‘Who did that? Me’: This woman was quoted $500 to fix her car’s sun visor — so she got a $50 Amazon part, watched a YouTube video and did it herself. Why more drivers are going the DIY route

The going rate

Lutz’s repair quote may have seemed steep — but she’s far from alone. The comment section flooded with similar struggles, sharing sky-high bills for what they say were relatively minor fixes.

One Toyota owner said she was quoted $650 to replace a window regulator — a part she later bought for just $50. Another chimed in and wrote, ““I got quoted to change my serpentine belt for $400 when a belt is $30 at autozone, so I did it myself. I am no mechanic but YouTube is the best teacher I ever had.”

These stories echo a broader trend of the rising labor and parts cost. In 2019, the average labor rate for auto repairs was below $50 an hour, according to repair software firm Mitchell as reported by CNBC. By the end of 2023, that figure had jumped to nearly $60. Much of that increase came in the post-pandemic years, as repair demand slowed, skilled techs left the industry and parts prices surged due to global shipping disruptions.

“If cars are to be affordable, they must also be affordable to maintain,”Alan Amici, president and CEO of the Center for Automotive Research, told CNBC. “And they must be affordable to repair, or else we’re going to have fewer vehicle sales. So I think the automakers are going to be motivated to drive those costs down.”

The recent tariffs are only adding fuel to this fire. The Trump administration has added a 25% tariff to all imported auto parts — from engines to electrical components — making even basic repairs more expensive for everyday drivers. And while more recently, a U.S. federal court has blocked Trump’s broader plan to impose global trade tariffs, not all tariffs are off the table and the policy keeps changing. Existing duties on steel, aluminum and auto imports under a separate law — the Trade Expansion Act’s Section 232 — still stand, meaning drivers aren’t in the clear just yet.

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Take control of your next repair bill

You can’t control the economy — or the rising cost of car parts — but you can control how you budget for your next repair bill.

When Lutz’s car needed work, she skipped the mechanic and turned to Amazon for parts and YouTube for guidance. DIY can save you hundreds — especially for simpler fixes like window regulators or serpentine belts. But when it comes to major repairs like engines or transmissions, it's usually smarter (and safer) to leave it to the pros.

Consumer Reports cautions that while DIY jobs might offer short-term savings, mistakes can cost you more in the long run. It may also mean voiding possible warranties, so be sure to first check what your DIY repair might impact. That said, working with a mechanic doesn’t mean paying full price.

According to a Consumer Reports survey, many independent shops and national chains were rated highly for offering discounts and being open to negotiation. Dealerships, on the other hand, didn’t score well when it came to affordability or flexibility.

And, of course, it’s important not to ignore the warning signs. If your car starts squealing, leaking or making mysterious new noise, get it checked out sooner rather than later. Catching problems early can be another way to save you even more in the long run.