PRICE GUIDE · VEHICLES & TRANSPORT · 2026–2027
Vehicle Recovery & Breakdown cost in the UK
£40–£300 per callout. Typically £137.
Without breakdown cover, a recovery call-out costs £40–£300 in the UK, with about £137 the booking average. A local tow to a nearby garage in working hours is cheapest; a long-distance tow at night, at a weekend or off a motorway costs the most.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does a vehicle recovery & breakdown cost in the UK?
| Low end | £40 | a local tow in working hours |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £137 | what most people pay |
| High end | £300 | a long-distance tow at night or off a motorway |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the garages, mobile mechanics and valeters near you.
What moves the price
- Distance towed — most recovery firms add a per-mile charge on top of the call-out fee
- Time of day — evening, weekend and bank holiday recovery call-outs cost more
- Motorway or local road — motorway recoveries need specialist trucks and cost more
- Vehicle size — vans, 4x4s and caravans need heavier recovery equipment
- Roadside fix or tow — a quick roadside repair costs less than a tow to a garage
- Storage — a car held overnight at a recovery yard can attract daily storage charges
Vehicle maintenance prices in the UK are up 38% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Maintenance and repairs, to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical vehicle recovery & breakdown would have cost about £85 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7ED →
WHAT YOU GET
What a vehicle recovery & breakdown booking includes
Takes: Response times range from under an hour locally to several hours at busy times. Not included: The repair itself, storage at the recovery yard and annual breakdown cover are priced separately — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common vehicle recovery and breakdown jobs
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Vehicle Recovery & Breakdown near you, with prices shown
The garages, mobile mechanics and valeters that cover your area, nearest first, each with their price and one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
How to pay less
- Compare the cost of a year's breakdown cover with a single recovery call-out
- Ask for the recovery to go to the nearest suitable garage to keep the mileage down
- Check your car insurance, as some policies include basic recovery after an accident
Before you book
- On a motorway, get out on the side away from traffic and wait behind the barrier if it is safe
- Ask the recovery firm for the total price, including call-out and mileage, before they set off
- Have your exact location, registration and the destination garage ready
- Check whether the recovery truck can carry all your passengers
Vehicle Recovery & Breakdown cost: questions people ask
£40–£300 without breakdown cover, with about £137 the booking average. A local tow in working hours costs the least; a long-distance tow at night or off a motorway costs the most.
Often within an hour locally, but it can take several hours on busy roads, in rural areas or during bad weather.
Pull onto the hard shoulder or into an emergency area if you can, switch on hazard lights, leave by the left-hand doors and wait behind the barrier. Call for help from a safe place.
Often, yes. A year's cover can cost less than one long tow, so it is worth comparing if your car is older.
The repair, storage at the recovery yard and any parts are separate costs.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, worked out from published UK recovery cost guides and booking averages. They are a national range rather than a quote.
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