Franchised dealer labour rates are falling for the first time in five years, according to a new survey.
The report, by Warranty Direct, shows that the average rate charged for an hour of a mechanic’s time at a franchised dealer has fallen by 4.8 per cent to £90.16 an hour in the last 12 months.
It suggests the franchised dealers are having to drop rates during the recession, as more car owners look to independents for cheaper work.
However, the survey suggests that independent rates have risen in the past year, albeit only by 0.8 per cent, taking the average to £56.10.
The average labour rate across all garages is £75.85 an hour. The highest found was £190.35 - down from £198.86 last year.
More than 5000 garages were assessed by the survey.
Top ten most expensive regions for garage labour rates:Greater London - £94.44Middlesex - £91.48Hertfordshire - £88.71Surrey - £87.66Buckinghamshire - £86.49Berkshire - £84.09Warwickshire - £82.10Kent - £81.84Bedfordshire - £81.66Essex - £80.54
Top ten least expensive regions for garage labour rates:Cornwall - £61.15Lincolnshire - £66.03Devon - £68.18Avon - £68.45Norfolk - £69.43Cheshire - £69.72Lancashire - £70.29West Yorkshire - £70.33Cumbria - £70.82South Yorkshire -£70.90
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