What a repair actually costs

Brakes

Tyres

Suspension

Steering

Body, chassis, structure

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

Visibility

Noise, emissions and leaks

Transmission

Engine

How to read these prices

• Every figure is a fitted price including VAT, for a mainstream car at an independent garage unless the dealer column says otherwise.
• A franchised dealer range is only shown where one is published, which is 5 of the 24 jobs here. The rest say so rather than estimating one.
• Ranges widen for premium marques, large wheels and awkward access. Each job page says which of those applies to it.
• Labour time is the published book time where a source gives one. It is not what the job takes on a seized bolt in February.

Common questions

Why is there a range rather than a price?

Because the job is not the same on every car. Access, parts, wheel size and whether the part is genuine or aftermarket all move the figure, and a single number would be wrong for almost everybody. Every range on this page is one somebody published.

Is a franchised dealer always dearer?

Usually, and not always by as much as people expect. A fixed price menu at a franchised dealer can undercut an independent on a common job, because the parts are bought at volume. Where a dealer range is published here it sits beside the independent one.

Should I get a diagnosis first?

For anything with a warning light, yes. An emissions fault or an ABS light is a symptom, not a job, and buying the part somebody guessed at is the most reliable way to spend twice. A diagnosis costs an hour of labour and saves more than that.

Do these prices include VAT?

Yes. Every figure here is a fitted price including VAT, quoted for a mainstream car. Premium marques, large wheels and awkward access all widen the range, and each entry says which of those applies to it.