Mechanics warn over serious danger, and cost, of DIY car repairs
As the cost-of-living increases, mechanics are warning of the danger of drivers attempting to fix problems themselves, only to end up making things worse. Nearly two-thirds of mechanics report seeing an increase in cars arriving at their workshops with badly done DIY repairs that need professional fixing.
A driver survey found that more than one in five drivers admitted to performing DIY repairs or maintenance on their vehicles in the past year specifically to save money.
FixMyCar is urging drivers to be realistic about their abilities and consider the consequences. The company said simple tasks like checking tyre pressure, replacing bulbs and topping up fluids are suitable for home maintenance.
But they warn car owners that DIY jobs such as brake repairs, engine diagnostics and extensive bodywork should be left to qualified professionals, as bodged attempts can compromise vehicle safety and lead to higher costs.
Gordon Hamilton from Fife Autocentres, said: "What we're seeing is a bodgeflation effect. There's been a real increase in people bringing in cars after their DIY fixes have gone wrong. People watching YouTube videos, doing half-jobs with cheap parts, skipping regular servicing and topping up with the wrong oil are then left wondering why everything's gone pear-shaped.
"Don't get me wrong, I completely understand why people are attempting fixes at home – life is getting more expensive and it's hard for many people to make ends meet right now. But I care about my customers and I want to protect them. The safety aspect, especially with DIY brake work, can be very dangerous. I urge them to pay for proper repairs now – it's safer and cheaper than fixing bodge jobs later."
Matt Wrankmore, Head of Garage Network at FixMyCar said: 'This research confirms what we've been hearing from our mechanics nationwide – bodgeflation is real. Simple maintenance like checking fluids or changing wiper blades is great for DIY, but when people attempt complex repairs to save money, it often backfires. Getting professional help from trusted mechanics for these types of jobs is always more economical, and far safer, in the long run.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Millions of drivers due free TV upgrade in car that lets you watch telly – and it'll work even on old motors
That's not the only big upgrade either AUTOMO-TV Millions of drivers due free TV upgrade in car that lets you watch telly – and it'll work even on old motors Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A CLEVER upgrade to cars across the world will let you watch video on your motor's built-in screen. It's all thanks to a new update to Apple CarPlay, which is in millions of cars globally – and unsurprisingly, there's a big catch. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Apple CarPlay is getting a major update this year Credit: Apple 7 CarPlay will be upgraded as part of the iOS 26 update for iPhones – which we're expecting in September Credit: Apple The feature will only work if you're parked. That's to prevent drivers from catching up on Love Island on the M25 – a dangerous combination. With CarPlay, your iPhone takes over your car's screen, giving you access to your apps, music, contacts and more. And with the iOS 26 update for iPhone later this year, you'll be able to beam video from your mobile to your car's display. This works through the same AirPlay feature that lets you stream iPhone video to your telly. So you could play a video that was saved to your Photos app. Or you could use one of the many TV apps that support AirPlay to easily stream content to your Apple CarPlay monitor in your car. That includes Apple TV+ and YouTube – or any other app that offers CarPlay. "AirPlay video in the car enables people to watch their favourite videos from iPhone right on their CarPlay display when they aren't driving," Apple explains. The other catch is that your carmaker will need to switch the feature on. Apples's big announcements from WWDC with a flurry new features for the gadgets you already own CarPlay is managed by Apple, but your car provider still needs to activate the new ability to watch TV. And it won't go live until at least September, when we're expecting iOS 26 to roll out to millions of iPhone models as a free update. But plenty of cars support CarPlay. CarPlay launched back in 2014, and more than 800 models of motor across 40 brands now support it. 7 CarPlay gets a brand new Liquid Glass look Credit: Apple 7 You'll be able to quickly respond to messages with Tapbacks Credit: Apple Apple recently revealed that it's used more than 600 million times a day. So there's a good chance that the new feature will come to your car in the near future. DRIVE ON That wasn't the only car upgrade from Apple. This week, the company held its WWDC 2025 event in California, revealing all of its major software updates for the year ahead. IOS 26 SUPPORTED DEVICES – THE FULL LIST Here are the iOS 26 supported devices... iPhone 16e iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhone 14 Plus iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 14 Pro Max iPhone 13 iPhone 13 mini iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max iPhone 12 iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone SE (3rd gen) iPhone SE (2nd gen) Picture Credit: Apple For a start, Apple CarPlay is getting the new Liquid Glass look that other Apple gadgets are getting later this year. That gives the apps a glassy new aesthetic with a translucent design. And you'll be able to send Tapbacks to texts – they're the quick emoji reactions that are already available in the Messages app on iPhone. There's support for widgets on screen, as well as Live Activities (which could show sports scores, for instance). 