™How we estimate repair prices
A fair price isn’t a mystery number. It’s parts, plus time, plus what shops near you charge per hour. We build every range from those three pieces, and we show you our sources so you can check our work.
1. Parts
We look up the part for your exact vehicle at two or more parts sellers and note the list price and the date. Where it matters, we show both an aftermarket part and the genuine (OEM) part. Shops usually charge more than list price for parts they supply, because they stand behind them with a warranty. That’s normal, within reason.
2. Labor time
Most shops price labor by a standard time for each job, not by the clock. When your quote lists hours, we check whether they’re reasonable. When we can’t confirm a labor time, we tell you instead of guessing.
3. Labor rate
When your quote lists the shop’s hourly rate, we use that rate. As a dealer reference, we use one published figure: NADA Data’s average customer mechanical labor rate at new-car dealerships, $192 an hour (2026 midyear report, June year to date). See NADA Data 2026 midyear →
4. A cross-check
We also compare against public estimators such as AAA’s Repair Cost Calculator.
What our ranges leave out
Tax, diagnosis fees, shop-supply and disposal fees, and any extra work found once the car is apart. Prices also vary by region, so treat our range as a guide for a fair conversation with your shop, not a promise of what you’ll pay.
Keeping it current
Every figure in a report has a “checked” date. Repair prices have been rising (the government’s price index for vehicle maintenance and repair was up 5.8% in the year to September 2026, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics), so we re-check figures instead of reusing old ones.
What we don’t do
We don’t copy other sites’ price ranges into our reports, and we don’t scrape anyone’s website. On our free guide pages we may mention another site’s published figure with its name and a link, so you can compare for yourself.
Who pays us
We don’t take money from repair shops or parts sellers to change our ranges or what our reports say. If we ever earn a commission from a link, we’ll label it right next to the link.
AutoFairly™ is veteran-owned and independent.