Car repair outlets say customers are facing delays to get their vehicles fixed as the sector becomes the latest to be hit by the supply chain crisis.

Customers are being warned a shortage of key parts - and "excessive delays" in getting them.

It comes as the major motor manufacturers struggle to meet the global demands for key components in the cars we all rely on.

One major accident repair centre in the county says the situation is now "the most challenging in recent years" while a survey conducted by the Motor Ombudsman published earlier this month said it had impacted on 60% of businesses polled.

And industry experts say the chances are the problem will continue well into this year.

Explains Paul Brisley, director of S&P Brisley Accident Repair Centre in Folkestone: "At one point we had nearly 40 vehicles on site awaiting parts.

"The difficulty we have is that whilst we can get 90% of the parts within the time frame, you need 100% of parts to clear the job."

A spokesman for the national Motability scheme said the issue was being felt across the country.

They explained: "A global shortage of semiconductors brought on by high demand for electrical items is currently affecting the availability of replacement parts, and this is expected to continue well in to 2022.

"It’s not just parts requiring semiconductors that are in short supply. Other items such as body panels are having to be ordered from overseas due to a lack of UK stock, and a shortage of drivers is affecting delivery times.

"Most of the UK’s popular car brands are impacted by these shortages and repairers are sometimes having to wait for several weeks for parts to be delivered before they can carry out the repairs."

For S&P Brisley, which gets the majority of its work through being an approved repair centre for insurance companies, it is having to combat the issue by staggering when jobs are taken on.

Says its director: "We try and minimise the risk of the car being delayed while in the workshop for repair. The difficulty we have is that when we strip the vehicle down we may find some additional damage and that may involve a part we're struggling to get hold of.

"We aim to get the car turned round in seven days as an average, but it's the delay in the front end that's taking a longer time overall to get the vehicle repaired.

"Ordinarily we'd get the car in quickly and push on with the knowledge we can get those parts. Now we're having to look ahead and manage that a bit better."

Which means while the repair will take the same amount of time, the wait to get into the workshop may be considerably longer than previously experienced.

Adds Mr Brisley: "The problem we face is when we request a part from a dealership or manufacturer, what we'll be told is it's on back order and the estimated date is in five days time. Five days comes along and that message appears again. They never tell you it's a long-term back order.

"It's understandable the customer gets fed up with that."

Adds the repair centre chief: "A lot of businesses are all facing the same problem because of the supply chain. Whether its Brexit, Covid or something else.

"But it's the smallest businesses, like ours, which are hit hardest."

A key issue is getting parts from the major motor manufacturers.

Mike Hawes is chief executive, of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). He says the whole industry is feeling the pressure.

He explains: “The global supply chain for every industry, including automotive, has been disrupted by Covid, with factory shutdowns, pan-European driver shortages and other issues causing delays to the supply of goods.

"Automotive manufacturers and the independent supply chains are doing all they can to ensure rapid delivery of parts, but most of these common global factors are beyond their control.

“With every sector – be they supermarkets, retail stores, automotive repair or others – facing a perfect storm of factors affecting supply, it is likely that consumers will find it difficult to get some of the things they need, when they want, as we go into 2022.

"Automotive service and repairs are essential, however, and the industry is working flat out to make sure parts are delivered as quickly as possible. It is always worth checking with multiple providers, as some will have benefited from more resilient supply chains despite the current disruption.

"Despite the challenges of the past two years with lockdowns and shortages, the industry has proven its resilience, continuing to deliver great service and repairs to keep the vehicles on our roads safe."

"During the recession it was about finding enough work. Now, we have enough work, it's about finding the parts to be able to do the work..."

To further challenge the small businesses in the motor industry, another issue is becoming apparent.

"We're seeing prices going up too," says Paul Brisley, who has run his firm alongside his brother Simon since 1984 and now employs 24 staff. "Paint materials, for example, have gone up and higher than we would expect.

"As a business, we're seeing inflationary costs more than we've been seeing for a very long time. That's without a shadow of a doubt.

"In the early 1990s we had the recession and it feels like we've got all those signs again - growing inflation, increased pressure on earnings - all the things which form the first part of recessionary pressures.

"I'm not an economist, but all I know is, as a business owner, I'm looking at my day-to-day costs escalating, I'm struggling to pass that cost on, and to compound the problem, I'm having a supply chain issue.

"Its certainly the most challenging times in recent years.

"During the recession it was about finding enough work. Now, we have enough work, it's about finding the parts to be able to do the work."