7 The new CarPlay will also let you watch telly while parked Credit: Apple And Apple has also finally debuted CarPlay Ultra, which is the supercharged version of CarPlay only currently available with one car brand. Instead of just replacing your infotainment screen, CarPlay Ultra also serves as a customisable instrument panel (showing your speed and fuel and so on), as well as allowing you to control car functions like heating. During a sit-down interview with The Sun, Apple's Greg 'Joz'' Joswiak said: 'We're also bringing out that next generation of CarPlay, which we just brought out for the first time about a month ago." Joz continued: 'CarPlay is this beautiful ability to use the features of your phone. 7 CarPlay Ultra is an even more advanced version of CarPlay that lets you view and control core car functions Credit: Apple 'We wanted to have an experience with CarPlay Ultra that allows you – through that same interface that you can control your phone – to also control the aspects of your car 'Whether it's the seat heaters or the heating system in general, or even the car radio. 'Things that are outside of normal iPhone capabilities. To control these with CarPlay Ultra. 'We're very happy with the initial rollout of that. Some of the first vehicles started coming out last month. There's plenty more brands working on it.' 7 The new CarPlay Ultra offers a customisable instrument panel Credit: Apple CarPlay Ultra is currently available in new models from British motoring giant Aston Martin, but it's expected to arrive in other vehicles in the future too.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
I took a ride in AI-powered robotaxis set to hit UK – they have more gadgets than James Bond but I missed key element
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AS my odd-looking taxi pulled up, it was comforting to know that the driver couldn't have downed a skinful the night before. And I was certain this cabbie wouldn't spend the journey telling me why my football team, Crystal Palace, aren't as good as I think they are. 6 Robot Jaguar I-PACE has a light on top that displays the name of the person it is picking up Credit: Paul Edwards 6 The Sun's Oliver sitting in a Waymo vehicle waiting for it to take him on his 1.6-mile journey Credit: Paul Edwards 6 Navigating a multi-lane highway with no one at the wheel as traffic whizzes by Credit: Paul Edwards That's because there wasn't a human behind the steering wheel. I was about to take a ride in an AI-powered robotaxi. They are coming to Britain next year after driverless vehicles were given the go-ahead. Ride-hailing app Uber will be allowed to put passengers' lives in the hands of artificial intelligence in London. For someone who has struggled to comprehend tech since the invention of the SodaStream, this ride was a frightening prospect. Well, would you get on an airliner without a pilot? READ MORE ON ROBOTAXIS BUCKLE UP! Uber self-driving robotaxis are coming to UK roads NEXT YEAR Gazing out on to the busy freeway in Phoenix, Arizona, with giant SUVs motoring past, I had a similar pang of nerves about riding in the driverless contraption that had come to pick me up. More gadgets than Bond I had read some horror stories about robotaxies going rogue. In 2021, a self-driving car in the sunbelt city became confused by traffic cones then drove away from a technician sent to rescue it. Eventually the Waymo motor had to be disabled so a human driver could get behind the wheel. The passenger filmed the 33-minute debacle and plastered it on YouTube. Last year a General Motors-owned Cruise robotaxi struck and dragged a pedestrian 20 feet in San Francisco. The woman — who was injured — survived the ordeal. And in 2018 a cyclist was killed by an Uber cyber car with a safety driver in Phoenix. Watch moment passenger left TRAPPED in driverless car 'going round in circles' after robot taxi malfunctions The back-up driver had been looking down to watch The Voice TV show which he was streaming when Elaine Herzberg, 49, crossed a darkened road in front of her. It was the first fatal collision involving a fully autonomous vehicle. Nevertheless, with self-driving cars being touted as the future of motoring, it was time for a test run. Booking my ride was simple. I downloaded the app of Waymo One — a self-drive firm owned by Google's parent company Alphabet — and punched in my details along with where I wanted to go. With the thermometer hitting 39C in this desert city, I was on the hunt for a nice, cool pint of Guinness and was told Casey Moore's Oyster House was the place to go. At least there would be no argument about designated drivers. Soon I was tracking the Waymo on my phone as it surged to my hotel through the early rush-hour traffic. And then the gleaming white Jaguar I-PACE came into view — with no one at the wheel. On the roof was something that looked like a giant police blue light with my initials displayed on it. Unlocking its door with the app, I sat in the back (no one is allowed in the driver's seat) as the Waymo played calming elevator music. 