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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is my local garage taking the piss!

110 replies

Sam9769 · 09/01/2026 11:48

Hi,

Brought my car into my local garage yesterday as a speed sensor needs to be replaced.
The speed sensor is £40 plus VAT but they are charging £90 plus VAT for labour which they say will be approximately and hour and a half.

When I queried the hourly rate the young girl behind the counter said that this was cheap and the "industry standard is £150 per hour!"

AIBU to think that £90 plus VAT per hour is excessive?

OP posts:
Moontan · 09/01/2026 16:18

treetherapy · 09/01/2026 16:09

So if hairdressers are charging £80 per hour then the mechanic charging £60 is surely very reasonable which was my original point

Edited
Show quote history

No. I was saying that the hairdressers are also unreasonable

Mischance · 09/01/2026 16:17

It's a fair price.
My SIL runs a service depot and sometimes I ask him if I think the charge from my local garage might be a bit high. He always says it is fine.
It is worth developing a good relationship with a local garage.
I do not think they are overcharging you. You are paying for their expertise and overheads.

IsThistheMiddleofNowhere · 09/01/2026 16:11

I think that's perfectly reasonable, especially as so many mumsnetters are happy to pay several hundred pounds for a couple of hours at a hair salon or getting botox and fillers in under an hour.

Coconutter24 · 09/01/2026 16:11

So in total it’s going to cost you £156 for parts and labour? That’s a good price

treetherapy · 09/01/2026 16:09

Moontan · 09/01/2026 16:06

Jokes not on me.

There is a barber in my city that cuts mens hair for ten pounds. He will not cut womens hair.

The hairdressers in my city charge 80 pounds for a cut and blow dry for women

If you think that discrimination is okay, thats on you.

Show quote history

So if hairdressers are charging £80 per hour then the mechanic charging £60 is surely very reasonable which was my original point

CheekyPony · 09/01/2026 16:07

I work in an independent village garage, we are £80 per hr plus vat. Main dealers are £150-200 plus vat local to me. It’s the costs you don’t see that add up- tools, subscriptions for diagnostic equipment, wages, tax, NI, building rent/ running costs, council tax etc. My ex was a planning surveyor, we always laughed how his hourly charge was the same as ours at the time and his only costs were a car and laptop!!

Moontan · 09/01/2026 16:06

treetherapy · 09/01/2026 16:02

Well, jokes on you then because he charges men a fortune too 🤣

I couldn't care less if you think I am foolish. At least I have great hair

Show quote history

Jokes not on me.

There is a barber in my city that cuts mens hair for ten pounds. He will not cut womens hair.

The hairdressers in my city charge 80 pounds for a cut and blow dry for women

If you think that discrimination is okay, thats on you.

Ariela · 09/01/2026 16:02

Friend's DH charges upwards of £75/hour. If you can get him to do the job that is. He is semi retired and picks and chooses what he does.

treetherapy · 09/01/2026 16:02

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:57

I think women are foolish to pay one hundred pounds for a haircut in a discriminatory system.

They charge men 10 pounds for a haircut. They charge women 80-100 pounds.

Its called the pink tax.

Im not participating in a discriminatory system

Edited
Show quote history

Well, jokes on you then because he charges men a fortune too 🤣

I couldn't care less if you think I am foolish. At least I have great hair

cinquanta · 09/01/2026 16:01

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:57

I think women are foolish to pay one hundred pounds for a haircut in a discriminatory system.

They charge men 10 pounds for a haircut. They charge women 80-100 pounds.

Its called the pink tax.

Im not participating in a discriminatory system

Edited
Show quote history

Not an expert but my hairdresser takes a lot longer to cut my hair than a barber does to cut DH's... and it costs him more than £10.

Or it did until I started cutting it during covid.

user8889932902 · 09/01/2026 16:00

YABU- that's normal price for a garage.

Also, I am a bit fed up of people moaning that businesses are somehow being immoral by wanting to make a profit.

I run a business - I built it up from scratch, got a loan to start it which was secured on my own house so it was a huge and massively stressful risk.

Thankfully, it paid off and its now successful. I didnt go through all of that stress just to break even, I am now making a profit and I deserve to after all the years of back breaking hard work and risk. If you dont like that then go elsewhere but I am not going to apologise on behalf of businesses for making money- we already contribute to the economy.

LeesLady72 · 09/01/2026 16:00

Might I suggest that you never buy a Mercedes/BMW/Audi and take it to a main dealer for servicing!
£90 an hour is very reasonable

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:57

treetherapy · 09/01/2026 15:48

Why? I can afford it and I like doing it.

If you dont want to spend that much, then dont. No-one is forcing you to. I am merely responding to the idea that £60 is somehow outrageous - it isnt, not for a garage, many charge way more and so do other businesses.

Show quote history

I think women are foolish to pay one hundred pounds for a haircut in a discriminatory system.

They charge men 10 pounds for a haircut. They charge women 80-100 pounds.

Its called the pink tax.

Im not participating in a discriminatory system

Justus6 · 09/01/2026 15:56

Take off overheads like garage electric specialised equipment etc thats def cheap

CallmePaul · 09/01/2026 15:55

PipeOfPringles · 09/01/2026 12:57

£60 per hour is fairly normal!
I wouldn't say £150/hour is, though.

Is for main dealers. Some are £200 plus vat too.

ilbehonest · 09/01/2026 15:52

il do it for a tenner!

treetherapy · 09/01/2026 15:48

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:38

More fool you. Sorry.

There is no way I would pay 100 pounds for a cut and blow dry.

I cut my own hair.

Show quote history

Why? I can afford it and I like doing it.

If you dont want to spend that much, then dont. No-one is forcing you to. I am merely responding to the idea that £60 is somehow outrageous - it isnt, not for a garage, many charge way more and so do other businesses.

Jade247 · 09/01/2026 15:40

sounds entirely reasonable…

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:39

I never understand people paying 80 to 100 pounds for a haircut, when it is so easy to cut our own hair.

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:38

treetherapy · 09/01/2026 15:30

Not really. My hair stylist charges £100 for a cut and blow dry and that takes about an hour, and is a far less physical job than a mechanic.

As a PP said, we had to recently use a solicitor and they charged £300 per hour.

Show quote history

More fool you. Sorry.

There is no way I would pay 100 pounds for a cut and blow dry.

I cut my own hair.

RachTheAlpaca · 09/01/2026 15:36

I had some work done on my car last year and they charged me £50 an hour and gave me a courtesy car to take home

treetherapy · 09/01/2026 15:30

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:25

Of course. But its still a lot of money.

Show quote history

Not really. My hair stylist charges £100 for a cut and blow dry and that takes about an hour, and is a far less physical job than a mechanic.

As a PP said, we had to recently use a solicitor and they charged £300 per hour.

dadtoateen · 09/01/2026 15:27

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:25

Of course. But its still a lot of money.

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Wait till you see how much solicitors charge an hour :)

sandwichparty · 09/01/2026 15:27

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:25

Of course. But its still a lot of money.

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That depends entirely on what their costs are! if their costs are high then they won't be getting much for that £60 per hour

Moontan · 09/01/2026 15:25

sandwichparty · 09/01/2026 15:18

Surely you realise that it's not all going to the mechanic- you do realise that in any business there are costs involved?

There's rental costs for the garage, equipment that needs constantly updating, ramps, supplies, insurance, etc

Show quote history

Of course. But its still a lot of money.