£305 DRIVER POTHOLE BILL Shock as cost of repairs rockets
POTHOLE damage is costing drivers an average £305 to repair thanks to the increasingly shabby state of our roads.
Repair bills for broken axles and suspensions have risen by more than 10% in the past three years and now cost more than half the average weekly wage in the UK, research shows.
But the damage to some models can cost thousands. The top repair price for a suspension claim was a Land Rover Range Rover Sport at £3,863, followed by £2,768 for a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
It is not just luxury car owners who are forking out, with a suspension repair on a Ford Galaxy costing £1,697, according to car warranty website MotorEasy.
Other fixes range from £237 for a Ford Fiesta to £423 for a Ford Focus and £567 for a VW Golf.
The findings are based on analysis of 30,000 car warranties in the past three years, with repairs for axle and suspension damage now one of the most common causes of claims.
Potholes have been branded a national scandal by motoring groups. Councils are spending £20.6million a year on road maintenance, £556m short of the amount needed to keep on top of the problem.
Separate research shows more than 24,000 miles of UK roads will need to be repaired in the next year, putting many cars at an increased risk of damage. MotorEasy founder Duncan McClure Fisher described the rise in pothole repair costs as a “perfect storm”.
He said: “Councils continue to struggle to maintain our road surfaces while suspension and wheel technology becomes more expensive each year. “This is why fixes for some models can rocket into several thousand pounds. “The solution is simple – increase council funding so motorists aren’t left picking up the tab from poor road surfaces.” Among top-selling cars, the most expensive suspension and axle repairs were Ford Fiesta at £237, Ford Focus at £423, VW Polo at £1,092.