Single mother of four Meg Laidlaw says she can't afford to get her car serviced, registered or her tyres replaced.
She's not alone.
New research has found almost half of Australians are delaying car repairs or services due to cost-of-living pressures.
The busy Bendigo mother, who is a student, said there was nothing left for car expenses after paying for groceries and bills.
"Things that used to be $5 are now $9," she said.
"When you've got multiple mouths to feed, it starts to add up after a while."
She said her car registration was $700, and her tyres were $140 each to replace.
"$480 is the difference between a fortnight's groceries and new tyres ... and I choose to feed my children," she said.
The rising cost of living has resulted in her leaving the car idle and choosing public transport wherever possible.
"I'm now resorting to walking," she said.
Car services on hold
Research by comparison website Finder found almost half of Australians had skipped taking their vehicle to the mechanic to save money.
The survey of nearly 1,000 motorists found 25 per cent had avoided having their car serviced because they couldn't afford it, while 8 per cent had let scratches or physical damage go unrepaired.
Respondents said they would also put off repairing bald tyres and damaged windscreens due to financial trouble or affordability issues.
Bendigo mechanic Michael Holt said he was doing fewer car services, which could mean a lot of people were delaying it.
"Car services are down by around 40 per cent," he said.
"We've had cars that haven't been serviced for four years come in for a service."
He was alarmed to see clients avoiding essential repairs, such as replacing brakes, due to the cost.
"Prices have gone through the roof," he said.
"The cost of parts has gone up. The cost of tyres has gone up.
"We're also finding a lot more people trying to do it from home.
"A Google mechanic is not as qualified as an experienced mechanic that's spent years in the trade."
Calls for roadworthy regulation
Motor Trades Association of Australia chief executive Geoff Gwilym said it was alarming to hear people were delaying or avoiding essential repairs and maintenance.
"We think that people have prioritised their car lower than it should be in terms of its reliability and safety for a long time," he said.
"When people put off things like a regular service, they don't realise that things like getting the oil changed can extend the life of the vehicle significantly."
Mr Gwilym said some research has shown bald tyres are more dangerous than people thought.
"The research by the University of Cardiff in Wales looked at braking distances between people who had high levels of blood alcohol content and people with bald tyres," he said.
"It found bald tyres were actually more dangerous than people that had alcohol in their blood system."
The association has called for regular roadworthy checks to be mandatory in every state.
"We would like to see more regular roadworthy testing, particularly for cars over a certain age," he said.
"In states like Victoria, there's no requirement for a regular roadworthy.
"So you can buy a car and drive it for 30 years and never have it roadworthy.
"In Tasmania, you only have to roadworthy a car when it enters the state. Then you never have to roadworthy it again."
