Spark Plug Replacement
Tiny plugs shouldn’t be as expensive as they are to replace, yet there are multiple factors that make the price balloon. For example, they’re harder to replace on some engines than others. Then there’s the premium costs for long-life spark plugs and hidden tune-up costs! At anywhere from $100 to $500, a humble spark plug comes with a hefty price tag.
Timing Belt Replacement
You don’t want your timing belt to snap because it can damage your engine, then you’re looking at a costly replacement. However, mechanics know this and while it’s not a tough job they tend to charge a lot for labor - far more than they really should in some cases.
Headlight Bulb Replacement
While the replacement of a headlight bulb should technically be an easy job, it really varies between vehicle models. Some are as simple as they should be, while others need a mechanic to remove the bumper, which is just needlessly complicated.
Cabin Air Filter Change
There’s nothing overly complex about changing your cabin air filter; it doesn’t take very long and the parts are cheap. Nevertheless, dealerships insist on charging as much as $80 for a $10 part and five minutes’ work with no clear reason why.
Check Engine Light Diagnostics
The check engine light problem is common, and it covers a wide variety of issues. However, most of the time it’s a quick fix - such as a loose gas cap - which you’ll pay a mechanic with a scanner a fortune to diagnose.
Oxygen Sensor Replacement
The oxygen sensor is a comparatively cheap part to replace, but that’s not what hikes up the repair price. It’s actually the labor that’s expensive, because reaching the sensor is an achievement in itself. It’s still on the costly side, though!
Windshield Wiper Replacement
It’s true that windshield wipers do need replacing or they can scratch your glass, but it’s not an intensive activity; you can do it yourself with little knowledge for around $20. Dealerships, on the other hand, will expect $50 or more for installation fees.
Battery Replacement
You’d think that replacing your car battery would be straightforward - and in most instances, it is! However, cost creep can strike quickly and before you know it you’re being charged over the odds for parts, labor and sometimes even inflated battery disposal prices.
Coolant Flush
To those out of the loop, coolant flush sounds like a complicated procedure - it must be worth the $150 service charge, right? It’s actually not though! Pouring $10 fluid into your engine is simple and quick, so the price markup on labor is crazy.
Brake Pad Replacement
What should be a simple replacement job can soon skyrocket in price if your shop decides to drop needless extras on top of the service charge. Not all fixes need the premium ceramic pads and new rotors you end up with, and you usually don’t get a say in the matter.
Serpentine Belt Replacement
There is a lot that can go wrong with serpentine belts - it wraps around a lot of the car’s mechanisms after all - but for the most part, they’re quick fixes. Parts and labor can soon mount up though, especially if pulleys are worn and the shop recommends replacing them, too.
Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor Cleaning
A mass air flow sounds like a complex beast of a mechanism, but cleaning the sensors is actually a quick job with MAF cleaner that costs around $10. Unfortunately, some mechanics can stretch that price above the $200 limit under the guise of replacing parts.
Wheel Alignment
Motorists often skip wheel alignment, but without alligned wheels your car won’t perform properly, so it does need doing. That necessity makes the process vulnerable to exploitation by nefarious dealerships though, and just like magic, mysterious prices creep in that are attributed to various shop fees… when actually, it’s all just smoke and mirrors to make you look in one direction while the money in your bank disappears.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Fix
TPMS are important preventatives for flat tires on the highway, but system fixes can stretch to crazy prices all for the sake of a broken sensor. One sensor can cost over $100, plus installation fees - it’s all a bit overblown.
Radiator Hose Replacement
Hose parts aren’t expensive; labor’s usually less than an hour, so a $200+ cost is leaking your cash somewhere, presumably under the guise of “diagnostics” or unnecessary premium clamps when standard ones would do the job perfectly.
Blower Motor Repair
Blower motors are straightforward fixes, with nothing complicated about installation and a part that usually costs up to $250. Dealerships charge as much as $900, which seems a little much for labor… though sometimes the motor’s hidden deep in the dash.
Fuel Injector Cleaning
It’s easy to de-gunk your injector sprayers, but hidden costs appear when you least expect them. While some injectors need removal, you may get charged for an unneeded one, or for entirely new injectors if the cleaning fails.
