Bad habits behind the wheel, such as smoking and eating, each knock an average of 20 per cent from the value of a car.

According to fish4cars, which carried out the study, British drivers lose an average of £3,438 per car because of neglect.

Colin Mathieson, the website's sales director, said: “The UK is taking its cars fro granted.

“We do things in them we would never dream of doing in the comfort of our living rooms.

“By taking a few simple steps, drivers can end up saving themselves a small fortune and ensure the value of the car stays high.”

The research found that over half of the drivers surveyed admitted to smoking while driving and 68 per cent admitted to eating behind the wheel.