A growing number of drivers are choosing to service their cars themselves, despite not having the necessary skills.

A new study by Kwik-Fit highlighted that over a third (35 per cent) of car owners now carry out their own services, despite the fact that 69 per cent of drivers are not confident about doing so.

The research also found that there are a rising number of cars going un-serviced, with 2.5 million fewer cars being serviced at a garage in the past 12 months compared with the previous year, as drivers seek to cut costs.

"Car owners shouldn’t rely on the MoT to pick up faults as this mainly focuses on safety factors. A proper service will highlight issues which could cause a future breakdown and also cover areas too complicated for most DIY mechanics, such as timing belt replacement," commented David White, customer services director at Kwik-Fit.

He added that while the tough economic climate has led to motorists wanting to cut costs, missing a service can cost more in the long run if things go wrong.

Recent research by fast.MAP, on behalf of MyTyres.co.uk found that less than 50 per cent of motorists have checked the tread depth of their tyres in the last month.

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