The 2026 Car Repair Cost Index
What 52 common car repairs actually cost — DIY parts-only versus a full shop job (parts + labor) — compiled from eli5cars' hand-reviewed cost table.
Published June 2026 · eli5cars editorial team
Key findings
- 52 repairs covered, spanning routine maintenance to major engine work.
- Median shop cost: $270 · Median DIY cost: $53
- Median savings by going DIY: 79%
- Biggest dollar-savings repairs: Piston Rings ($2,200), Catalytic Converter ($1,550), Head Gasket ($1,300), VVT Actuator ($780), Steering Rack ($550)
- Where DIY barely saves: Tires (35%), TPMS Sensor (45%), Car Battery (45%), Engine Air Filter (56%), Steering Rack (61%)
- Most expensive repairs overall: Piston Rings ($3,000 shop), Catalytic Converter ($1,800 shop), Head Gasket ($1,800 shop), Steering Rack ($900 shop), VVT Actuator ($900 shop)
Full repair cost index
52 of 52 repairs · tap a column to sort
| Valve Cover Gasket | $20 | $300 | $280 | 93% |
| Oil Pan Gasket | $30 | $400 | $370 | 93% |
| Battery Cable | $8 | $95 | $87 | 92% |
| Throttle Body | $12 | $140 | $128 | 91% |
| Fuel Injector | $15 | $150 | $135 | 90% |
| Coolant Hose | $20 | $180 | $160 | 89% |
| Coolant Temp Sensor | $20 | $180 | $160 | 89% |
| Control Arm Bushing | $30 | $250 | $220 | 88% |
| PCV Valve | $10 | $80 | $70 | 88% |
| Serpentine Belt | $25 | $200 | $175 | 88% |
| Thermostat | $25 | $200 | $175 | 88% |
| VVT Actuator | $120 | $900 | $780 | 87% |
| Water Pump | $60 | $450 | $390 | 87% |
| Catalytic Converter | $250 | $1,800 | $1,550 | 86% |
| Radiator | $80 | $550 | $470 | 85% |
| Ignition Coil | $30 | $200 | $170 | 85% |
| Crankshaft Position Sensor | $35 | $225 | $190 | 84% |
| Spark Plugs | $25 | $150 | $125 | 83% |
| Motor Mount | $60 | $350 | $290 | 83% |
| Ignition Switch | $45 | $260 | $215 | 83% |
| VVT Solenoid | $35 | $200 | $165 | 83% |
| Fuel Pressure Regulator | $50 | $280 | $230 | 82% |
| Fuel Filter | $20 | $110 | $90 | 82% |
| Mass Air Flow Sensor | $40 | $220 | $180 | 82% |
| Sway Bar Link | $25 | $130 | $105 | 81% |
| EVAP Purge Valve | $30 | $150 | $120 | 80% |
| CV Axle | $90 | $400 | $310 | 78% |
| Oxygen Sensor | $45 | $200 | $155 | 78% |
| Tie Rod End | $50 | $220 | $170 | 77% |
| Ball Joint | $80 | $350 | $270 | 77% |
| EGR Valve | $80 | $350 | $270 | 77% |
| Starter Motor | $80 | $350 | $270 | 77% |
| Wheel Bearing | $80 | $350 | $270 | 77% |
| EVAP Vent Valve | $40 | $170 | $130 | 76% |
| Wheel Hub | $90 | $380 | $290 | 76% |
| Alternator | $120 | $450 | $330 | 73% |
| Piston Rings | $800 | $3,000 | $2,200 | 73% |
| Power Steering Pump | $120 | $450 | $330 | 73% |
| Shock Absorber | $80 | $300 | $220 | 73% |
| Warped Brake Rotors | $80 | $300 | $220 | 73% |
| Head Gasket | $500 | $1,800 | $1,300 | 72% |
| Brake Caliper | $80 | $280 | $200 | 71% |
| Brake Pads | $60 | $180 | $120 | 67% |
| Wheel Rim | $150 | $450 | $300 | 67% |
| Fuel Pump | $200 | $560 | $360 | 64% |
| Strut Assembly | $200 | $550 | $350 | 64% |
| Wheel Alignment | $45 | $120 | $75 | 63% |
| Steering Rack | $350 | $900 | $550 | 61% |
| Engine Air Filter | $20 | $45 | $25 | 56% |
| Car Battery | $120 | $220 | $100 | 45% |
| TPMS Sensor | $55 | $100 | $45 | 45% |
| Tires | $520 | $800 | $280 | 35% |
Methodology
Costs come from eli5cars' hand-reviewed, editorially curated repair cost table, dated 2026. Each figure represents a realistic U.S. national midpoint, not a quote from any single shop or region.
Shop cost includes parts and labor at typical independent-shop rates. DIY cost assumes aftermarket (not OEM) parts purchased at retail, and does not include the value of your time or any tools you may need to buy or rent.
Regional variation: actual prices can swing roughly ±30–40% depending on your market, labor rates, vehicle make/model, and parts availability. Use this index to gauge relative savings and spot outlier quotes — not as a binding estimate for your specific repair.
Limitations: this is not a statistically sampled survey of real invoices — it is an editorial estimate reviewed against common part and labor pricing. Some repairs (e.g. major engine work) have especially wide real-world variance. Costs will drift over time as parts and labor prices change; check the "updated" field in the underlying data for per-repair recency.
Use this data
Journalists and bloggers are welcome to cite and reproduce this data with attribution.
Download the full dataset (CSV)
Source: eli5cars 2026 Repair Cost Index — eli5cars.com/repair-cost-index
Reproduction of this data, in whole or in part, is allowed with attribution and a link back to eli5cars.com/repair-cost-index. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.