A GARAGE is charging more than 800 times the true value of its mechanics’ time and expertise, it has emerged.
McKay’s Garage in Stevenage charges £23.84 for mechanics to replace a wiper blade, which for a job taking around 90 seconds means their labour is priced at close to £1,000 an hour.
Dr Henry Brubaker of the Institute for Studies said: “Based on this, simply attracting a mechanic’s attention is priced in double figures.
“Changing a fanbelt runs into thousands, and a blown head gasket requiring the labour of two or more mechanics will easily be four to five times the cost of a replacement car, and closer to the cost of a house.
“A Kia Sportage damaged in a minor road traffic accident was given a repair bill of £746,250,000,000, or approximately the GDP of Saudi Arabia.”
Garage proprietor Bill McKay said: “Yeah, that’s labour, and then there’s the cost of the parts as well.
“Tell you what, call it £750 billion for cash.”