Motorists are being warned about the costs of failing to check their oil on a regular basis.

Research by Comma Oil has found that damagingly low levels of oil accounted for 168,000 mechanical breakdowns in 2005, leaving the motorist with an average repair bill of £1,229 or often more for engine replacements.

Many of the breakdowns have been blamed on the rising number of vehicles that have service intervals of up to 20,000 miles, and with more than a third of motorists not checking their oil on a regular basis, it is feared the number of engine replacements required will soon rise.