Skip to main content
FixMyCarQuote

What does a tire repair cost?

A repairable puncture is one of the cheapest things a garage will do for you. The catch is that not every puncture is repairable, and the difference between a patch and a new tire is the whole cost of the visit.

Compare offers

Free · No obligation

  1. 1Describe the repair
  2. 2We look for garages
  3. 3Compare the offers

Common symptoms

  • A tire that keeps going soft over days rather than all at once
  • A visible nail, screw or piece of metal in the tread
  • A tire-pressure warning light that comes back after you refill
  • A hiss you can hear with the car parked

You do not need to know which one applies: describe what you notice and the garage will do the diagnosis.

What changes the price

We do not publish an average price: we do not yet have enough real data to give an honest one. Here is what makes up the bill instead.

Whether it can be repaired at all
This decides everything else. A puncture in the tread, away from the edges and small enough, can usually be repaired properly from the inside. Damage in the sidewall or shoulder generally cannot, because that part of the tire flexes constantly and no patch is trusted there.
A proper repair versus a plug from outside
A patch-plug fitted from the inside with the tire off the rim is the repair most shops stand behind. A plug pushed in from outside without dismounting is quicker and cheaper and is widely treated as temporary. It is worth knowing which you are being quoted.
Dismounting, refitting and balancing
A repair done properly means the tire comes off the rim and goes back on, which means it should be rebalanced. That labour is most of a repair bill, and it is why four repairs cost roughly four times one.
If it turns into a replacement
Then you are buying a tire, and the price depends on the size and the make. Some vehicles also need the pressure sensor serviced when the tire is changed.
Whether you need one or a pair
On some drivetrains, replacing a single tire with a much newer one is not advised, and a garage may recommend replacing two. That is a real constraint rather than an upsell, and it should be explained to you.

Repair or replace: what a garage is actually judging

Three things — where the damage is, how big it is, and whether the tire was driven on while flat. Running a tire flat can damage the inner sidewall in a way that is invisible from the outside, and a shop that finds that will refuse the repair. That refusal is worth more to you than a cheap patch.

Why the tread depth matters to the answer

Repairing a tire that is nearly worn out spends money on something you will replace shortly. A garage will often say so and let you decide, and it is a reasonable thing to ask about while you are there.

A slow leak that is not a puncture

Air escapes past a corroded rim edge or a failing valve as well as through the tread. The fix and the price are different in each case, which is why a shop will want to find the leak rather than assume it.

What a garage needs to know

  • The year, make and model
  • The tire size, from the sidewall, if you can read it
  • Where the damage is, if you can see it — tread or sidewall
  • Whether the car was driven on the tire while it was flat
  • How many tires are affected

When an inspection is needed

If a tire has gone completely flat while driving, or you can see damage to the sidewall, treat it as something to have looked at rather than driven on. Nothing on this page is a substitute for somebody inspecting the tire.

How it works

  1. 1

    Tell us what your vehicle needs

    One request, a few minutes.

  2. 2

    We look for garages able to perform the work

    We contact garages in your area.

  3. 3

    Compare the offers you receive

    Price and availability, side by side.

  4. 4

    Choose the option you prefer

    You are free to walk away.

Common questions

Can a sidewall puncture be repaired?

Almost never. The sidewall flexes with every rotation and a repair there is not considered reliable, so a garage will normally recommend replacement. A shop that offers to patch a sidewall is taking a risk with your car.

Is a plug as good as a patch?

Generally no. A plug fitted from outside without removing the tire is treated as a temporary measure by most shops. The repair that is stood behind is a patch-plug fitted from the inside, which needs the tire off the rim.

Do I need to replace the sensor when the tire is changed?

It depends on the vehicle and the age of the sensor. Many have a serviceable seal that is replaced when the tire is changed. Ask whether it is included — it is a common difference between two quotes.

Why is there no average price here?

Because it would be invented. We have no body of quote data to average yet, and an average across the country would be wrong for your vehicle in your city anyway. Real quotes for your actual car are worth more than a number nobody can defend.

A puncture is worth getting looked at quickly, because driving on a soft tire is what turns a repair into a replacement. Describe the vehicle and what happened, and garages near you can tell you what they would charge.

Related pages

What we don't promise

We don't guarantee a number of offers, a response time, or a saving. We pass your request to garages and show you what they say. If nothing comes back, we'll tell you.

Ready to compare options for your repair?

Describe the repair your vehicle needs. It only takes a few minutes.

Get quotes

Free · No obligation