Motorists were lumbered with higher car repair costs last year, with the average bill to fix one of the eight most popular used models jumping by 20 per cent.
Warrantywise estimates that drivers were stung with garage receipts a fifth higher than in 2023 as the cost of parts and labour rose.
In some instances, it triggered an increase in repair costs of nearly 30 per cent.
Owners of Ford Fiestas, Britain's most popular used car sold last year and the most common models on our roads, had to fork out an extra £228 for repairs last year. Garage bills increased from £925 in 2023 to £1,159 in 2024 - an increase of 25 per cent, the report claimed.
The biggest increase of all was felt by owners of Vauxhall Astras; drivers of this popular family hatchback saw repair bills surge from £819 to £1,047, which is a 28 per cent jump.
And motor industry bodies and repair centres have warned that the cost to fix cars will continue to rise this year, blaming a number of factors, including ongoing parts supply shortages and inflation pounding auto businesses.
Motorists were lumbered with higher car repair costs last year, with the average bill to fix one of the eight most popular models jumping by 20%. And drivers are warned that garage bills will continue to soar in 2025
The warranty provider estimated costs for 2023 versus 2024 using its own claims data gathered from thousands of customers.
It showed that all the most popular models on our roads suffered significant cost increases in 2024.
Owners of VW Golfs and Nissan Qashqais had to splash out an additional 18 per cent on repairs, while the Ford Focus was 15 per cent pricier to fix.
While BMW 3 Series drivers saw their garage bills increase by 10 per cent, the smallest jump in costs were felt by VW Polo owners, who had to hand over an extra 3 per cent to mechanics in 2024.
The biggest increase of all was felt by owners of Vauxhall Astras; drivers of this popular family hatchback saw repair bills surge from £819 to £1,047, which is a 28% jump
Owners of Ford Fiestas - the nation's most popular car of all - had to fork out an extra £228 for repairs last year. Garage bills increased from £925 in 2023 to £1,159 in 2024 - an increase of 25%
The Vauxhall Corsa is the second most common car on Britain's streets. The cost to repair one rose by 20% on average last year, increasing from £604 in 2023 to £727 in 2024
The Motor Ombudsman told This is Money earlier this year that ongoing component shortage along with inflationary pressures would likely trigger even higher repair costs for car owners this year.
Some 52 per cent of garages it polled said they expect to hit drivers with higher bills in 2025, meaning the financial strain on hardworking families is set to intensify.
Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, one of Britain's most prominent car repair services, told us in January that it would strive to support customers by 'absorbing increases' triggered by higher inflation 'where we can'.
Motoreasy CEO Duncan McClure also told us that higher repair bills are not only being driven by parts supply shortages and inflation.
He blamed the 'technicalities of shipping items such as EV batteries, which are hazardous cargo' for extending lead times on component deliveries.
The Volkswagen Golf is the nation's most-owned family hatchback. The cost to repair one increased by 18% last year
Nissan's Qashqai for over a decade has been the UK's most popular SUV. The cost to repair one of these models has increased by 18%, costing £1,293 on average in 2024
Ford Focus drivers would have seen the cost of repairing their cars increase 15% year-on-year. In 2023, the average garage bill was £1,158 but last year this rose to £1,327
The BMW 3 Series, which is the nation's fifth most bought and sold used car, also suffered repair cost increases of 10% last year
The smallest increase of the eight most popular cars was for the VW Polo at just 3%, Warrantywise said
This perfect storm of financial pressures and logistical issues is causing higher prices to be passed on to motorists during an extended cost of living squeeze.
'Rising repair costs come at a time when financial matters in the UK are in the spotlight,' Warrantywise says.
'Despite the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) experiencing a significant decline, dropping from an annual rate of 7.3 per cent in 2023 to 2.5 per cent in December 2024, it seems that repair costs for vehicles are not tracking in line with this,' the warranty provider said.
Antony Diggins, its managing director, added: 'With repair costs continuing to rise, it’s something all motorists will need to consider – especially given the wider economic challenges and inflation in the UK.
'Looking at the most popular choice of used car from 2024 to 2025, our reliability data highlights the importance of making informed decisions when buying second-hand.
'That said, our data offers valuable insights for anyone looking to buy a used car or wanting to understand the potential repair issues with their current vehicle.
'It is also a reminder that cars are complex machines, even the most reliable ones can develop faults – no vehicle is completely immune.'