6 Screen on dashboard to greet passenger and button they must press to get going Credit: Paul Edwards 6 Booking a ride on app, which is also used to unlock the door Credit: Paul Edwards I pressed a screen between the front seats saying 'start ride'. Then, a bit like KITT, the car from Eighties TV series Knight Rider, Waymo began talking. As we pulled smoothly away from the hotel forecourt, the robotaxi told me to buckle up. And then, with the steering wheel spinning as if by some invisible force, we eased into the Phoenix traffic as I let out an involuntary 'whoaa!' On the opposite side of the road cars were whizzing towards us but all-electric Waymo deftly navigated the right path before pulling up at a red light. How did it know it was red? That's one for the brainiacs. Swinging left into East Apache Boulevard, I caught sight of a couple of pedestrians ahead. How would the cyber motor react? My Waymo One slowed and made sure to give them a wide berth. That's because it is bristling with more gadgets than a James Bond car. Its sensors include cameras, radars and something called lidars which use lasers to create a 3D image of the vehicle's surroundings. The in-car computer then makes sense of all the data that Waymo is gathering. And, learning to trust the tech, I was soon beginning to relax. All speed limits were observed and driving rules obeyed. The ride was smooth and felt safe. Perhaps I was better off without a driver after all. Wayve's technology operates more like a human driver would learning to drive in one city and then applying that knowledge to drive in new places. Bill Gates Britain's Department for Transport estimates that 88 per cent of road accidents are caused by human error. Soon we were pulling up outside the pub. Keeping the rear door open a little too long, an actual human called Brian came through on Waymo's intercom to check I was OK. He was certainly more amenable than Johnny, the robot driver of the taxi in 1990 sci-fi flick Total Recall, who Arnold Schwarzenegger ripped out of the cab in frustration be- cause he was not listening to his in- structions. My 14-minute journey over 1.6 miles had cost $9.33 (just over £7). And, unlike most things in America, there was no need to add a tip. Waymo One serves 180 square miles of Arizona's capital — that makes Phoenix the largest fully autonomous ride-hail service zone in the world. After a couple of pints, I decided to summon another Waymo. Not arriving at the front of the pub as I had imagined, it headed to- wards a park- ing lot at the back. Would the robotaxi be able to navigate this manoeuvre? In May this year another empty Waymo trying to pick up its ride collided with a telephone pole in a Phoenix alleyway. No one was injured but pictures show a fire crew attending the scene with the robotaxi suffering a crumpled front grill. Hunk of metal Waymo voluntarily recalled its 672-car fleet for a software update in what the company called a 'safety-first approach'. The crash was put down to the robotaxi's software having 'assigned a low damage score' to the pole. It had misjudged the danger because there was no kerb or clear road edge. My Waymo pulled into the parking lot smoothly and confidently. But, unlike many humans, could it parallel park? Indeed it could and reversing is no problem either. And — despite having sampled some local beverages — there was no barked warning: 'Mate, you're not going to be sick in my cab, are you?' Soon this taxi was traversing the two miles to Society restaurant like a London cabbie with The Knowledge. The 11-minute ride cost $13.31 (£10.25). Again, no tip required by the computer chip and its hunk of metal. With millions employed as drivers across the globe, tech titans are investing billions in robo vehicle technology for what they see as a lucrative driverless future. 6 Johnny drives Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1990 sci-fi flick Total Recall Last year Elon Musk unveiled Tesla's Cybercab at the Warner Bros studio lot in Hollywood. The world's richest man insisted that the sleek, golden two-seater car without a steering wheel or pedals will be on sale 'before 2027'. Meanwhile Amazon-owned Zoox's self-driving cars will soon be available to the public in Las Vegas. In Scotland a robobus with a back-up driver plies a route over the Forth Road Bridge. Wuhan in China — where Covid was first detected — has more than 400 self-driving Apollo Go cars taking passengers. Tech giant Baidu delayed increasing the fleet to a thousand after complaints by human taxi drivers. A cab firm in the city accused the robotaxis of 'taking jobs from the grass roots'. It will be far from the last time humans protest about losing their jobs to AI-powered robots. Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander Over here, the UK start-up Wayve will be teaming up with Uber for its taxi service next spring. If all goes well, the plan is to roll out these services across the country in the second half of 2027 when last year's Automated Vehicles Act comes fully into force. Founded in 2017 by New Zealand-born Alex Kendall, Wayve believes it can produce robocars that are safer and cheaper than anyone else by giving the car 'its own brain.' Its AI-driven software can be used to make any car self-driving using cameras. The live images are used to train itself to drive by visual observation. Microsoft founder Bill Gates went for a ride to get fish and chips in a Wayve-powered motor — with a back-up driver — while in London. The tech giant said: 'Other self-driving technologies work only on specific mapped streets. 