Mystery shop exposes shocking car repair cost inflation

A nationwide investigation has highlighted the price and information gap many UK motorists face when dealing with garages.

Carly, a mobile-based vehicle diagnostics platform that provides manufacturer-level fault data, live diagnostics and repair guidance via its app and OBD scanner, carried out a mystery shop by taking the same vehicle with a known oxygen sensor fault to 10 garages across the UK.

All garages correctly identified the same issue. However, the quotes provided varied widely.

While a typical oxygen sensor replacement costs around £110–£260, some garages quoted significantly more. One national chain in Leeds quoted £671.95 + VAT to replace both oxygen sensors, while a main dealer in Sunderland quoted £327.90 for the same repair.

Aston spoke to Stuart Masson, editorial director at The Car Expert.

Photo by Colin Watts on Unsplash