Average Costs of Minor Car Repairs
Whether your auto needs minor repairs mechanically, or cosmetically, wouldn’t it be nice to know the average cost of some common repairs? We’ve gathered a brief list of some of the most prevalent minor damages that vehicles incur, so you can be an informed auto owner.
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Minor Internal Repairs
According to the latest stats from CarMD.com, here are the top 10 most common minor repairs that would trigger the check engine light, and their estimated cost (for both parts and labor).
| Oxygen sensor(s) replacement | $258.63 |
| New OE catalytic converter(s) | $1,190.18 |
| Ignition coil(s) and spark plug(s) replacement | $401.22 |
| Loose fuel cap inspection, tightening, replacement | $16.88 |
| Mass air flow sensor replacement | $378.15 |
| Ignition coil(s) replacement | $243.42 |
| Spark plug wire(s) and spark plug replacement | $341.71 |
| Evaporative emissions (EVAP) purge control valve replacement | $176.45 |
| Thermostat replacement | $225.40 |
| Evaporative emissions (EVAP) purge solenoid replacement | $195.95 |
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Minor External Repairs
A vehicle’s exterior is prone to common damages, as well. Here are some average price ranges for the following types of auto body repairs.
Door and fender dents
If your vehicle has a door or fender ding, but doesn’t show signs of chipping paint, then the repair should be fairly cheap. In mechanic lingo, the repair is called a Paintless Dent Repair (PDR). The average price range for this service is $50 to $150.
Paint chips and scratches
Paint chips and scratches vary in repair cost, depending on the mark’s depth and the vehicle’s type of paint and finish. A quick repair using a paint touch-up pen and alcohol should cost less than $50. A more serious chip or scratch could cost under $150 to repair.
Broken windshield
Small chips from and stars in the windshield could set you back $50 per chip. A small crack that has just started to grow on your windshield is likely to cost you around $100 for an auto-glass technician to fix, so that it doesn’t keep spreading. Larger cracks which require a total replacement of the windshield usually cost in the range of $200 to $900.
Smashed bumper
A bashed in bumper might’ve been a reasonably cheap repair a few decades ago. Now, however, many newer auto models have bumpers with fancy grille elements, headlight washers, and/or sensor technology. This adds to the repair fees. A lightly damaged bumper will cost you around $400 to repair and refinish. Heavier damage could set you back $1,500 or more.
Some of these repair items can be easy to fix on your own. However, it’s often best to take your vehicle in to a professional mechanic to properly diagnose and fix the minor damages.
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News Sources: SuperMoney, ThoughtCo.com, CarMD
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