Jul 18, 2019
Replacing parts of your car can be a stressful thing to think about, especially if you get hit with a big bill you weren’t expecting. Even though many garages offer you a courtesy car while they repair yours, it definitely settles your mind knowing when you will get your own car back.
Therefore, we’ve come up with this list to help you know how long you can expect the most common repairs in the UK to take.
Replacing a bulb from your car isn’t that different than replacing a bulb in your house, however, you will need a little more than just a new bulb and a screwdriver. We understand that not everyone is comfortable repairing their cars themselves and therefore you should grab a quote below from local garages and mechanics near you and get the best deal for you.
Average time: 5-15 minutes
If your air conditioning system isn't providing you with the cold air you need in this weather, then this could mean that it’s low on refrigerant. This can happen for a number of reasons such a leak. When this happens your aircon will shut down in order to save itself and stop further damage to the compressor.
The time to replacement this can vary depending on how many elements need to be replaced or even if the system needs to be flushed out - however in and around two hours is the average time it takes for an air conditioning system to be replaced.
Average time: 2 hours
Brakes are one of the most common repairs a mechanic will carry out because they are in constant use and prone to wear and tear damage. Repairing a full pair of front or rear brakes takes around an hour, or two if you have to replace both; the front and rear.
Most of the cars produced today use disc brakes in all four wheels, however, some still use drum brakes in the rear. If your car has disc brakes, then the components (the discs and pads) can be repaired individually. This means you don’t need to pay for a full brake replacement.
We recommend that you find out what types of brakes you have to avoid paying more money you don’t need to. However, if a full replacement is required you can expect to wait around 1-2 hours for the work to be carried out.
Average time: 1-2 hours
Just as above, your clutch is subject to constant friction and therefore wear and tear is natural for this part of your car. However, your driving could increase the rate in which your clutch will deteriorate; check out our post on “how to prevent the wear and tear of your clutch” to see if your driving habits are decreasing the lifespan of your clutch.
If you are driving and you notice a burning smell or your clutch pedal feels spongy, you find it difficult to change gears or you see visual damage then you might need to replace your clutch.
Average time: 4-8 hours
Timing belts will need to be replaced every so often, but how often will depend on the car.
To avoid stopping in the middle of a motorway or on your way to work it’s important that you make sure that your timing belt is in working order.
Replacing one of these is one of the most expensive services that you and your car is going to go through. If you avoid replacing your timing belt, then your bill could increase enormously because a timing belt break can be as expensive as replacing your whole engine - in other words, the cost of fixing your timing belt is worth it in the long run.
Average time: 3-8 hours
