Car repair costs UK,
priced before you book.

Typical prices for the most common repairs — from real UK garage data.

Brakes £180–£460
Cambelt £300–£880
Clutch £400–£1,010
MOT £35–£55

Official DVLA data MOT history read 18,000+ garages

Common car repairs in the UK cost anywhere from £50 for an air-con regas to £2,500 for a gearbox rebuild. Front brake pads and discs run £180–£460 at an independent garage depending on the car, a clutch replacement £400–£1,010, and a cambelt change £300–£880 depending on the engine. Main dealers charge roughly 50% more for the same work. Below are typical ranges for the most common repairs — or enter your reg for prices matched to your exact car.

Dealer premium ~50% more than an independent · same parts, same warranty Advisory to failure 376 days between an advisory and the failure it predicts Repairs priced 180+ guides, every popular UK model

Typical prices at an independent garage

Clutch replacement £400 – £1,010 3–8 hours’ labour Cambelt change £300 – £880 wet belts push the top end Brake pads & discs £180 – £460 front axle, fitted, by model MOT test £35 – £55 legal max £54.85 Full car service £140 – £280 interim £85+ · major to £420 Air-con regas £50 – £170 the gas type decides the price Clutch + flywheel (DMF) £650 – £1,090 diesels & larger engines Head gasket £500 – £1,500 6–12 hours’ labour Turbo replacement £750 – £1,300 parts are the main cost DPF clean £150 – £400 replacement £1,000+ Suspension repair £60 – £520 drop links to a pair of shocks Shock absorbers £160 – £520 front pair, fitted · rears run less EGR valve £220 – £420 clean first where possible Alternator £320 – £580 1–2.5 hours’ labour Starter motor £200 – £400 1–2 hours’ labour Gearbox repair £500 – £2,500 manual; autos can cost more Catalytic converter £250 – £700 genuine OEM costs far more Wheel bearing £120 – £300 per wheel, fitted Water pump £180 – £450 cheaper done with the cambelt Coil spring £130 – £320 per spring, fitted Exhaust replacement £90 – £650 back box to full system Brake caliper £150 – £340 per caliper, fitted Car battery £100 – £300 incl. coding on stop-start cars Glow plugs £80 – £200 set of four, diesels Fuel injector £150 – £350 per diesel injector, fitted & coded Wet belt replacement £450 – £1,000 EcoBoost & PureTech engines

Every tile links to a full price guide with a calculator for your car. UK averages from published garage-network data, updated yearly.

Which repairs start as an MOT advisory

Almost nothing on the list above arrives without warning. It turns up first as a line on an MOT certificate — a note the tester wrote while your car was still passing, which nothing obliges you to act on.

We followed 145 million of those notes through the national test record to find out what actually happened next.

The gap is always a year. Not roughly a year, and not a year on average — 376 to 379 days in every single category.

Those components have nothing in common mechanically. A spring corrodes over winters; a bulb fails in an instant. If the figure were measuring wear, the categories would scatter. They don’t.

Which means it is measuring something else entirely: the day people finally book the work, which is the day the next test forces them to.

The ranking is not the one most drivers expect. A suspension note is fourteen times likelier to end in a failure than an oil leak, and both read about the same in the tester’s language.

The advisory decoder translates any wording from your certificate and prices it for your exact car, and there is a full guide behind every phrase above.

Percentages are for the DVSA defect category the advisory belongs to, not the individual part — code 5.3 covers the whole suspension, so a category figure is an upper bound for any single component within it. Brake fluid is shown without a figure because it degrades on a calendar rather than with wear, so a rate calculated from wearing components would not describe it. From our analysis of the DVSA MOT testing dataset: 829.7 million tests and 145,103,213 advisories tracked to each vehicle’s later tests. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Price guides by car

A national average is a useful starting point and a poor answer. The same repair on the same badge changes price with the engine under the bonnet, and sometimes changes into a different repair altogether.

Each guide below answers it for one model: whether that engine has a belt or a chain, what the service schedule and oil specification actually are, what drives the water pump and whether the cheaper bundled route exists at all, what imitates a head gasket failure on that particular engine, which suspension part is really behind the knock — and the known issues worth knowing before a garage visit.

