Money worries are causing drivers to avoid having their vehicle repaired, new research shows.

A study commissioned by Esure car insurance indicates that over 23 million motorists put off taking their car to a garage despite being aware that there is a problem with it. A third (33 per cent) of people questioned claim that they do not take action on the faults with their car due to an unwillingness to shell out money for repairs, with 31 per cent stating that they simply do not have the time to go to a garage. The figures come as the insurance firm revealed 44 per cent of respondents would rather prioritise their spending on leisure pursuits such as holidays and clothes, rather than getting a known fault with their vehicle sorted out.

Some eight per cent of people questioned report that they will only bother getting their car fixed once it becomes completely unusable. In addition, about three-quarters of drivers were shown to be unaware what all the warning symbols on their dashboard mean.

By delaying getting repairs carried out, however, it is possible that drivers find problems with their vehicle worsening. This may lead them to face a higher service bill, which could result in difficulties with other financial demands such as personal loans, credit and store cards and mortgage costs.

Commenting on the figures, Mike Pickard, head of risk and underwriting for esure, said: “Driving a car with a fault – no matter how small it may be – could potentially increase the likelihood of having an accident or breakdown. Motorists should always think about the internal feel of the car whilst driving as well as any unusual noise they may hear.”

Dave Cotterill from KC Auto’s added that although drivers may at first have a “relatively minor problem” with their vehicle, in not sorting it out straight away they will only exacerbate their difficulties and gradually become a danger on the road. He went on to state by unnecessarily delaying getting a repair, motorists could also find that fixing the problem will cost them more money.

Further research from the firm indicated that 42 per cent of Welsh drivers claim money problems are the main reason for delaying putting their car into service. On the other hand, Scottish residents appear to be the most conscious about safety as a third of motorists from the region state they get a fault with their car sorted out as soon as possible. Meanwhile, some 37 per cent of women drivers state that they avoid such a trip because of difficulties with money, compared to 29 per cent of men.

Those looking for a competitive way to fund the repair of a car, however, may wish to take out a low-rate loan. In opting for this type of loan, it is possible that motorists can quickly meet such a payment demand and be left with affordable repayments to make each month. A cheap personal loan may also be of assistance to those looking to buy a car. Last year, MoneySupermarket reported that taking out a cheap UK loan ahead of a forecourt finance deal could save hundreds of pounds for the people buying one of the new September registration models.

Starting in business for yourself can be a very daunting proposition and in today’s credit crunch climate, every new car cleaning operation needs all the free help and advice they can take, to keep their business growing profitably during the first three to six crucial months.

You can pre-determine the success and profitability of your new car wash, valeting, detailing or specialist detailing business by working through our simple guides and making professional and not emotional decisions when deciding how, where and when to get started.

This article looks at how you can evaluate the opportunity.

Remember – Always Do Your Research Thoroughly – Before You Start!

Whether you have even taken the brave decision to leave your current employment, follow your dream and go it alone or interested in the car care industry because of redundancy or lack of other work opportunities, the key to any successful start up car wash operation is to do your research first.

Make sure that there is a demand for the type of car cleaning business you hope to operate in your area you want to work in, before you start creating long drawn out business plans, buying chemicals and equipment or having leaflets printed.

One of the most important aspects is to determine if you are entering a specific market segment that has room to grow, or is already over-supplied within your area.

To understand the status of each specific market segment, you need to determine who your main competitors are, estimate their current volume of business, and establish the percentage of market that is already taken (and why).

Only then will you arrive at what the market potential is for your new business that exists today.

The role of continued market growth has to be seriously considered as well – as it’s very easy to have too many suppliers and too few customers.

First take a trip to a number of local automated, jet wash or hand car wash and valeting centres to see how their operation works and determine each businesses benefits and customer base.

Spend some time at each operation and take make notes on the volume and type of cars that are cleaned and the services they are offered. Even if you are thinking of opening a mobile car valeting business, this gives a good indication of how people treat their cars (often through lack of choice) and how you can improve on the service they are currently receiving.

During your assessment you might discover that most of the businesses have no redeemable benefits and no value added proposition, but rather they are “just another car cleaning business.” This gives you an opportunity to do it bigger and better, with more care and customer service!

By using an online service such as a mobile car cleaning company your compiled information and search, within a 5-mile radius of where you’d like to focus your business, to see who else is competing in your car cleaning sector.

At the click of a button you can find out details of all car wash openings and other news results and information for any given area in the country. Although these are not specific and exact figures, they still can be very helpful in making rough estimates of the opportunity in your area and how these businesses have faired since opening (i.e. are they still trading – if not why not?).

You can check at any given time whether other car wash operators have applied for planning permission to open a site within the area. If they have already deemed the area has “significant market potential” this means that you can piggyback on their research and take advantage of their belief in operating a profitable business there.

By using all the data available, you can estimate the percentage of the market that is being served by the existing car washes and specifically for the type of car wash business you are considering. When you’ve arrived at that number, you will then know what portion of the market is truly non-competitive.

If that number alone gives you the volume you’re projecting for your business, then your analysis is finished. However, if that number does not give you the volume you want, to make the returns that you need, there is more research work to be done and decisions to be made on the realistic potential of the business.

You don’t have to be a car mechanic to recognize that a good performing water pump is the chief key to the survival of your car’s engine. Noisy, loose, wobbly, and shaft leaks indicate that water pump replacement is necessary. Note that similar problems can affect the fan clutches, thus you should perform replacement to maintain operating temperatures under control and inhibit boiling fluids from leaking through cylinder head gaskets.

In most cars, you will discover the pump installed on the front of the engine, together with a drive pulley appended to the pump hub. If very tight, you will see the fan clutch installed to the pulley together with bolts in its flange. These specifically cover cars with traditional or conventional engines. If you have a front-wheel-drive, you might find yourself in a puzzling position since the engine is normally mounted sideways resulting to trickier belt access and at times needs removal of the timing chain initially. If this is your case, you should analyze your level of expertise. If you lack the knowledge, it’s best to get the services of a professional mechanic to perform the pump replacement.

Start the job by disengaging the negative cable of the battery, drain the coolant, and then take the hoses and belt away to unbolt the fan and shroud if applicable. Get the pulley. Unfasten the existing water pump. Cleanse the gasket segment with a solvent or a scraper. Utilize gasket sealant if replacement guidelines specify.

Place and secure the new pump as well as gasket per the instruction manual. To bring all the parts back after accomplishing the water pump replacement, you just need to reverse the disassembly process, locked the belt to its appropriate tension, and then fill the recommended amount of water and coolant mixture in the radiator. Start your engine and look for squeaks and leaks. If you don’t find any, you’re surely good to go!