Pricing
What car repairs actually cost
Every estimate is split into parts and labour, then compared across dealer, independent shop, chain and DIY — so you can see where a quote is coming from before you approve it.
Cost figures are national US estimates for planning purposes. Actual pricing varies with your vehicle, engine, location, shop labor rate, and whether OEM or aftermarket parts are used. Always get a written quote before authorizing work.
Cost guides
Ranges reflect typical US pricing for a mainstream vehicle.
- Brake Pad Replacement Cost$150–$450 per axle, pads only$150–$450 per axle for pads alone; $300–$650 per axle once rotors are included, with trucks and European models at the top.Parts $50–$180 pads and hardware · Labour $100–$270 per axle
- Catalytic Converter Replacement Cost$700–$3,500$700–$3,500 depending on vehicle and whether a CARB-compliant converter is legally required where you live.Parts $550–$2,800 converter and gaskets · Labour $150–$700
- Alternator Replacement Cost$400–$1,400$400–$1,400 installed, with the part accounting for most of it — labor is 1 to 3 hours depending on how buried the unit is.Parts $250–$1,000 alternator · Labour $150–$400
- Starter Replacement Cost$350–$1,200$350–$1,200 installed; access is everything, and on some V6 engines the intake manifold has to come off to reach it.Parts $180–$700 starter motor · Labour $170–$500
- Car AC Recharge Cost$150–$450$150–$450 for an evacuate-and-recharge service; vehicles using R-1234yf refrigerant sit at the top because the gas alone can cost $60–$120 a pound.Parts $40–$170 refrigerant, oil and dye · Labour $110–$280
- Timing Belt Replacement Cost$650–$2,000$650–$2,000 including the water pump and tensioners — expensive maintenance, and vastly cheaper than the engine damage it prevents.Parts $250–$800 belt kit and water pump · Labour $400–$1,200
- Car Battery Replacement Cost$150–$500 installed$150–$500 installed. AGM batteries and vehicles that require battery registration sit at the top of the range.Parts $120–$380 battery · Labour $30–$120
- Oil Change Cost$45–$150 per service$45–$150 depending on oil type, sump capacity and where you go — with the add-ons at the counter accounting for most disputed invoices.Parts $25–$90 oil and filter · Labour $20–$60
- Transmission Fluid Change Cost (Service, Not Repair)$120–$450$120–$450 for the fluid service — drain and fill, filter, or cooler-line exchange. Slipping, shuddering or grinding is a repair, not a fluid change.Parts $60–$250 fluid, filter and gasket · Labour $60–$200
- Wheel Alignment Cost$80–$250$80–$250 depending on whether it is a two-wheel or four-wheel alignment and whether the vehicle needs sensor recalibration afterward.Parts $0–$40 shims and cam bolts if needed · Labour $80–$210
- Spark Plug Replacement Cost$115–$700$115–$400 on a four-cylinder, $250–$700 on most V6s, and higher on engines where the coils, intake or covers have to come out to reach the plugs. Published estimates disagree by 3× — this page explains why.Parts $20–$240 set of plugs · Labour $60–$460
- Transmission Cost: Repair, Rebuild and Replacement$1,200–$8,000$1,200–$8,000 covering all three fixes. Repair is a targeted part change, rebuild opens the case for a full parts refresh, replacement swaps the entire unit. Different jobs — same SERP, which is why quotes vary wildly.Parts $300–$5,500 solenoid to full transmission · Labour $500–$2,500
- Head Gasket Replacement Cost$1,000–$6,000$1,000–$4,000 for the gasket job on a straightforward engine, $4,000–$6,000+ when the head has to be machined or a valve or piston is damaged. Published estimates disagree by 6× because they describe different jobs.Parts $120–$900 gasket kit, machining if needed · Labour $800–$3,500
- Water Pump Replacement Cost$400–$2,000$400–$1,100 on most engines with a belt-driven pump, $600–$1,500 on timing-belt-driven pumps, and $900–$2,000 on newer engines with an electric water pump. Two published sources disagree by 2×.Parts $60–$500 pump plus coolant · Labour $250–$1,200
- CV Axle Replacement Cost (Per Axle vs Both Axles)$350–$950 per axle$350–$950 per axle installed at an independent shop. Ambiguous quotes almost always come from the per-axle-vs-both-axles distinction — one number that appears in the RepairPal estimate and disappears from the AutoZone one.Parts $60–$300 per axle · Labour $180–$500 per axle
- Radiator Replacement Cost$400–$1,500$400–$900 for a straightforward radiator swap at an independent shop, $900–$1,500+ on European vehicles or when hoses, thermostat and coolant are done at the same time. Repair and full replacement are different jobs with different prices — this page separates them.Parts $120–$700 · Labour $220–$700