Motorists in the UK are skipping the simple and essential maintenance of changing the bulbs in their headlights. Research from eBay has found that two-thirds of drivers admit that they have never tackled it.
With drivers facing darker journeys as we enter the winter months, nearly a fifth (17%) of drivers said that they rarely check that their lights, both headlights and taillights, are working.
The main reason cited, according to the research, is that was that they were taking their car to the garage. 38% of drivers gave it as the reason. The next most common was a feeling that they lacked the necessary knowledge, the excuse for 37% of drivers. 19% said that they did not have the right tools while the same number said that they were afraid of breaking something.
Just over a quarter of motorists considered replacing the bulb in their car while mane have never even attempted to. 43% however said that they would feel confident replacing a blown bulb, which eBay said shows “the appetite for motorists to get their hands dirty and learn a new motoring skill.”
Of the 33% who had changed the bulb in their car’s headlights, nearly two-thirds had done so to save money while 61% said that it was quick and easy. A fifth even said that they enjoyed doing it themselves.
As part of the research, eBay contacted 15 garages around London, Liverpool, and Birmingham to find out the average cost to replace a single bulb in the headlights on some of the country’s most popular cars. The data showed that it could cost as much as £29 for a garage to carry out the work. One garage gave a quote of £83 to replace a bulb. Bulbs can cost just around £5, meaning that there could be real savings to have a crack at doing it yourself.
Stay tuned to EyeOnLondon for the latest news and expert opinions.
