Britain’s drivers spending an average of £617 a year on unexpected car repairs

Unexpected car repairs are costing Britain’s drivers an average of £617 a year.

New research has found that 64 per cent of drivers had to pay out for new tyres, followed by 24 per cent for brake repairs and a further 21 per cent for suspension work – due to poor road surfaces.

That’s according to breakdown company, RAC, who asked 2,691 drivers regarding their experiences with vehicle maintenance over the last 12 months.

Paul Coward, chief executive of the RAC’s service, maintenance and repair division, said: “Unexpected car repairs are something every driver dreads. This is even more of the case for the estimated third of drivers who find it hard to cover these costs. What’s more, we know from long-term RAC research that eight-in-10 people depend on their cars, so any time a vehicle is off the road it can cause huge problems.”

He added: “The other clear message to drivers is that a well-maintained vehicle is far less likely to break down and result in costly unexpected repairs. Servicing it regularly is key, as well as ensuring any advisories in the MOT are addressed before they become illegal or go wrong.”

Furthermore, the research found that 15 per cent of drivers had to pay out for fitting new headlights and 14 per cent for bodywork repairs such as dents and scratches. Meanwhile, 13 per cent had to replace worn-out or faulty 12-volt batteries.