Cambelt by model

The badge on the boot tells you almost nothing. Ask what a cambelt costs and the honest reply is another question: which engine? The same model can run a chain on one, a belt on the next and a wet belt on the one after that.

A wet belt runs inside the engine, in oil. Changing it means dropping the sump as well — which is the difference between £300 and £1,000 on two cars parked next to each other.

Ford Fiesta cambelt £480 – £850 wet belt on the 1.0 EcoBoost Ford Focus cambelt £480 – £880 wet or dry belt by engine Vauxhall Corsa cambelt £300 – £480 belt or chain by engine Vauxhall Astra cambelt £320 – £520 belt, chain & wet belt by engine VW Golf cambelt £350 – £560 older TSI: the chain trap VW Polo cambelt £320 – £520 1.2 TSI: chain or belt by engine Nissan Qashqai cambelt £340 – £540 only the dCi diesels have one Nissan Juke cambelt £330 – £530 1.5 dCi only · petrols run chains Mercedes A-Class cambelt Chain — mostly A180d 1.5 diesel: belt BMW 1 Series cambelt Timing chain N47 diesel: known issue BMW 3 Series cambelt Timing chain N20 & N47: known issues Audi A3 cambelt £360 – £580 2.0 TFSI: the tensioner story Honda Civic cambelt Chain — mostly 1.0 Turbo: belt £1,200+ Toyota Yaris cambelt Timing chain every engine, every generation Kia Sportage cambelt Timing chain chains across the modern range

Clutch by model

Very little of a clutch bill is the clutch. You are paying to get the gearbox out and back in, which is why the same job runs £400 on a Fiesta and £1,010 on a 3 Series. Front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, same part.

The flywheel is the other variable. On most diesels it goes at the same time, and refusing it to save a few pounds is how people end up paying that labour twice.

Ford Fiesta clutch £400 – £680 kit & DMF prices by engine Ford Focus clutch £450 – £750 kit & DMF prices by engine Vauxhall Corsa clutch £400 – £680 Easytronic? actuator first Vauxhall Astra clutch £450 – £750 a sinking pedal may be a recall VW Golf clutch £470 – £790 manual & DSG decoded VW Polo clutch £400 – £680 the cheapest VW clutch job Nissan Qashqai clutch £470 – £790 the 1.5 dCi judder story Nissan Juke clutch £430 – £710 CVT petrols have no clutch Mercedes A-Class clutch £540 – £900 manual vs 7G-DCT decoded BMW 1 Series clutch £540 – £900 hatchback badge, RWD labour BMW 3 Series clutch £610 – £1,010 rear-wheel drive adds the hours Audi A3 clutch £540 – £900 a Golf kit, an Audi invoice Honda Civic clutch £450 – £750 early failure deserves a diagnosis Toyota Yaris clutch £400 – £680 hybrids have no clutch at all Kia Sportage clutch £500 – £830 what the 7-year warranty covers

Brakes by model

Brakes are the repair everyone assumes they understand. They are also the one most often mispriced at the counter, because three things move the number and none of them are obvious.

Rear drums on a supermini can outlast the car. An electronic parking brake has to be wound back with diagnostic kit before anything comes apart. Premium cars bury a wear sensor in every set of pads. Same three words on the invoice — £180 or £460 at the bottom of it.

Ford Fiesta brakes £180 – £300 rear drums that outlast the car Ford Focus brakes £200 – £330 rear discs rust before they wear Vauxhall Corsa brakes £180 – £300 drums or discs — check your trim Vauxhall Astra brakes £200 – £330 the ex-fleet brake bill VW Golf brakes £210 – £350 Mk7 rears: the EPB rule VW Polo brakes £190 – £310 pads fine, discs lipped Nissan Qashqai brakes £220 – £370 hatch pads, SUV weight Nissan Juke brakes £210 – £350 discs on both axles Mercedes A-Class brakes £260 – £430 sensors replaced with the pads BMW 1 Series brakes £260 – £430 RWD works the rear axle BMW 3 Series brakes £280 – £460 two sensors & the CBS reset Audi A3 brakes £250 – £410 same axle, which spec? Honda Civic brakes £210 – £340 rear pads wear first Toyota Yaris brakes £180 – £300 hybrid discs corrode, pads don’t Kia Sportage brakes £230 – £380 wear item or warranty claim?

