00:00Many drivers say the risk of car crime is now an unfortunate part of everyday life.
00:07RAC research shows more than a quarter of motorists have experienced vehicle crime in the past year,
00:12from theft and vandalism to stolen parts and cloned number plates.
00:17The problem is particularly severe in towns and cities where nearly half of drivers report being targeted,
00:23compared with far fewer in rural areas.
00:25Beyond the emotional stress, these incidents can leave drivers facing costly repairs,
00:30insurance excess payments and higher premiums in the future.
00:34Even minor damage like scratches, dents or broken locks can cost hundreds of pounds to fix,
00:39while more serious theft or parts replacement can run into the thousands.
00:43These rising costs are contributing to higher insurance prices overall,
00:47meaning drivers often pay more, even if they've never been targeted themselves.
00:51Experts say taking preventative steps can make a significant difference,
00:56both in reducing risk and avoiding unexpected expenses.
01:00Yeah, costs of being a car owner, yeah, they have gone up considerably over the last few years.
01:07So that starts from fuel.
01:10You know, so we have at the AA, we have a constant monitoring of fuel.
01:16So we can go on the app and you can check where's the closest or the cheapest fuel to where you live is.
01:22And fuel is the one that sort of gets most people.
01:26But yeah, the price of parts and tyres, brakes, all of these things have all gone up.
01:31There's not very much that's gone down in recent years.
01:35One of the simplest ways to save money is by keeping on top of routine maintenance.
01:39This, regularly checking tyre pressure, oil levels and fluid levels can improve fuel efficiency
01:44and prevent more serious mechanical problems later on.
01:48Catching small issues early is often far cheaper than waiting until something fails completely.
01:53In terms of upkeep, what I tend to do is sort of buy a car from my daughter
01:58or help her buy a car for my wife.
02:01It's the first thing I do is get the car and then clean it top to bottom,
02:05no matter what condition it's in when I get it, clean it top to bottom.
02:08And then that makes it feel like yours.
02:10And there is a reason for that, because once you put all that work into it,
02:14then it tends to make you look after it a bit more as the months go on.
02:19So yeah, check the history, as we were saying.
02:22But if it is due for service, then why not get it serviced?
02:27You've cleaned the car, you're sort of looking ahead and thinking,
02:30right, well, I want this car to last me for a couple of years or longer.
02:33Get it serviced or get it inspected and say, right,
02:37what do we need to address first?
02:38Most decent garages will give you a priority list of what you need to do first
02:43and then work through that list.
02:46And once you've got through the list, then you've got yourself a decent car
02:49that looks OK and you know you've got the peace of mind.
02:53It's all nice and clean.
02:54You've got your repairs done.
02:55And yeah, why not just keep it on the road for as long as you can?
02:58Drivers can also cut costs by shopping around for insurance, servicing and fuel.
03:04Comparing quotes, choosing trusted independent garages and driving smoothly
03:08to reduce wear and tear can all lower overall running costs.
03:13Over time, these small changes can add up to significant savings.
03:17Ways of making it cheaper could be, and it's simple things that you can do.
03:21So if you've got a list of jobs to do in a day, try and combine your trips
03:28and try and get everything done in one loop.
03:31And also on fuel consumption, lots of people, especially I've noticed this
03:36with kind of tradespeople or people who are kind of using the car for work,
03:42they tend to leave a lot of things in the car.
03:44So then when you're using it not for work, all that stuff is still in the car.
03:48And what that can do then is affect the fuel consumption.
03:51So you're using more fuel, carrying things around that you have no intention of using
03:56while you're using the car.
03:58With car crime and motoring costs both rising,
04:01experts say prevention and careful maintenance are more important than ever.
04:06Taking simple steps now can help drivers protect their vehicles,
04:09avoid unexpected bills and keep the cost of car ownership under control.
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