Repair costs

Exhaust repair cost and how often MOTs call for it

What UK shops charge, from ONS price quotes, and how often MOT tests fail on the items this repair fixes, from 130,233,413 DVSA MOT tests (2022 to 2025).

Prices updated 22 September 2026. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Price

Median price (80 shops)£212.09

Middle half of prices£182.35 to £263.41

ONS price quotes for “EXHAUST FITTING FAST FIT”, September 2025 to August 2026, UK, 1,020 quotes from 80 shops. The ONS item is an exhaust fitted at a fast-fit centre; which part of the exhaust is not stated. Consumer prices as quoted.

If a garage also charges labour

Local garage labour, per hour (65 shops)£78

Local garage, middle half£70 to £96

Main dealer labour, per hour (62 shops)£156

Main dealer, middle half£144 to £174

Median hourly rate charged for car repairs, from 1,058 local garage and 953 main dealer price quotes collected by the ONS, September 2025 to August 2026. The same shops are priced each month, so the number of shops is the real sample.

MOT defects this repair fixes

Exhaust system has a minor leak of exhaust gases1.92 per 100
Exhaust system has a major leak of exhaust gases0.75 per 100

Records per 100 MOT tests at all ages (n=130,233,413 tests).

How often by age

All cars: 0.75 fail items per 100 MOTs that this repair fixes (n=130,233,413 tests), highest at 21 years with 2.24 per 100 (n=1,321,417). A test with two such items counts twice.

Fail items fixed by exhaust repair, per 100 MOT tests of cars at each age.
Age	Per 100 MOTs	Tests (n)
3 years	0.008	8,016,463
4 years	0.018	8,699,937
5 years	0.051	9,425,360
6 years	0.11	10,382,720
7 years	0.18	10,537,318
8 years	0.30	10,440,457
9 years	0.45	9,949,012
10 years	0.63	9,049,507
11 years	0.81	8,087,514
12 years	1.02	7,303,151
13 years	1.22	6,612,160
14 years	1.44	6,054,526
15 years	1.64	5,591,675
16 years	1.80	4,858,625
17 years	1.90	4,040,458
18 years	2.02	3,261,622
19 years	2.12	2,479,858
20 years	2.18	1,845,952
21 years	2.24	1,321,417
22 years	2.23	913,980
23 years	2.20	619,531
24 years	2.17	428,815
25 years	2.13	313,355

Models that fail on these items more often

At least 1.3 times the rate of cars of the same ages and fuel, over ages with at least 1,000 tests each and 20,000 in total. Each generation of a model is compared on its own. 38 of these have their own page. Mostly electric models are left out, because they have no engine or exhaust to test.

Model	Times as often	Tests (n)
Isuzu D-Max	at least 16.8	134,777
Vauxhall Crossland	at least 5.8	229,410
Chevrolet Captiva	at least 5.6	25,550
Ford EcoSport	at least 4.3	402,494
Vauxhall Mokka	at least 4.1	930,592
Nissan Pathfinder	at least 3.7	23,532
Ford Transit Connect	at least 3.1	676,611
Vauxhall Combo	at least 3.1	423,103
Smart Forfourfirst used 2014 or later	at least 3.0	89,645
Nissan Navara	at least 2.8	286,820
Toyota Hilux	at least 2.8	278,401
Fiat Bravo	at least 2.7	20,980
Fiat Doblo	at least 2.7	190,103
Hyundai Coupe	at least 2.7	24,661
Peugeot 208	at least 2.7	809,087
Volkswagen Fox	at least 2.6	108,524
Fiat Punto	at least 2.5	310,264
Mazda 5	at least 2.5	44,929
Mitsubishi ASX	at least 2.3	116,909
Nissan Juke	at least 2.2	1,225,209
Fiat 500L	at least 2.2	85,411
Peugeot 2008	at least 2.2	496,383
Chevrolet Aveo	at least 2.2	36,812
Mazda Bongo	at least 2.2	35,066
Vauxhall Insignia	at least 2.2	834,880

48 more models

Model	Times as often	Tests (n)
Vauxhall Zafira	at least 2.1	861,172
Alfa Romeo Mito	at least 2.1	78,902
Ford S-Max	at least 2.1	301,431
Ford Galaxy	at least 2.1	251,657
Peugeot 206	at least 2.1	211,511
Mitsubishi Shogun	at least 2.0	104,916
Hyundai Tucsonfirst used before 2015	at least 2.0	21,949
Vauxhall Antara	at least 2.0	83,963
Ford Kuga	at least 1.9	1,137,353
Mitsubishi Outlander	at least 1.9	305,188
Vauxhall Astra	at least 1.9	2,724,083
Volkswagen Lupo	at least 1.8	24,196
Hyundai Getz	at least 1.7	85,143
Toyota Land Cruiser	at least 1.7	78,269
Nissan Almera	at least 1.6	64,930
Fiat Panda	at least 1.6	362,907
Vauxhall Vectra	at least 1.6	139,086
Ford Ranger	at least 1.6	426,542
DS DS3	at least 1.6	425,461
Fiat Scudo	at least 1.6	32,566
SEAT Ibiza	at least 1.6	775,282
Nissan X-Trail	at least 1.5	370,278
Hyundai Amica	at least 1.5	22,828
Toyota Celica	at least 1.5	35,045
Citroen Xsara	at least 1.5	125,734
Peugeot 107	at least 1.4	464,216
Fiat 500	at least 1.4	1,394,433
Chevrolet Spark	at least 1.4	59,796
Vauxhall Meriva	at least 1.4	385,594
Ford Fiesta	at least 1.4	5,660,045
Volkswagen Bora	at least 1.4	22,986
SEAT Alhambra	at least 1.4	110,632
Volkswagen Polo	at least 1.4	2,506,053
Citroen C4 Cactus	at least 1.4	82,843
Ford Ka	at least 1.4	743,190
Chevrolet Matiz	at least 1.4	44,172
Vauxhall Tigrafirst used 2004 or later	at least 1.4	28,719
Citroen C1	at least 1.3	671,515
Jeep Cherokeefirst used before 2014	at least 1.3	26,264
Mitsubishi L200	at least 1.3	356,000
Citroen C3	at least 1.3	784,141
Subaru Forester	at least 1.3	64,837
Peugeot 207	at least 1.3	587,825
Citroen C2	at least 1.3	49,932
Saab 9-3	at least 1.3	166,679
Vauxhall Corsa	at least 1.3	3,740,055
Subaru Outback	at least 1.3	28,958
BMW X1	at least 1.3	414,040

