Mechanic claims drivers are being 'ripped off' by garages

A top motoring mechanic has claimed motorists may be "ripped off" by garages, with petrol, diesel and electric car owners at risk of "inflated bills". Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Andrew Jervis, CEO of ClickMechanic, stressed that most road users cannot estimate a "fair repair price" for many key components.

Rising bills across the sector also mean road users are open to being taken advantage of by garages and hit with higher charges. A new poll from ClickMechanic of 2,051 UK adults conducted in June this year, reveals that a whopping 34% of UK drivers believe they've been overcharged, scammed, or both when it comes to vehicle repairs. The experts claim that the average reported loss per person has reached up to £652.50 in a major blow for cash-strapped road users.

Andrew said: "Most drivers don't know what a fair repair price looks like, and that leaves them open to being ripped off. At a time when everything from rent to food is more expensive, the last thing people need is the stress of wondering if their garage bill is inflated. Having clear benchmarks for common jobs empowers drivers to push back against unfair quotes and make informed decisions."

ClickMechanic claims that rising industry costs over the past half a decade may have played its part in confusion among road users.

According to the experts, battery replacements are priced at around £256 on average in 2025, an increase of 66.2% from the £154 charged to road users in 2020. Alternator replacements have jumped up 41.7% with bulls increasing from £266 to £377 over the past five years.

Clutch replacements have increased from £453 in 2020 to stand at around £600 today. Meanwhile, Front brake pad replacement is now priced at £218, a 30.5% rise from the roughly £167 price tag in 2020.

Even the price of a full service has dramatically increased, with average fees now at £263, a 16.9% increase from the £225 in 2020. The increased costs have led to road users taking matters into their own hands, with many getting behind the wheel even if their vehicle is suffering from issues.

The new ClickMechanic study found that 15% of British road users had driven a car they knew wasn't road-safe.