KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — A growing number of Malaysian car owners have not been sending their vehicles for scheduled servicing in a bid to save money, only to suffer problems on the road later, theSun reported today.

The newspaper reported that some automobile workshops have observed an uptick in car owners skimping on certain maintenance services purportedly due to financial restraints, but end up paying more because their vehicles break down on the road and have to be towed for repairs.

"The three types of servicing we provide are normal, semi-minor and major. The cost estimation for normal servicing is about RM250, which includes engine oil, oil filter and filling of gas.

"For the semi-minor category, the charges are between RM300 and RM400, and include brake oil and air filter changes. Major servicing charges are between RM500 and RM600 and include additional brake oil, coolant, gearbox oil and oil filter changes," Perodua service adviser Mohd Hafizonizam was quoted as saying.

Hafizonizam's co-worker, a 26-year-old Perodua service adviser named as Danish Faris, told the paper that a minor service such as changing the engine oil costs RM60, changing the brake oil and fuel filter costs between RM80 to RM100, while major services like parts replacement cost between RM145 to RM160.

About half of Perodua car owners have not been keeping up with their car-servicing schedule, leading to more vehicle breakdowns, theSun reported, adding that the trend was regardless of the clients' income levels.

The Perodua mechanics reportedly said only about 50 per cent of clients follow the recommendations of car services.

According to theSun, an average of 280 cars were booked for Perodua's monthly service in June while 307 cars were serviced at the Petaling Jaya outlet in Selangor.

Pertubuhan Kebajikan Callman Semalaysia vice-president Ewan Radzuan told the newspaper that demand for tow operating services happens when a car breaks down or a collision has occurred.

Road Safety Research Centre at the Universiti Putra Malaysia, Professor Law Teik Hua told theSun that it is better to be diligent in following the recommended maintenance schedule to lengthen the vehicle's overall lifespan, which will also result in financial savings in the long run.

"It is okay to reduce a vehicle’s maintenance requirements, but people should never disregard components that affect safety such as brakes and tyres," he was quoted saying.