'Wayve's technology operates more like a human driver would learning to drive in one city and then applying that knowledge to drive in new places.' In May, Wayve raised $1.05billion (£840million) in funding, with Microsoft and Nvidia, a leading chip-maker, among investors. It is the largest known investment in an AI company in Europe to date. According to the Department for Transport, the UK cybercar industry could be worth £42billion and create 38,000 jobs by 2035. This week, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'The future of transport is arriving. 'Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology.' Back in Phoenix, I summoned another Waymo for a ride back to my hotel. By now I was relaxed enough to enjoy the experience of being driven through the night-time streets by a machine seemingly with a mind of its own. Yet, as the journey progressed, I realised I was missing something. There was no round-up of the Champions League scores and no chat about the most famous person to ride in the cab. Waymos don't do banter. You still need a human driver for that.
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Wales Online
Twix advert banned after complaints it promoted dangerous driving
Twix advert banned after complaints it promoted dangerous driving The advert shows a man in a car embarking on a high-speed chase with a pursuer, before swerving off the road and tumbling down a hill Twix TV advert banned after complaints it encouraged dangerous driving (Image: Twix/YouTube ) A TV advert for the popular chocolate bar, Twix, has been banned following objections that it promotes reckless driving. The advert, titled Two is More Than One, showcases a 70s-inspired car chase featuring a long-haired man in a caramel-coloured vehicle navigating through a rugged terrain with winding roads. After noticing another driver tailing him via his rear view mirror, he accelerates before yanking the handbrake, veering off to the right side of the road and rolling sideways through a metal barrier. Despite the dramatic tumble down the hill, the driver remains unfazed as the car comes to a halt, landing on an identical vehicle at the bottom of the hill. The two cars are depicted stacked roof-to-roof, with the same man seemingly occupying both vehicles. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter The Twix bar from the top driver falls through the sunroof into the hands of the driver below, and they both shift the gear stick on the ground level car and drive off. Two cars end up roof to roof, and drive away together. (Image: Twix/YouTube ) The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) received five complaints alleging that the advert was irresponsible and encouraged dangerous driving, reports the Express. Article continues below Mars-Wrigley, the confectionery giant that owns Twix, defended the advert by stating it "was set in a separate world that was absurd, fantastical and removed from reality," and they ensured that the acts depicted in the sequence "would be impossible to recreate", according to Sky News. The firm, which also owns brands such as Maltesers and M&Ms, stated that the cars "were shot driving at lawful speeds and any emulation would only reflect the legal and safe driving presented". Mars-Wrigley also pointed out that the advert embodied the playful and absurd humour that the Twix brand is renowned for. Clearcast, the non-profit organisation that approves adverts before they are broadcast in the UK, informed the watchdog that the style of the video made it clear to viewers that the actions depicted were not intended to be replicated, and said the ad did not suggest "safe driving was boring," according to BBC News. However, despite acknowledging that the video featured "some clearly fantastical elements," the watchdog decided to uphold the complaints, stating in its ruling that the ads "must not appear again in their current form". "We considered the road was clearly realistic," the ASA stated. "The scenes were depicted as a chase with the emphasis on speed. In addition, the first man was then shown putting the handbrake on and the car swerved off the road leaving visible skid marks. "We considered the emphasis on a chase, and the speed inherent to that, and the driving manoeuvres featured would be dangerous and irresponsible if emulated in real life on a public highway." In its ruling, the ASA instructed Mars-Wrigley "not to condone or encourage irresponsible driving that was likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code in their ads." A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley UK stated: "We always take pride in maintaining high standards across all our communications and every advert we produce is submitted for approval through the appropriate review channels. Article continues below "In our view, this particular advert adopts a fantastical tone that is neither realistic nor intended to be imitated. "Nonetheless, we take our responsibility as an advertiser seriously and never intended to cause any offence or concern, so we are reviewing the ruling carefully in order to work collaboratively towards a resolution."