Transmission Fluid Flush
When a drain and fill could do the job, some places charge you extra for a full flush, which requires more machines and fluid. Costs for additional cleaning treatments sometimes “appear” too, and suddenly it’s an expensive procedure!
AC Recharge
While newer refrigerants can cost a lot, most of the shop charges come from labor and the machinery needed to recharge your AC. To make matters worse, it’s a low-effort procedure for high-end service prices that will leave you feeling the chill.
Door Lock Actuator Replacement
You’d think that a cheap plastic part that costs less than $100 to buy would be an affordable fix, but it’s buried in your car door like a needle in a haystack. Your door might have to be taken apart to get to it, and labor charges can cost you up to $600.
Window Regulator Repair
While the plastic parts to fix your motorized windows are cheap to buy, labor can be tricky because of the fragile parts. And as if that’s not expensive enough, some shops replace the entire assembly even if just a single part is broken.
Oil Pressure Sensor Replacement
An oil pressure sensor costs around $60 to buy, but getting to it? That’s the difficult part. They’re often hidden near firewalls or behind intake manifolds, so some parts might need removing just to get at it, which costs the car owner a small fortune.
Exhaust Leak Fixes
Exhaust leaks can often be fixed quickly with a new gasket or tightened clamp, but some unscrupulous places might refuse to do a simple job and replace the entire section, which in a worse case scenario can cost you an excess of $1500!
Power Steering Pump Repair
A part that costs anywhere from $100-$250 can bloat into a job that costs $900+ thanks to the placement which is a nightmare to get to. Parts may need removing to reach it, and mechanics may insist on replacing the whole system, too.
Starter Motor Replacement
It should be straightforward to unbolt the old starter motor and replace it with a new one, and it would be… if not for its placement. The car may need lifting, exhaust components navigating and on newer models multiple computer resets to navigate the maze of obstacles.
Alternator Replacement
Since the alternator’s hard to get to - especially on newer models - you can expect to pay a lot more for a job that should be relatively simple. On the other hand, some sketchy places might try and replace your battery and cables, even if they’re fine. Check your test results first!
Ignition Coil Replacement
Ignition coils can be right on top of the engine (an easy fix) but others are buried next to intake manifolds, further complicating the issue. You also have to watch out for mechanics replacing all the coils if only one is bad; you know, “just in case.”
Thermostat Replacement
A little metal flap that can cost as little as $15 to buy can turn into a $500 cost thanks to “thermostat housing assemblies” and bad positioning. You should question dealerships who want to flush your coolant too, since it could be an expensive upsell.
Valve Cover Gasket Leak
Why manufacturers choose to bury valve cover gaskets on the back of engines or under sensor wiring is anyone’s guess, but it will cost you up anywhere from $300-$700 to fix; and that’s thanks to the sneaky “top-end reseal” dealerships try to add to the cost.
CV Joint/Boot Replacement
While the rubber boot is often the problem, shops will usually push for the full axle replacement - it’s less time-consuming and tricky to fix than boot alone, and the cost is higher.
Shock/Strut Replacement
Modern cars are designed for ease of shock/strut replacement, but these paired springs can still explode if mishandled, so labor costs reflect that. The dark side of sales is when shops push for four replacement springs instead of two when they don’t have to.
Evaporative Emissions Leak Repair (EVAP)
Your leak may only be tiny or caused by a loose gas cap, but once smoke tests and system scans are done, you’re paying through the nose. Even a 10 minute fix can skyrocket to a a shocking $600 fix in the extreme!
Throttle Body Cleaning
Engines these days are quite resistant to air gate gunk build up, though it’s often added as an extra tune-up cost. Dealerships will charge you for labor rather than difficulty, and since it’s classed as specialty cleaning that can run pretty high.
Engine Mount Replacement
Engine mounts are affordable, yet some cars may have multiple mounts or even need their engine lifting to get access. Be wary of mechanics upselling all mount replacements instead of just the required ones!
Key Fob Reprogramming
Key Fobs are easy to reprogram - most can be done with just a few button presses and usually take no more than 15 minutes - yet because it requires tech that not everyone has readily avilable, you can expect to pay up to $300 for the pleasure!
