Most RecommendedAuto Repair

Auto Repair Shops: what it costs and what to ask

The questions below are the ones drivers ask right before they hand over money — and the ones the internet answers worst. Most of what comes back is a lead form or a sales page. These are plain answers with nothing to sell.

What things cost

Real price ranges for the work drivers ask about most, with every figure traced back to a named source.

  • How much does a mechanic charge per hour?

    Almost half of all auto repair shops price labor between $120 and $159 an hour, per AAA. The published state table, what a flat-rate manual is, why the dealer costs more, and how to read the labor line on your estimate.

  • Do auto repair shops offer payment plans?

    Some shops offer financing and NerdWallet names six ways to spread a repair bill, from pay-in-four to a personal loan at about 7% to 36%. What each one costs, the deferred-interest trap, and what to ask before you sign.

  • How much does it cost to fix a transmission?

    RepairPal publishes $6,166 to $6,685 for a transmission replacement and $282 to $343 for a fluid change. The four jobs the phrase covers, where the money goes, and why AAA's figure is lower.

  • How much does it cost to fix a transmission leak?

    RepairPal publishes $498 to $646 for a trans oil pan gasket replacement — the common source of a red puddle. What the labor and parts split says, when a leak turns into RepairPal's $6,166 job, and what to check first.

  • How much does it cost to fix car air conditioning?

    RepairPal publishes $283 to $366 for an AC recharge, $833 to $978 for a condenser and $1,058 to $1,447 for a compressor. Which repair you actually need, and why a recharge alone can be money thrown away.

  • How much does it cost to replace a CV axle?

    RepairPal publishes $1,282 to $1,381 for a CV axle replacement, with parts at $1,075 to $1,077 and labor at $207 to $304. Why the part is most of the bill, and why RepairPal says not to buy a rebuilt one.

Common questions

Straight answers, written for the person paying — not a lead form and not a sales page.

  • What are the symptoms of a failing catalytic converter?

    A flashing check engine light is the sign AAA says not to keep driving on. What a catalytic converter does, the symptoms shops look for, what the EPA requires of a replacement, and what RepairPal publishes for the part.

  • What are the first signs of a blown head gasket?

    Oil and coolant mixed together is the sign RepairPal names first. What a head gasket does, why overheating causes and follows it, what gets mistaken for it, and what RepairPal publishes for the repair.

  • Can I drive with a coolant leak?

    AAA's guidance for an overheating engine is to pull over, turn the engine off and call roadside assistance. What a coolant leak does, why topping it up and driving on is the thing AAA warns against, and what the repairs cost.

  • Can I drive with a bad CV axle?

    RepairPal says there is no set timetable once symptoms appear and to replace it as soon as possible, because of how severe a failure is. What a CV axle does, what the symptoms sound like, and what the repair costs.

  • What are mechanic labor rates?

    A labor rate is the hourly figure a shop multiplies by the hours a flat-rate guide gives for the repair. What AAA publishes about how those hours are set, why the technician does not keep the rate, and how diagnosis is priced.

Free tools

Work out a number before you call anyone, or check a quote you already have.