Drivers told to address 1 thing now or face a £5000 bill

With the recent news of freezing temperatures right across the country, many local authorities have now started spreading salt on roads to tackle the issue of ice.

While this measure is designed to make roads safer and prevent major accidents, it can also damage your car, something that may cost a pretty penny to repair.

Expert urges drivers to address this one thing or face a £5000 repair bill

Urgently highlighting the one thing drivers should address right away to avoid a £5000 repair bill, expert Graham Conway, MD at Select Car Leasing, said: “The Met Office is warning of freezing temperatures and snow for the UK, which means councils could soon be spreading salt on roads to reduce the threat posed by ice.

“However, road grit can have a corrosive effect on cars. And if your vehicle’s exterior is already in poor condition, you could be facing a hefty repair bill to correct the effects of another harsh winter.  

“Salt causes corrosion to paintwork and any exposed metal, leading to the onset of rust. Unfortunately, this process is quickly sped up if there is any pre-existing damage to your car’s shell. 

“Any chips, dents, scratches and paintwork damage should be addressed now - before winter really bites and we experience more and more salt being spread on roads - and before vulnerable elements of your car or van are put at risk.  

Local Authority's have started spreadings salt on roads amid yellow weather warnings for ice across the UK (Image: Getty Images/Elmar Gubisch)

“If rust damage is extensive, a full respray could cost you a whopping £5,000, depending on the type of car you drive and where you live, and the bill could be DOUBLE that if you own a luxury or vintage vehicle. For other cars, if the damage is isolated to a bumper, this will still cost you £280, and if you need to respray a side panel, this will cost £400 for each panel. 

“I’d recommend maintaining a rigorous cleaning regime throughout winter, to make sure salt isn’t left to wreak its havoc. Rinse off road detritus as often as you can, paying particular attention to the underside of your vehicle, which might typically go unwashed. A pressure washer can be really useful for rinsing the underside of your car.  

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“And that process could save you from the expense of remedial welding work, which can often be required when road salt has rotted parts of the underside of a car.  

“Also, try to avoid driving through big puddles or flooded roads, which could again leave salty water clinging to areas of your car where you don’t want it.   

“From an insurance perspective, rust is considered normal wear and tear, which means it generally wouldn’t be covered by a standard policy - which is even more of an incentive to prevent rust from happening in the first place.”