Models that fail on these items less often

At most 0.7 times the rate of cars of the same ages and fuel, on the same rules.

Model	Times as often	Tests (n)
Porsche 911	at most 0.3	174,386
Jaguar XK	at most 0.4	86,405
Toyota IQ	at most 0.4	67,409
BMW Z4	at most 0.4	141,225
Mercedes-Benz SL	at most 0.4	70,445
Mercedes-Benz SLK	at most 0.4	227,766
BMW M3	at most 0.5	59,765
Toyota MR2	at most 0.5	30,113
Porsche Boxster	at most 0.5	129,291
Nissan Pixo	at most 0.5	46,726
Bentley Continental	at most 0.5	56,740
Mazda 2	at most 0.5	509,644
Porsche Cayenne	at most 0.5	118,942
BMW 6 Series	at most 0.5	89,667
Mercedes-Benz CLK	at most 0.5	121,510
Suzuki Ignisfirst used before 2016	at most 0.5	25,857
Jaguar XJ	at most 0.6	92,084
BMW Z3	at most 0.6	36,516
Audi TT	at most 0.6	459,803
MINI Countryman	at most 0.6	415,833
Suzuki Celerio	at most 0.6	110,627
Jaguar S-Type	at most 0.6	49,246
Toyota Hiace	at most 0.6	55,241
Porsche Cayman	at most 0.6	59,394
Suzuki Wagon R+	at most 0.6	32,729

22 more models

Model	Times as often	Tests (n)
Nissan Elgrand	at most 0.6	48,346
Lexus IS	at most 0.6	154,326
Mazda MX-5	at most 0.6	348,258
Suzuki Vitarafirst used 2015 or later	at most 0.7	248,462
Audi A5	at most 0.7	501,056
MG TF	at most 0.7	36,093
Mercedes-Benz S-Class	at most 0.7	107,268
Hyundai i10	at most 0.7	980,254
Toyota Estima	at most 0.7	63,559
BMW 3 Series	at most 0.7	1,972,463
Subaru Impreza	at most 0.7	66,952
Toyota Verso	at most 0.7	112,639
BMW 5 Series	at most 0.7	849,601
Mazda 3	at most 0.7	435,738
Toyota Avensis	at most 0.7	270,911
Toyota Corollafirst used before 2019	at most 0.7	238,334
Volkswagen Eos	at most 0.7	49,528
Honda CR-V	at most 0.7	806,907
Land Rover Range Rover	at most 0.7	352,624
Ford C-Max	at most 0.7	527,219
Audi Q5	at most 0.7	422,669
Land Rover Range Rover Sport	at most 0.7	498,033

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Other repairs

Exterior bulb replacement£3.99 median
Tyre replacement£87.05 median
Headlight alignmentlabour rate
Coil spring replacementlabour rate
Wiper blade replacement£9.99 median
Handbrake repairlabour rate
Brake pad replacementlabour rate
Suspension ball joint replacementlabour rate
Anti-roll bar link replacementlabour rate
Headlight bulb replacement£3.99 median
Engine warning light diagnosislabour rate
Screenwash top-uplabour rate
Suspension arm bush replacementlabour rate
CV boot replacementlabour rate
Track rod end replacementlabour rate
Brake disc and pad replacementlabour rate
Shock absorber replacementlabour rate
Corrosion welding repairlabour rate
Binding brake repairlabour rate
Washer system repairlabour rate
Emissions fail repairlabour rate
Brake pipe replacementlabour rate
ABS warning light repairlabour rate
Airbag warning light repairlabour rate
Brake imbalance repairlabour rate
Wheel bearing replacementlabour rate
Tyre pressure sensor replacementlabour rate
Horn repairlabour rate
Number plate replacementlabour rate
Exhaust mounting repairlabour rate
Wheel nut or bolt replacementlabour rate
Steering rack gaiter replacementlabour rate
Brake efficiency repairlabour rate
Headlight mounting repairlabour rate
Headlight unit replacementlabour rate
Headlight lens restorationlabour rate
Swivel pin replacementlabour rate

All repair costs All MOT defects

Buying a used car?

These figures describe all cars, not any one car. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report would tell you.

See an example report MOT fail rates by model All free tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025, and the MOT inspection manual published on GOV.UK. Prices: ONS consumer price inflation price quotes, September 2025 to August 2026, UK.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026. Prices updated 22 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA or the Office for National Statistics. How we calculate these figures · Data sources