HOW TO HIRE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a mobile mechanic in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A mobile mechanic in Ireland costs €50–€100 per hour, typically around €70. 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.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a mobile mechanic in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers mobile mechanic work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — scheduled Maintenance — scheduled maintenance is crucial for vehicle longevity, and mobile mechanics can handle tasks like fluid changes, filter replacements, and tyre rotations at your convenience.
- How does type of service change the price?The specification is agreed before any work begins. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the repair change the price?The condition decides whether this is a touch-up or a rebuild. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does mechanic's experience change the price?The better known the provider, the less they need to discount. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Diagnostics Services — many mobile mechanics offer diagnostic services using advanced tools to identify issues with your vehicle — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a mobile mechanic 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 →
A good answer: No register covers mobile mechanic work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — scheduled Maintenance — scheduled maintenance is crucial for vehicle longevity, and mobile mechanics can handle tasks like fluid changes, filter replacements, and tyre rotations at your convenience.
A good answer: The specification is agreed before any work begins. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The condition decides whether this is a touch-up or a rebuild. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The better known the provider, the less they need to discount. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Diagnostics Services — many mobile mechanics offer diagnostic services using advanced tools to identify issues with your vehicle — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a mobile mechanic job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability and motor trade cover for vehicles in their custody — general Repairs — mobile mechanics can perform a wide range of general repairs, such as brake replacements, oil changes, and battery installations.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the mobile mechanic starts, and an itemised invoice after — exhaust Repairs — involves inspecting the exhaust system for leaks or damage and making necessary repairs to reduce emissions.
Getting the quote right
- Type of service — the specification is agreed before any work begins.
- Complexity of the repair — the condition decides whether this is a touch-up or a rebuild.
- Mechanic's experience — the better known the provider, the less they need to discount.
- Vehicle's condition — an unexpected repair turns a short visit into a long one.
- 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 service — the specification is agreed before any work begins
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the repair — the condition decides whether this is a touch-up or a rebuild
- They will not talk about it: mechanic's experience — the better known the provider, the less they need to discount
- A price for the mobile mechanic 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 mobile mechanic has begun
What a mobile mechanic costs: €50–€100 per hour
Most mobile mechanics quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Oil change and Brake repairs each carry their own band. Mobile Mechanic 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
Mobile mechanics 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, or book by the hour.
- Look firstType of service — the specification is agreed before any work begins — that is what the mobile mechanic is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the repair — the condition decides whether this is a touch-up or a rebuild — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfMechanic's experience — the better known the provider, the less they need to discount — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherVehicle's condition — an unexpected repair turns a short visit into a long one — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the mobile mechanic is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, need for specialised parts — the more decisions involved, the longer the job runs.
- General Repairs
- Mobile mechanics can perform a wide range of general repairs, such as brake replacements, oil changes, and battery installations.
- Diagnostics Services
- Many mobile mechanics offer diagnostic services using advanced tools to identify issues with your vehicle.
- Scheduled Maintenance
- Scheduled maintenance is crucial for vehicle longevity, and mobile mechanics can handle tasks like fluid changes, filter replacements, and tyre rotations at your convenience.
- Battery Replacement
- Entails testing the battery, disconnecting the old unit, and installing a new battery to restore electrical power.
- Engine Diagnostics
- Uses diagnostic tools to identify engine problems and recommend necessary repairs based on error codes.
- Exhaust Repairs
- Involves inspecting the exhaust system for leaks or damage and making necessary repairs to reduce emissions.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a mobile mechanic: questions people ask
The cost of a mobile mechanic can vary based on the type of service, the complexity of the repair, and the mechanic's experience. Additional factors include the location of the service and any necessary parts that may need to be sourced.
The duration of mobile mechanic services can range from 30 minutes for simple tasks like battery replacements to several hours for more complex jobs such as engine repairs. It’s best to discuss the expected time frame with the mechanic when booking.
Many mobile mechanics offer emergency or same-day services, depending on their availability and the nature of the repair needed. It’s recommended to contact them directly to confirm if they can accommodate your request.
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.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
Two or three, each for the same written scope. Quotes for different scopes are not comparable, which is how the cheapest one wins and then grows.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in vehicles & transport
Mobile mechanics near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Courts Service — small claims
- Revenue — MOTOR VEHICLES - REPAIRS (Certain repair and related services) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only