British motorists are happy to pay more to use a garage they trust than get the work done cheaper elsewhere, according to research.

The AA-Populus poll of 17,000 motorsist added that a further 23% of drivers claim they would go out of their way to visit an accredited garage.

Motorists concerns surrounding car maintenance were apparent in the survey's findings, with 7% of respondents stating that they had been overcharged for work on their car, while 5% were surprised when they had to pay for what they saw as unnecessary repairs as 7% were stung by unexpected charges.

However, only 10% of drivers have proactively shopped around for better deals.

The number of clued-up drivers (14%) would check the estimate using a price guide, which outweighs the 9% that have no idea about how much a car service costs.

AA Garage Guide director, Olli Astley, advisied motorists to "check reviews online before visiting a garage", stating that "this will allow you to easily assess its reputation".

He also advised potential customers to use the ‘Guide Price’ tool on the AA Garage Guide, which allows users to compare services at different garages.

“Only consider becoming a regular customer once you’ve had a chance to shop around and have settled on a garage you feel you can trust to take proper care of your car,” he added.