Servicing by model

“Full service” is not a fixed quantity. It is whatever your manufacturer says it is, which is why two garages quoting the same word can be quoting genuinely different work.

Oil is usually the reason. Some engines take a low-ash specification costing several times a generic one, and the cheap alternative is a false economy that shows up as a blocked filter two winters later.

Ford Fiesta service £140 – £190 the oil spec that matters Ford Focus service £150 – £205 three oil specs, one badge Vauxhall Corsa service £140 – £190 dexos or PureTech? Vauxhall Astra service £150 – £205 flexible vs fixed servicing VW Golf service £155 – £210 DSG oil is never included VW Polo service £140 – £190 the litre you top up yourself Nissan Qashqai service £170 – £230 the CVT fluid nobody checks Nissan Juke service £160 – £220 you’re servicing the turbo Mercedes A-Class service £200 – £280 Service A or Service B? BMW 1 Series service £190 – £270 read the CBS list first BMW 3 Series service £200 – £280 what’s due on mileage, not time Audi A3 service £190 – £270 AdBlue isn’t in the price Honda Civic service £155 – £210 the oil level that rises Toyota Yaris service £140 – £190 when the dealer is the right call Kia Sportage service £165 – £225 late costs more than cheap

Water pump by model

The pump costs very little. Reaching it is the bill. If yours is driven by the cambelt, every hour of that job is already being paid for when the belt is changed.

So declining the pump at that moment saves a small part and risks buying the same labour twice. If it runs off an auxiliary belt instead, it is a job in its own right and the maths is completely different.

Ford Fiesta water pump £180 – £300 wet belt makes the bundle bigger Ford Focus water pump £190 – £320 the pump protects the new belt Vauxhall Corsa water pump £180 – £300 belt, chain or wet belt? Vauxhall Astra water pump £190 – £320 wears on miles, not years VW Golf water pump £200 – £340 a module, not just a pump VW Polo water pump £180 – £300 the cambelt doesn’t drive it Nissan Qashqai water pump £220 – £380 you’re paying for the hours Nissan Juke water pump £210 – £350 the cheap pump costs most Mercedes A-Class water pump £260 – £450 1.5 diesel: a Renault engine BMW 1 Series water pump £320 – £550 scan before buying a pump BMW 3 Series water pump £340 – £580 plan it, don’t wait for it Audi A3 water pump £240 – £400 the TDI is the cheaper one Honda Civic water pump £210 – £350 where does the pump sit? Toyota Yaris water pump £200 – £330 hybrids have two pumps Kia Sportage water pump £220 – £380 check the warranty first

Head gasket by model

More head gaskets get diagnosed than replaced. A failed EGR cooler, a split plastic coolant pipe and a leaking oil cooler all produce the same symptoms for a fraction of the money.

Ask for a block test before the strip-down is agreed. It takes minutes, and it is the difference between a cheap pipe and a four-figure invoice.

Ford Fiesta head gasket £500 – £900 a plastic pipe writes the bill Ford Focus head gasket £550 – £1,000 soot in the coolant? the EGR cooler Vauxhall Corsa head gasket £500 – £900 the model condemned by mistake Vauxhall Astra head gasket £550 – £1,000 1.4 Turbo, and the chain behind it VW Golf head gasket £600 – £1,050 the gasket has three thicknesses VW Polo head gasket £550 – £950 repair it or replace the engine? Nissan Qashqai head gasket £600 – £1,100 no smoke, and a gauge that lies Nissan Juke head gasket £580 – £1,050 waiting adds a catalytic converter Mercedes A-Class head gasket £750 – £1,350 six cheaper leaks to rule out BMW 1 Series head gasket £750 – £1,350 burning smell? the rocker cover BMW 3 Series head gasket £800 – £1,500 it overheats with a full tank Audi A3 head gasket £700 – £1,300 the leak that never reaches the ground Honda Civic head gasket £600 – £1,100 the coolant goes up, not down Toyota Yaris head gasket £500 – £950 two coolant tanks, one engine Kia Sportage head gasket £650 – £1,200 a claim, not a bill?

Suspension by model

Nowhere else do the cheapest and dearest answers sit so close together. A knock over bumps is a drop link far more often than an arm or a damper — £40–£90 against £140–£280 — and nothing about the noise tells you which.

So the question that moves the quote is not “how much”. It is “which part has the play, and can you show me on the ramp?”

