DRIVERS spend thousands of pounds a year on their cars, from insurance to petrol - there's an endless list of things we have to pay for.

Research suggests that our cars cost us £3,406.80 every year so knowing some handy tips that can add up to more than £1,700 in savings has got to be a bonus. 

To help us cut costs, Peter Vardy has revealed seven changes drivers can make to save money on their car.

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Here are seven ways to save £1,709 on your car:

1. Add someone else onto your insurance – saving you £800 every year:

If you’re new to driving, naming a parent on your policy can reduce your yearly insurance by hundreds. Research conducted by The Daily Mail and GoCompare found that you can save an average of £800 by simply naming a parent on your policy.

2. Avoid paying premium fuels for standard cars – Saving yourself £179.14:

Retailers often claim that premium fuel offers performance and economy advantages and can even protect your engine. In reality, unless you’re driving a performance vehicle, you’re unlikely to see many improvements – but you will pay an average of 10p more per litre. By sticking to standard unleaded, drivers can save themselves £179 per year. 

3. Haggling can save you money on car insurance and breakdown cover:

Haggling is an underrated art form, and a poll by MSE revealed a 37% success rate of haggling for cheaper prices on car warranty. If you’re coming up to the renewal of your car warranty and insurance, it’s worth picking up the phone to give haggling a go.

4. Filling up at a supermarket garage can save you £74.10:

Bournemouth Echo:

Save money by filling up at the supermarket (PA)

Typically, supermarket forecourts are cheaper for fuel compared to branded garages. By switching to fill up your car at a supermarket garage, you can save yourself £74.10 a year. 

5. Save £574 every year by performing your own car maintenance checks:

By performing your own regular car maintenance checks, spotting standard wear and tear and fixing it before it becomes a problem, you can avoid paying the average annual repair cost of £574.
6. Cashback cards on fuel can save you £53 per year

Purchasing your petrol or diesel with a cashback card (like Santander’s 123 account) offers you 3% cashback for each fill-up. If you filled up your car biweekly, you’d get £52.68 over the full year!

7. Paying your road tax annually instead of monthly saves you up to £29:

While it may be easier to spread the cost of road tax, it ends up costing more in the long run. Saving up to pay it in one lump some can save you £29 per year.