Car diagnostic test cost: compare the scope

Last reviewed · OBDCode UK editorial

UK booking marketplaces currently publish diagnostic averages of about £52–£65. Retrieved 2026-08-14. These figures are what named UK sources published on the retrieval date. They are planning ranges, not a quote for your car. A written estimate for this vehicle is the only figure that counts.

Published UK figures

What the source publishedFigure
FixMyCar average diagnostic quote£51.66
Their published average for a diagnostic test booking. They say a diagnostic is unlikely to cost more than £100. It does not include the repair.
FixMyCar electrical diagnostic average£62.34
A narrower electrical diagnostic booking on the same marketplace.
ClickMechanic diagnostic-inspection average£65
Their published average for a diagnostic check. They say the exact price depends on the car, location and the fault.

What that figure does not tell you

  • A code printout is not the same as finding the cause.
  • Ask whether the fee is credited against the repair, and whether you get the codes and a written conclusion to take elsewhere.
  • Do not authorise a part from the code alone.

What to ask before authorising work

  • Which vehicle modules will be scanned, rather than only the engine controller?
  • Does the fee include fault-code and freeze-frame records, live-data or circuit tests, and a written conclusion?
  • How much diagnostic time is included, and what authorisation is needed before more time is used?
  • Will any diagnostic charge be credited against an agreed repair?

Safety boundary

Reading a code does not prove that the component named in the code is faulty.

How to compare estimates

Compare the same diagnosis, parts, labour, VAT, fluids, calibration, disposal and warranty scope. Do not choose a repair from a warning lamp or fault code alone.

Related guides

Sources

General guidance, not professional advice.