Ford Fiesta suspension £60 – £300 a knock is usually a drop link Ford Focus suspension £60 – £320 the independent rear’s arm bush Vauxhall Corsa suspension £60 – £300 the pothole spring Vauxhall Astra suspension £60 – £320 ex-fleet miles bring it early VW Golf suspension £70 – £340 which rear axle decides the bill VW Polo suspension £60 – £310 the spring snaps on a frost Nissan Qashqai suspension £70 – £380 SUV weight, early wear Nissan Juke suspension £70 – £360 the front lower-arm bush Mercedes A-Class suspension £90 – £480 passive or adaptive? BMW 1 Series suspension £90 – £480 RWD, run-flats, rear bush BMW 3 Series suspension £90 – £520 passive or EDC dampers? Audi A3 suspension £80 – £440 Golf parts, Audi invoice Honda Civic suspension £70 – £360 quiet wear, found at MOT Toyota Yaris suspension £60 – £300 suspect the cheap part first Kia Sportage suspension £75 – £400 wear item or warranty?

More models and repairs are added regularly — every guide follows the same rule: prices for your exact engine, not a national guess.

Dealers charge ~50% more for the same repair A £300 brake job at an independent is £450 at a main dealer. Same parts, same warranty protection under block exemption rules.

Independent vs dealer — full guide

Frequently asked questions

Why do main dealers charge more than independent garages?

Higher hourly labour rates (typically £120–£180 vs £50–£80 at an independent), brand-only parts pricing and bigger overheads. The work itself is often done to the same standard — many independent mechanics are dealer-trained.

Will using an independent garage void my warranty?

No. Under UK block exemption rules a manufacturer cannot void your warranty just because you service or repair the car outside the dealer network, as long as approved parts and the service schedule are used.

How do I find the exact price for my car?

Enter your reg in the checker above. We read your car’s details and MOT history and price each repair for your exact model — free, no sign-up.

Are these prices guaranteed?

No — they’re estimates based on published garage-network data. Final quotes always come from garages. We may earn a commission when you book through our partners, at no cost to you.

How much does a car repair cost in the UK?

It depends entirely on the job. An air-con regas starts around £50, brakes run £180–£460 per axle, a clutch £400–£1,010 and a gearbox rebuild can reach £2,500. What moves the number most is labour hours rather than parts, which is why the same repair costs different money on different cars.

Why do two garages quote different prices for the same repair?

Hourly rate, parts brand and scope. A quote covering pads only and one covering pads, discs and a slider service are different jobs with the same name. Ask for parts, labour hours and the hourly rate as separate lines — the breakdown explains almost every gap between two quotes.

Are aftermarket parts as good as manufacturer parts?

Quality aftermarket parts from a known manufacturer are what most independent garages fit, and our prices assume them. Genuine parts cost more and are worth it on some jobs — timing components and safety-critical items — and make less difference on others. Ask which brand is being fitted rather than assuming.

When is a repair not worth doing?

The usual rule of thumb is when a single repair passes half the car’s value. A £900 clutch on a £1,400 car deserves a walk-away calculation rather than an automatic yes — our worth-fixing calculator does that with real repair and value figures.

What should a repair quote include?

Parts named with the brand where it matters, labour hours, the hourly rate, VAT status and any diagnosis fee, all as separate lines. A single unexplained total is where padding hides. You can also check any quote against typical ranges with our quote checker.

Can I refuse extra work a garage finds?

Yes. A garage should stop and call before exceeding an agreed quote, and you can decline the extra work or ask for the old parts back as evidence it was needed. Agreeing in writing that any increase needs your consent first avoids the awkward conversation later.

Which repairs start as an MOT advisory?

Most of the common ones. Brakes, springs, dampers, bearings, exhausts and tyres almost always appear as an advisory before they fail a test — the median gap is 376 days, roughly one MOT cycle. The advisory decoder translates the wording and prices each one.

How often should I expect to pay for repairs?

Beyond servicing, most cars need something unplanned every year or two once past about seven years old, and the MOT is where it usually surfaces. The most useful budgeting tool you have is your own MOT history: advisories are next year’s bill arriving early.

Stop guessing what your garage will charge 30 seconds. Your reg. Every price. Check my car now →

Car repair costs UK,priced before you book.