How to compare garage quotes

It’s free to post a job. Garages on Matchanic can see it and choose whether to quote, so we can’t promise any. Open the job from My jobs to see its quotes. Alongside the price, a quote can show:

• A message. Matchanic’s quote form asks garages to say what the price covers and when they could do the work.
• What’s included. A list in the garage’s own words. It’s optional, so not every quote has one.
• The garage. Whether it’s a workshop, a mobile mechanic or both, what it specialises in, and its star rating from Matchanic reviews.
• The distance. How far the garage is from the postcode on your job, in a straight line. By road it’s usually further.

A garage can also set servicing prices in advance, by engine size, and a quote at those prices can be sent without it opening your job. Its message in your conversation is then marked ‘Sent automatically with the quote’, so if you added notes, check the price allows for them.

A crossed-out price with an amount off is the garage’s own discount: compare what you’d pay.

Two prices can be for different work, so check each quote covers the same things. If one doesn’t say, ask.

• Parts. From the car’s maker or another brand, and for tyres, which brand and type.
• Which side or axle. Front, rear or both, and whether shock absorbers or springs are priced singly or in pairs.
• Labour. Whether the price covers parts and labour, or only one of them.
• VAT. Matchanic’s quote form asks garages for a price including VAT, if they charge it. If you can’t tell, ask.
• The extras. For tyres, whether fitting, balancing and a new valve are included. For a service, which checks it covers: see interim, full and major services.
• Diagnosis. A price for a diagnostic job is for finding the fault. It includes the repair only if the quote says so.
• When and where. When the garage could do the work, and whether you take the car to it or it comes to you.

You can message a garage from its quote, so ask before you decide. For example:

• What does the price cover, and what doesn’t it include?
• Which parts will you fit?
• When could you do the work, and how long will you need the car?
• Will you contact me before doing anything that isn’t in the quote?
• Is there a warranty on the parts or the work?
• For an MOT: does the price cover the test, the repairs or both?

Only garages that quote on your job can see your phone number, so one may call you. If you agree something by phone, confirm it by message, so it’s in writing.

Each quote links to the garage’s profile, which the garage fills in itself. It can show an address, opening hours, a phone number, how long the garage says it has been trading, and qualifications, which Matchanic doesn’t check.

Drivers can review a garage after accepting its quote on Matchanic. Reviews show a star rating and any comment, without the driver’s name, and the garage can reply publicly. ‘No reviews yet’ means no driver has reviewed it on Matchanic so far.

For an MOT test

GOV.UK says the MOT must be done at an approved MOT test centre, one showing the blue sign with 3 white triangles. Matchanic doesn’t check whether a garage is one, so ask before you accept a quote for the test.

For an electric or hybrid car

Before you accept, message the garage to ask about its training for work on high-voltage systems. The hybrid and electric cars page says what to tell the garage.

A garage can change its quote until you accept one. Matchanic only accepts a quote at the price you were shown, but doesn’t check the message or what’s included for changes, so reload the page before you accept if it’s been open a while.

Once work starts, or once a fault is diagnosed, a garage may find more that needs doing. Ask it to contact you before it does anything that isn’t in its quote, and agree the work and its price first.

Citizens Advice explains how a quote differs from an estimate:

• A quote is a price the garage has promised to do the work for, and it should say what that work is. If you agreed a price beforehand, that’s what you pay.
• An estimate is only the garage’s guess at the cost. If that’s all you had, the garage can charge you more, within reason.
• If a garage did work you didn’t ask for, you can ask it to undo that work. If it can’t, insist on paying only for the work you agreed.

So if a garage’s message calls its price an estimate, ask for the most it would charge.

You don’t have to accept any quote. With only one, you can accept it or wait to see if other garages quote, though we can’t say whether more will come.

To accept, press Accept quote, then Confirm and accept. Before you confirm, Matchanic shows the garage and the price, and says what will happen:

• The job’s other quotes are declined, and it closes to new quotes.
• You can’t undo it.
• Nothing is paid through Matchanic: you pay the garage directly.

Then arrange a time with the garage, by message or by phone. Garages see the postcode on your job, and Matchanic never asks for your full address, so if a mobile mechanic is coming to the car, tell it where the car is. Once you’ve accepted, the job can’t be cancelled on the site: if your plans change, speak to the garage.

Once the work is done, you can rate the garage from My jobs. There’s more on how Matchanic works for drivers.

Matchanic doesn’t do repairs or offer a warranty: the work, and any warranty on it, is between you and the garage.

Citizens Advice suggests talking to the garage first, then writing to it if that doesn’t work, so you have a record. It also sets out your rights when a garage repairs or services your car:

• If the work wasn’t done with reasonable skill and care, you have the right to have it done again or to pay less.
• If no price was agreed before the work, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 means you only have to pay a reasonable price.
• If no date was agreed, the work should be done within a reasonable time.

See Citizens Advice on problems with a car repair for what to do next. In England, the Citizens Advice consumer service can advise you on the problem, but can’t complain or take legal action for you. GOV.UK’s consumer rights page lists who to contact in the rest of the UK.

If you think a garage breaks our terms of use, tell us through our contact page.