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Revealed: ‘Postcode lottery’ of servicing and MOT costs

Time 9:17 am, June 17, 2019

MOTORISTS in some parts of England and Wales are paying up to 60 per cent more for MOT and servicing, compared with other towns and cities.

The newly-compiled data shows that motorists in Newham, London are being hit hardest, with the average cost of MOT and servicing totalling of £232.92, while motorists in Penzance, Cornwall are paying just £138.93 – a massive saving of £93.99.

The website Bookmygarage.com analysed the costs for thousands of MOT and servicing jobs on four-year-old vehicles across England and Wales and uncovered a ‘postcode lottery’ with a huge gap in average prices.


The top five most expensive areas for MOT and servicing costs in England and Wales were Newham, London
(£232.92); Camden, London (£228.17); Braintree, Essex (£225.23); Horsham, Surrey (£216.39); and Tower Hamlets, London (£216.24).

The top five cheapest areas were Penzance, Cornwall (£138.93); Caernarfon, Wales (£141.91); Bilston, West Midlands (£145.05); St Austell, Cornwall (£145.50); and Diss, Norfolk (£148.17).

Douglas Rotberg, CEO of BookMyGarage.com, said: ‘Unsurprisingly, prices tend to be higher in wealthier parts of the country. There is certainly a link between price and the number of garages in a town – competition drives down prices.


‘So it pays for motorists to shop around online to find the cheapest MOT and servicing costs in their area.  In some towns and cities, motorists are being hit hard by higher labour charges and parts.  By simply making a few checks on their vehicles before an MOT, motorists can make significant savings.’

BookMyGarage.com is a platform where where motorists can compare like-for-like servicing and MOT prices.

Customers can enter their car registration and their location and within seconds receive a list of local garages that can work on their vehicle, showing prices, availability, location and reviews.

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Dave Brown's avatar

Dave, production editor on Car Dealer Magazine, is a journalist with more than 30 years' experience in the worlds of newspapers, magazines and public relations.



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