Starter motor replacement cost. £320 yay or nay

Posted 30th Mar 2023
I needed a starter motor replacing on a 2010 Renault Clio TCE 1.2 petrol. I looked at doing the job myself and quickly found a starter for under £100 delivered. I've done a few bits with cars in the past so I watched a YouTube guide and decided against it as there was some areas where you needed specific right angled sockets and I am a bit pressed for time at the moment. I thought I could do it possibly in 3 hours though.

I took it to my regular garage and they have done it and come back with a price of £320!!

They said it was a very awkward job and the starter itself was £150, which annoyed me as I'm not even "in the know" and I found one for less than £100 in 2 minutes online.

I was expecting £100 for the starter and maybe 3 hours labour. But £320!

Anyone else had one done on a similar model recently? Is that the going rate or am I being ripped off.
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  1. rik111's avatar
    rik111
    The garage will be making some money on the part, plus they will also only want to fit a decent quality starter motor.
    You get it all the time, "but I can get it cheaper", well fill your boots and fit it yourself.
    You might be very lucky and find someone who will fit the cheapo part for your but like I said they like to know what they are fitting is decent and make a little on the part itself.

    Do what most people of your ilk does and ring around a load of garage until you find a bodger that will do it on the cheap and then come back here moaning about how bad it all is....
    mart321's avatar
    mart321 Author
    "people of your ilk" well I clearly haven't done what you've said. I've had the job done and I'm querying the price.

    You carry on doing what people of your ilk do. Member since 2013 and never posted a single deal. Take, take take.
  2. Bobster-cyw's avatar
    Bobster-cyw
    So if the garage has already done the job what’s the breakdown on the bill ? Dos this not tell you the number of hours and the hourly rate ?
    dipsylalapo's avatar
    dipsylalapo
    The garage that I've used in the past gives you a breakdown of labour and parts.
  3. mart321's avatar
    mart321 Author
    I went to pick up and the actual price when I go there was only £260, so that's a bit better.
    TristanDeCoonha's avatar
    TristanDeCoonha
    And if you had offered cash it might have been better still
  4. Mark_Hickman's avatar
    Mark_Hickman
    This is why i do everything myself, youd now have some new tools and £140 left over if sockets were £20
  5. fisco2001's avatar
    fisco2001
    Sounds about right TBH Mechanics Labour is around £60HR
  6. dipsylalapo's avatar
    dipsylalapo
    Not sure where you're based but according to this site the going rate for labour is around £50 garagewire.co.uk/new…ed/

    Given they're quoting £150 for the part, labour is around £56 which is higher than average but not obscene. (edited)
  7. sm9690's avatar
    sm9690
    Is the £320 not including labour? £150 motor and £60ph labour x 3 hours is £330. Plus there's VAT as well, is £320 including or excluding VAT? (edited)
  8. chrb's avatar
    chrb
    They would just source the part from their regular parts provider, which would probably be more expensive than you could get. To save money on repairs previously, I have supplied part and got the garage to fit it
    Slinkeh's avatar
    Slinkeh
    There is a risk with doing it this way, if the part is defective then you'll have to cover additional costs of warranty replacements rather than the garage.
  9. rik111's avatar
    rik111
    The garage will be making some money on the part, plus they will also only want to fit a decent quality starter motor.
    You get it all the time, "but I can get it cheaper", well fill your boots and fit it yourself.
    You might be very lucky and find someone who will fit the cheapo part for your but like I said they like to know what they are fitting is decent and make a little on the part itself.

    Do what most people of your ilk does and ring around a load of garage until you find a bodger that will do it on the cheap and then come back here moaning about how bad it all is....
  10. Ringfinger's avatar
    Ringfinger
    Imagine the scenario... You buy the part, they fit it for labour. £150.
    Then it goes wrong. Now what do you do, you bought the part, but is it the part at fault or the fitting? Do you go back to the garage - who will blame the part buy the part from their supplier and still charge you £320 PLUS cost of diagnosing? Or do you go to another garage and pay their price for their supplied part or do the same and supply your own and only pay labour again?

    Garages charge roughly the same hourly rate, but they make extra on supplying parts ( wholesale - discount, then their mark up).
    Doesn't seem exorbitant to me.
    mart321's avatar
    mart321 Author
    I know what you are saying. I didn't want to supply the part for them to fit but I just wanted a general idea of the price.
  11. dan_uk's avatar
    dan_uk
    Seems absolutely fine to be honest. You really do have to factor in just how much everything has jumped in price in the last couple of years. 

    My local garage is currently sorting out a fault with fuel injectors in my engine and it’s £60ph Labour plus parts and they’re pretty reasonably priced for where I am (darn sarf). 

    Remember that the quote also (assuming a decent garage) includes any come back if it’s a crud part or fitting so you have a decent amount of fallback which you won’t notice until you need it. 
  12. .MUFC.'s avatar
    .MUFC.
    Click a mechanic are quoting me £216.62 supplied and fitted. May differ slightly in your area. Hence £320 is a bit much. Some starters are really easy to replace, others are a bit more difficult and involve having to remove other components etc.

    clickmechanic.com/
  13. aLV426's avatar
    aLV426
    It does seem to be in the realms of normal pricing. It could be worse - like £15 to fit a light bulb!
    I did fit it myself, but I understand why they charge £15 labour - so much hassle to swap out a bulb, it wasn't difficult and no manual needed. Just time consuming and I needed a screwdriver!
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