Gearbox · 2026
Gearbox replacement cost.
Replacing a gearbox costs £800–£2,440 fitted at a UK independent garage in 2026, with automatics and dual-clutch boxes at the top of that range. Before committing, get the fault properly diagnosed: worn synchros, a failing clutch, a stretched gear linkage or low fluid can all feel like a dying gearbox and cost several hundred pounds rather than several thousand.
Gearbox is the diagnosis people fear and the one most often reached too early. The strip-down is expensive enough that it is worth paying for a proper diagnosis first.
What it costs, by route
| Route | Typical cost | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
Used unit from a breaker | £800–£1,150 Older car, tight budget | A tested second-hand box. Much the cheapest route, but warranties are short — typically 30 to 90 days. Weigh it against what the car is worth. |
Reconditioned manual | £1,000–£1,700 Car worth keeping, manual transmission | A rebuilt box with new bearings and synchros, warrantied for a year or more. The usual sensible choice on a car with life left in it. |
Reconditioned automatic / DSG | £1,500–£2,440 Automatic or dual-clutch transmission | More complex internals, more expensive to rebuild, and often needing adaptation resets afterwards. Specialists are usually cheaper than dealers here. |
Clutch replaced at the same time | add £120–£300 Manual box out for any reason | The gearbox has to come out for a clutch anyway. If the clutch has age on it, doing both now avoids paying the strip-down twice. |
Independent-garage prices for 2026, including VAT. Main dealers typically charge 30–50% more, and London and the South East sit at the top of each range.
Before you authorise a gearbox
- Get the fault diagnosed before agreeing to a replacement. A dragging clutch, a worn gear linkage, a failed dual-mass flywheel or simply low oil can all produce crunching, jumping out of gear or a refusal to select — and none of them needs a new gearbox.
- On an automatic, ask whether a fluid and filter service has been tried. Some hesitation and harsh-shift faults come from degraded fluid, and a service is a fraction of a rebuild.
- If the box is coming out, price the clutch at the same time. Doing them separately means paying the same four to eight hours of labour twice.
What will it cost near you?
£800–£2,440 is the UK average. See what your local garages charge.
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Good question
Questions Okay gets asked a lot
How much does a gearbox cost to replace in the UK?
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Expect £800–£2,440 fitted at a UK independent garage in 2026. A tested used box from a breaker is the cheapest route at £800–£1,150 but carries only a short warranty. A reconditioned manual gearbox is £1,000–£1,700, and a reconditioned automatic or DSG £1,500–£2,440 because the internals are more complex to rebuild. If the clutch is also due, having it done while the box is out adds only £120–£300.
Is it worth replacing a gearbox or scrapping the car?
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Compare the quote against the car's value and its condition otherwise. A £1,500 reconditioned box on a £6,000 car with a good service history and fresh MOT is usually worth it. The same bill on a £1,800 car with corrosion and advisories generally is not. Ask the garage what else they found while diagnosing — a car needing a gearbox and a clutch and suspension work is telling you something. A used box is the middle path if you want to keep the car cheaply.
What are the signs of a failing gearbox?
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On a manual: crunching when changing gear, jumping out of gear on the overrun, a whine that changes with road speed rather than engine speed, and difficulty selecting a particular gear. On an automatic: harsh or delayed shifts, slipping where the revs rise but the car does not accelerate, and shuddering at low speed. Many of these have cheaper causes — clutch, linkage, flywheel or fluid — so a proper diagnosis is the first thing to pay for.
Get a real price, not an estimate
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