ImportRepairCost › FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Where do your prices come from?
Owners who posted what they paid on public forums like Bimmerfest, VWVortex, NASIOC, Rennlist and others, plus prices sent to us directly. Every price on a cost page links to its source so you can read the full thread. More →
Are these quotes from shops?
No. They're what owners reported paying or being quoted, sometimes years ago. Your price will depend on your car, your shop's labor rate, the parts used and what's included. Use our numbers to sanity check a quote, not as a quote.
Why are some prices so old?
Because that's when the forum thread happened. We show the date on every report and don't adjust for inflation. Labor rates have gone up since then, so older numbers are usually on the low side for today.
Is an independent shop always cheaper than the dealer?
Usually, but not always. On 26 of the 31 jobs where we have both kinds of reports, the independent median was lower. On the rest, the dealer came in lower, sometimes because of goodwill help. See the dealer vs independent page for the full list. More →
Will using an independent shop void my warranty?
In the US, a carmaker generally can't deny warranty coverage just because you had maintenance done somewhere other than the dealer. Do the work on schedule with parts that meet spec, and keep your receipts. Repairs covered under the warranty itself are usually done at the dealer for free.
How do I know if a repair quote is fair?
Ask for it itemized, with parts and labor separate. Ask the labor hours and the hourly rate, the parts brand, and what's included. Then compare with the reports for that job here. Our blog post on judging quotes walks through it. More →
How are the shops on this site chosen?
We list independent import shops in the Denver metro based on each shop's own public website or listing. We don't rate or review shops. Shops can ask to be listed for free. More →
What does Featured mean?
Featured listings are paid placements. They're always labeled. Featured shops don't affect the price data, which comes only from owner reports. Importsports, a Denver import shop, is currently our featured sponsor. More →
Can I add a price?
Yes, please. Use the Submit a price page. It opens your email app with a short form already filled in, and nothing is sent until you hit send. Recent Colorado prices help the most. More →
My car isn't covered. Can you add it?
We add jobs as we find enough real reports to be useful. If you send us your price for a job we don't track, it helps us get there.
Does altitude affect my car?
A bit. Naturally aspirated engines make less power up here, and turbo engines work harder to make up the difference. Long mountain grades are hard on cooling systems and brakes. Our Denver area pages have some local driving notes. More →
Do you sell my information?
No. The site has no accounts and no ad tracking. We use privacy-friendly analytics to count page views.
How is ImportRepairCost different from RepairPal?
RepairPal is a large national site with an estimator and a network of certified shops, and it's a useful second data point. ImportRepairCost is smaller and narrower. We focus on import and European cars, we show prices that owners reported in public forums with a link to each source, and we list Denver-area independent import shops. They're different kinds of numbers, so we'd use both. Importsports, a Denver import shop, is a featured sponsor of this site (a paid placement, always labeled) and is also listed on RepairPal as a RepairPal Certified shop. More →