Fleets are facing a double-whammy now which will see a rise in vehicle maintenance costs.

As companies attempt to mitigate the impact of the recession many will be extending the contracts on their cars and vans.

But as they attempt to cut costs the extension of operating cycles will mean fleets face paying increased tyre-replacement costs.

Kwik-Fit Fleet has reported a 3.9% rise in tyre sales in 2008 - up to £184.4m from £177.4m in 2007.

Head of Kwik-Fit Fleet Mike Wise said: “With an increasing number of businesses extending their fleet replacement cycles into a fourth year we expect to not only fit more tyres to fleet company cars and vans.

"But also expect to undertake more MoTs and vehicle services as well as fast-fit maintenance repairs such as on windscreens and air conditioning unit recharging.

“With a rising number of company cars and vans staying on the road beyond the benchmark three years, as the country’s largest independent car servicing and MoT provider, we expect double digit growth in this area in 2009.”

In the second half of 2008 further tyre price rises were caused by the rising cost of crude oil - tyres contain oil - while, more recently, the plunging exchange rate (the low value £ versus the high value €) has also hit tyre prices.

The cost of tyres increase by around 20% and Mr Wise said: “We are now waiting to see what the likely tyre price increases are in February and March.

"We expect considerable price increases, which we will be forced to pass on to customers.”

The number of fleet car and van services Kwik-Fit Fleet has done is up 89.8% year-on-year, vehicle repair work (up 41.5%) and brake repair and replacement work (up 13.8%).