HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT

How to hire a gearbox specialist in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A gearbox repair in Ireland costs €400–€4,000 per job, typically around €1,500. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a gearbox specialist in five steps

  1. Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers gearbox specialist work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — component Repairs or Replacements — depending on the diagnosis, specific components such as bearings, seals, or gears may need repair or replacement.
  2. How does type of vehicle change the price?Equipment that only comes out for this job carries its own cost. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  3. How does extent of the damage change the price?More rooms means more setting up and more packing away. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  4. How does specific parts that need replacing change the price?Consumables add up quietly across a long job. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  5. What is not included?Fluid Replacement — gearbox repair often involves draining and replacing old transmission fluid — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a gearbox specialist job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

NO REGISTER APPLIES TO MECHANICS IN IRELAND — anyone may repair a car. The statutory thing is the NCT, which is carried out by the national testing service and not by a garage, so a garage cannot issue one. SIMI membership is a trade association rather than a licence, and it gives you a complaints route.

Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.

What to check instead

Motor trade insurance covering your car while it is in their custody, which is separate from their public liability; A written estimate before work starts, and a call before any extra work; Whether parts are new, reconditioned or used, named on the invoice; The guarantee on parts and on labour, separately, in writing; Whether diagnosis is charged separately and whether it is credited against the repair; For a pre-purchase inspection, that the inspector is independent of the seller.

Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.

Insurance

Expect public liability and motor trade cover for vehicles in their custody. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.

Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.

Trader or private seller

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.

Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.

VAT

VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.

Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →

“Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?”

A good answer: No register covers gearbox specialist work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — component Repairs or Replacements — depending on the diagnosis, specific components such as bearings, seals, or gears may need repair or replacement.

“How does type of vehicle change the price?”

A good answer: Equipment that only comes out for this job carries its own cost. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does extent of the damage change the price?”

A good answer: More rooms means more setting up and more packing away. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does specific parts that need replacing change the price?”

A good answer: Consumables add up quietly across a long job. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“What is not included?”

A good answer: Fluid Replacement — gearbox repair often involves draining and replacing old transmission fluid — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a gearbox specialist job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

“Who insures you, and what is the policy number?”

A good answer: Expect public liability and motor trade cover for vehicles in their custody — inspection and Diagnostics — A thorough inspection of the vehicle’s gearbox is essential to identify issues.

“What do I get in writing, and when?”

A good answer: A written scope and a price before the gearbox specialist starts, and an itemised invoice after — clutch Replacement — A critical repair that entails replacing the clutch assembly, which is often necessary when gearbox issues are present.

Getting the quote right

  • Type of vehicle — equipment that only comes out for this job carries its own cost.
  • Extent of the damage — more rooms means more setting up and more packing away.
  • Specific parts that need replacing — consumables add up quietly across a long job.
  • Inspection and Diagnostics — providers allow for it rather than discover it on the day.
  • In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
  • What is NOT included, named
  • Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register

Walk away if

  • They will not talk about it: type of vehicle — equipment that only comes out for this job carries its own cost
  • They will not talk about it: extent of the damage — more rooms means more setting up and more packing away
  • They will not talk about it: specific parts that need replacing — consumables add up quietly across a long job
  • A price for the gearbox specialist before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
  • Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
  • No written quote, or one that moves once the gearbox specialist has begun
LOW
€400
TYPICAL
€1,500
HIGH
€4,000

What a gearbox specialist costs: €400–€4,000 per job

The figures are for the job, per job, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Automatic gearbox repair and Manual gearbox repair each carry their own band. Gearbox Repair price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Gearbox specialists near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Look firstType of vehicle — equipment that only comes out for this job carries its own cost — that is what the gearbox specialist is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
  2. Agree what is being doneExtent of the damage — more rooms means more setting up and more packing away — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
  3. The work itselfSpecific parts that need replacing — consumables add up quietly across a long job — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
  4. Check it togetherInspection and Diagnostics — providers allow for it rather than discover it on the day — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the gearbox specialist is still there.
  5. What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, check that they follow safety standards to protect both the vehicle and the technician.

Inspection and Diagnostics
A thorough inspection of the vehicle’s gearbox is essential to identify issues.
Fluid Replacement
Gearbox repair often involves draining and replacing old transmission fluid.
Component Repairs or Replacements
Depending on the diagnosis, specific components such as bearings, seals, or gears may need repair or replacement.
Automatic Gearbox Repair
Involves diagnosing and fixing issues within automatic transmission systems, including fluid changes and component replacements.
Manual Gearbox Repair
Focuses on repairing manual transmissions, often requiring clutch adjustments and gear synchroniser replacements.
Gearbox Overhaul
A comprehensive service that includes disassembling the gearbox, replacing worn parts, and reassembling it to restore optimal function.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and the paperworkAn itemised invoice with the trader's name, the work and the total — component Repairs or Replacements — depending on the diagnosis, specific components such as bearings, seals, or gears may need repair or replacement, because it is what a buyer's solicitor, an insurer or a lender asks for long after the gearbox specialist has gone.
Test what was doneFluid Replacement — gearbox repair often involves draining and replacing old transmission fluid — and something that does not work on the day is theirs to put right there and then.
Ask what the guarantee isOn the workmanship and on the parts, and for how long each one runs — they are usually different. inspection and Diagnostics — A thorough inspection of the vehicle’s gearbox is essential to identify issues — under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 what was agreed is what can be relied on.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked job can be reviewed on Locufy, which is why the score on a gearbox specialist's card means something — clutch Replacement — A critical repair that entails replacing the clutch assembly, which is often necessary when gearbox issues are present.

STEP 1Say it in writing, firstSay what is wrong and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and defective work put right.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Escalate to the body that regulates itThere is no register, so the route is the consumer body and, if needed, the courts.
STEP 4Small claimsSmall claims covers €2,000, once you have asked in writing and given them a chance to put it right.

Hiring a gearbox specialist: questions people ask

The cost of gearbox repair can vary based on the type of vehicle, the extent of the damage, and the specific parts that need replacing. Labour rates and the complexity of the repair also play significant roles.

The duration of a gearbox repair can range from a few hours to several days, depending on the complexity of the issue and parts availability. A straightforward fluid change may take less time than a full rebuild.

While a general mechanic can handle basic repairs, a qualified gearbox specialist is recommended for complex issues. Specialists have the necessary expertise and tools to properly diagnose and repair gearbox problems.

Emergency or same-day gearbox repair may be available, but it often comes at a premium. Availability varies by service provider, so it's best to inquire directly with local garages.

Yes, many service providers offer package deals for related services, such as gearbox and clutch repairs. Booking multiple jobs can sometimes lead to cost savings and efficiency.

Out of scope for gearbox repair usually includes unrelated mechanical issues, bodywork, and electrical system repairs. It's important to clarify the specific services included before proceeding with repairs.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in vehicles & transport

How to hire: Mobile MechanicHow to hire: Car ServicingHow to hire: MOT / NCT ServiceHow to hire: Car DiagnosticsHow to hire: Clutch RepairHow to hire: Brake RepairHow to hire: Exhaust RepairHow to hire: Timing Belt ReplacementAll 701 hiring guides →

Gearbox specialists near you

Gearbox specialists in DublinGearbox specialists in CorkGearbox specialists in GalwayGearbox specialists in LimerickAll gearbox specialists on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
  2. Consumer Rights Act 2022
  3. Courts Service — small claims
  4. Revenue — MOTOR VEHICLES - REPAIRS (Certain repair and related services) — Reduced rate
  5. Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
  6. Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only