Motorists fork out to keep cool on the road

British motorists will fork out nearly £177m this year just to keep their cool behind the wheel.

That’s the price of fixing in-car air con systems according to figures released by Warranty Direct, the leading mechanical breakdown insurance provider.

On average, garage repairs for the most common faults stand at a rather uncomfortable £555, and since the humid, warmer weather arrived, the number of claims handled by the firm has jumped by over 300 percent as people switch them on after winter hibernation.

Although air-con represents only 3.73 percent of all mechanical failure on a modern car, it’s the third most expensive item to repair after the engine and transmission. In a random sample of twenty vehicles studied, replacing a compressor unit in a Vauxhall Astra would cost £704 for parts and up to £194 for labour.

The cost of replacing the condenser within the air con system is invariably cheaper but in 40 percent of cases it actually takes longer to fit. For example, on a Peugeot 406, garages will charge 4.6 hours that can add up to £480 to the £155.33 price for the part itself.

“Motorists are likely to get hot under the collar in more ways than one,” said Duncan McClure Fisher of Warranty Direct. “People continue to be amazed at how expensive it is. To help prevent failure, it’s advisable to use the air-con for at least ten mins every week and get it serviced every couple of years.”

There is also a wide variance between makes and models on the labour involved in carrying out the repair.

On a Land Rover Freelander, garages will charge 3.3 hours to replace the compressor, whilst at Jaguar, it takes a mere 36 minutes to do the work. And no, there is little difference in the cost of the part itself - £496 compared to £542.83 respectively.

Size doesn’t matter either according to Warranty Direct. The compressor in the Honda Jazz supermini will leave you scrambling for £621.37 or just £388.64 in Ford’s large family car, the Mondeo.