Fixter

Fixter: online booking for MOT, servicing and repairs with door-to-door collection

Fixter is a UK-based online service that lets drivers arrange an MOT, a service, a repair or a diagnostic check through a network of local garages. The company describes itself as an intermediary: it negotiates rates with garages, selects and vets them, and coordinates the collection and return of the vehicle. The platform is aimed at car owners who want to avoid driving to a workshop and waiting on site.

How the service works

According to the site, the process has four steps. The customer books online, choosing a service and a time slot. A fully insured driver then collects the car from the customer's address. The selected garage carries out the work while Fixter keeps the customer informed, and the car is returned once the job is finished. The company states that its drivers are vetted and trained, must be over 21, hold a clean licence with at least three years' experience, be able to drive manual and automatic vehicles and pass a criminal background check. It also notes that in some cases a garage may send its own driver to collect the vehicle.

Services and indicative prices

The most popular services listed are MOT, servicing, repairs and diagnostics. The site shows starting prices: MOT from £49, servicing from £129, an oil change from £89 and a diagnostic from £59. It also advertises a 20% discount on MOT, service and diagnostics until 20 October. These figures are the ones published on the site at the time of writing this profile and may vary by vehicle or location.

Beyond routine maintenance, the platform covers a long list of common repairs, including timing belt replacement, air filter replacement, air conditioning regas, brake light bulb replacement, brake pad replacement, fog lamp rear bulb replacement, fuel pump replacement, indicator bulb replacement, oil pump replacement and rear shock absorber replacement. It also lists diagnostic work for symptoms such as grinding gears, a car that won't start, a heater not working, poor fuel economy, loss of power, frequent stalling, a burning rubber smell, a spongy brake pedal, a radio not working, clicking and popping noises, pulling to one side, a sticking ignition key, dim headlights, fluid and oil leaks, air conditioning not working, engine overheating, shaking when braking, a loud exhaust, misfiring, unstable idling, a rough ride, a slipping clutch, clunking and knocking noises, a ticking noise from the engine, a grinding noise when braking and an engine warning light.

Garage network and coverage

Fixter says it personally selects and vets the local garages in its network and that work is covered by a 12-month warranty on parts and labour. The site lists service coverage in Birmingham, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Sheffield and Southampton. It also names a separate set of popular locations for finding a garage: Birmingham, Brighton, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Portsmouth and Swansea. The company states that it covers all makes and models, and lists Audi, BMW, Ford, Fiat, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Mazda, MINI, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Skoda, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Volvo among the brands it handles.

Pricing approach and customer feedback

Fixter presents its model as a way to obtain fair prices: it says its in-house experts review quotes so that they are relevant and fairly priced, and that its negotiated rates are on average 30% cheaper than main dealerships. The site includes customer comments that mention convenience, communication during the work and savings compared with dealership quotes. These are individual testimonials and not a general performance measure.

Fleets and additional resources

The platform has a dedicated section for fleets, Fixter Fleets, aimed at business customers. It also publishes a blog with maintenance guides and explanations of warning lights and service intervals, such as the difference between an interim, full and major service, brake system and glow plug warning lights, central locking problems and when to change brake pads.