The Fair Price tool estimates what a car repair usually costs in your area. It is an estimate, not a quote. Your exact car, your shop, and the condition of the part can all change the real price.
The tool is built on public government data. Regional price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Income data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau. Repair cost trends come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index. The tool refreshes its data monthly, and every result shows the month its prices were last updated.
We also collect labor rates ourselves. We call repair shops in major cities and ask one question: the posted hourly labor rate. We call independent shops, national chains, and dealership service departments. We record the city, the type of shop, the rate, and the date of the call. We do not record shop names, and we never publish them.
Parts prices come from published retail listings. Labor times come from standard industry time guides. Ranges are kept wide on purpose. A narrow number would look more precise than the data can honestly support.
The tool stores nothing you type. No zip code, no price, no labor rate. Each check is answered and forgotten.
If a quote worries you, the best next step is the same one it has always been: ask for a written estimate, and get a second one from another shop.