, especially when your vehicle still runs fine. But what experts call ‘deferred maintenance,’ or delaying scheduled service and needed repairs, can quietly lead to reduced fuel economy, expensive breakdowns, safety risks, and even major engine damage,” according to an article by the AAA.
It’s also not a cost-effective strategy.
“Skipping or postponing required repairs can be even more problematic, and small issues often become far more costly repairs when ignored for too long,” the group shared.
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Skipping car maintenance can be serious
AAA also warned that the cost can go well beyond your car.
“Postponing or ignoring scheduled inspections of the many parts related to safety can put your family and other motorists at risk. A failure of any of these critical components could lead to a crash, resulting in injuries, property damage, and legal liability,” it shared.
The AAA offered a number of clear examples.
“Take brakes as an example. Skipping inspections could mean missing a brake issue that may not be noticeable during everyday driving but could reduce your ability to stop or control the car in an emergency. Undetected exhaust system leaks can allow carbon monoxide to enter the passenger compartment, while even a minor oil or fuel leak could lead to a vehicle fire,” added AAA.
Tires can be a particular problem that leads to an accident.
“About 9% of crashes involved a vehicle with tire problems just before the crash,” according to NHTSA data.
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