AITA- Argument with garage about fee to quote for car repair?

[Newstart2024]

Really weird situation here but wondering what people think.

Started my car on the drive the other day and all sorts of warning lights came on including brakes etc. Called out the RAC and what had happened is foxes had chewed the cables to my front wheels- apparently there's something in them they like to eat.
RAC man did a temporary repair with electric tape and all okay. Quoted me £306 for RAC mobile mechanic to come out and do full repair removing wired and replacing front wheel sensors. Neighbour down the road suggested a local garage might be able to re-do the wiring without replacing the actual sesnors given there's nothing wrong with them. Emailed the garage and explained all that had happened and they told me to bring it in. I was working so my husband took it in, he phoned me saying repair would be £60 plus some labour. He literally walked through the door and they phoned me saying repair would be £455, I told them about RAC mobile mechanic and they couldn't match the price so I said okay I'll come and pick it up. Must have been with them for 45 minutes.
When I went they charged me £60 for diagnostics, and said they'd told my husband it would be that- I mentioned that we thought that was cost for replacement wires and would check with him- but basically paid £60 to get my key back for nothing.

Talked to husband and he categorically says they didn't mention £60 just for diagnostics and quote. So I've complained and eventually they've agreed to give me a refund. My point was I had explained the issue to them as we'd had the RAC out and knew exactly what was wrong and what had happened, so why did I need to pay for diagnostics?

But I'm totally confused, should they have charged me? Sounds maybe like assumptions and miscommunication on both sides (especially as DH pretty useless and was the go between). AITA?

Obviously a breakdown in communication somewhere🙄
You got a refund so no harm done.

Thanks, I'm just confused whether it's normal to pay for diagnostics when you're bringing a car in and know the issue already! Anyway, no harm no foul.

I've been charged for diagnostics before

Think relatively normal

They have to do quite a bit of work to work out what is wrong and quote to repair

But I knew what was wrong, RAC had already come out and told me and done a temp repair? I think that's where the confusion happened. At the time i took the car in there was no faults as wires temporarily taped back together!

£175 for the dealership to look at my car. They will not take someone else’s word for what’s wrong.

My garage will, on occasion, charge for diagnostics if it's something more in-depth and things need stripped out/hard to reach areas. They don't do it for routine things that are more obvious.

What happened though if you told them what was wrong

They did what you said

It did not fix the fault?

Who would you then blame?

A responsible garage should do there own diagnostic work, then if it does not fix the fault then you can argue no that out with them

I paid £60 for diagnostics recently even though we knew what the issue was. It’s fair enough for the garage to do their own tests to make sure before they start working on fixing it especially when it takes them time to do it.

Yes of course you should pay diagnostics, £60 is quite cheap. They spent 45 minutes diagnosing and didn’t even get the full job out of it. Would you spend time on something and not expect to get paid?
What the RAC said is irrelevant, they are notorious for incorrect diagnosis.