Drivers warned there is more than £5,000 at risk from saving £5 as expert says ‘I wouldn’t do it’

Drivers have been warned that they are putting their engine at risk with very little economy. An expert mechanic has issued a warning that trying to skimp on maintenance could cost you a small fortune.

Renowned mechanic Scotty Kilmer has revealed tips for keeping your vehicle in top condition, potentially saving you a significant amount of cash over time. He said an underrated issue was changing oil filters – which many don’t do often enough or do cheaply.

And he said they’re playing with fire – they’re essential to keeping engines running, which sets you back £5,000. Regular oil changes are essential to a vehicle’s maintenance routine, he said.

Read more: Car drivers face huge bills

It is equally important to replace the oil filter every time you change the oil. But as Scotty points out, many oil filters on the market are still rated for only 3,000 miles, despite the fact that drivers often wait up to 10,000 miles between oil changes because of synthetic oils.

He warns, “If you buy the cheap filters, they’re only good for 3,000 miles. People used to change their oil every 3,000 miles, but now they do it every 8-10,000 miles. You need to buy a premium oil filter that is good for 10,000 miles.

“There are a lot of them that work perfectly. I wouldn’t use a cheap filter…in the long run you will wear out your engine. You don’t want to save £5 on an oil filter and ruin a £5,000 engine’.