Drivers are facing a bill for unexpected car repairs totalling an average of more than £600, according to data from the RAC.
A study for the RAC Report on Motoring 2024 found that 59% of drivers say they are hit with unexpected car repairs for their main vehicle each year. The average bill came to £617 across all ages of car. Of these drivers, 37% said they experienced financial difficulty in paying for them.
Tyres top the list of unexpected car repairs, with 64% of those surveyed experiencing issues in this area. This is likely due to the wear and tear they are subjected to, especially on increasingly poor road surfaces.
Next came brakes, with 24%. This was followed by suspension parts, such as shock absorbers and springs, with 21% of unexpected car repairs bills. For cars between three and 10-years-old, this figure was dramatically higher, at 30%.
Roads adding to unexpected car repairs
The findings therefore suggest that road surfaces have a part to play in the increasing costs of unexpected car repairs.
According to the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey published by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, 1.9 million potholes were filled over the last year. In the last decade more than £1.08 billion has been spent filling 17.5 million potholes, equivalent to one every 18 seconds, every day, for 10 years.
However, the RAC estimates that drivers encounter an average of six potholes per mile in England and Wales.
These strikes on steering and suspension components can cause premature wear and damage. With the complexity of modern vehicles, costs of these components and the time required to repair and replace, as well as carry out any necessary ADAS calibration, it is no wonder bills are increasing.
The rise in suspension repairs of older cars is not quite as surprising, as these components have likely come to, or are close to, the end of their natural lives. However, road conditions can still cause premature failure, leading to bills.
Clear message
The next most common unexpected costs were getting new exterior lights fitted at 15%, repairing bodywork damage such as dents and scrapes at 14% and having to replace faulty or worn-out 12v batteries, at 13%.
“Unexpected car repairs are something every driver dreads,” said Paul Coward, chief executive of the RAC’s service, maintenance and repair division. “This is even more the case for the estimated third of drivers who find it hard to cover these costs. What is 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.
“The clear message to drivers is a well-maintained vehicle is far less likely to break down and result in costly unexpected car repairs. Servicing it regularly is key, as well as ensuring any advisories in the MOT are addressed before they become illegal or go wrong.”
