Revealed: typical motoring life and how much it costs

Do you ever stop and think how many miles you have driven?

Based on your current daily commute, you could calculate that you do about 50, 120, 200 miles a week. Times that by how many years you’ve been in your current job and you’re gaining a wider picture.

But how many miles will the average motorist drive over their entire motoring life?

This was the big question at the centre of some recent research by AutoEurope.co.uk and the answer? 556,764; that’s the equivalent of driving to the moon, doing a few donuts, then driving back to earth. Staggering, isn’t it?!

Throughout February, almost 2,000 motorists were quizzed about their mileage, motoring costs and in-car habits, with the results being multiplied by 64.5 years. The average life expectancy is 81.5 years, so minus the first 17 years where legally you’re unable to drive and you get 64.5. It figures.

Those 556,764 miles racked up by the average motorist work out at 165.7 miles and seven hours in the car every week.

Joy, error and anger

Over those 64.5 years, there will be plenty of anger with 2,709 incidents of road rage and 1,935 in-car arguments, while the horn will be beeped 2,399 times.

There’s plenty of opportunity for error too, with the curb being clipped 1,702 times and 2,709 parking manoeuvres being messed up. We’ll also scratch the car more than 1,000 times.

Not that there’s a lack of joy though. The average motorist will kiss their kids or partner goodbye 7,740 times, play almost 1,500 games of I-spy and sing along to the radio more than 7,800 times.

The car also doubles up as a dining room, with more than 2,000 trips round the drive-thru and almost 7,000 cups of coffee consumed. Close to 5,000 sandwiches will be scoffed too.

The cost

But how much does an average lifetime of motoring cost? £168,880, apparently. The poll found that the typical Brit has a car worth £12,919 and will pay out £168.46 a year on MOTs and repairs, adding up to £10,865 over a lifetime.

Monthly fuel costs of £89.67 a month snowball to almost £70,000 in total, while parking will set us back £12.15 a month or nigh on £9,500 over our motoring life.

A spokesperson for AutoEurope.co.uk commented: “It’s amazing to consider what the average car goes through in that seven hours a week we are spending in them.

“We know how owning a car can give people a big sense of freedom, so it might be the case that it’s worth every penny.”

A lifetime of driving in numbers

Weekly mileage: 165.7

7 hours spent in the car a week

2,709 messed up parking manoeuvres

1,935 rows with partner

2,709 incidents of road rage

Tell the kids off 3,018 times

1,470 games of I-spy

Clip the curb 1,702 times

Beep the horn 2,399 times

Kiss kids or partner goodbye 7,740 times

Sing along to the radio 7,817 times

Apply make-up 3,637 times

Eat 4,953 sandwiches

Drink 6,966 cups of coffee

Visit a drive-thru fast food restaurant 2,012 times

Scratch the car 1,006 times

Wash the car 2,089 times

Clean the interior 2,244 times

Costs

MOT and repairs: £168.46 a year – £10,865 over a lifetime

Fuel: £89.67 a month – £69,404 over a lifetime

Servicing: £441 a year – £28,444 over a lifetime

Parking: £12.15 a month – £9,404 over a lifetime

Insurance: £436 a year – £28,122 over a lifetime

Tax and tolls: £116.35 a year – £7,504 over a lifetime

Car supplies: £29.61 a year – £1,909 over a lifetime

Holiday rental car: £180 a year – £11,610 over a lifetime

Parking and speeding tickets: £25.12 a year – £1,620 over a lifetime

Total cost: £168,880