SIX OF the ten cheapest areas of the UK for car mechanics are in Scotland, with West Lothian the least expensive among car dealerships, according to a new survey.
However, the research also showed garage labour rates have increased to a record average of nearly £83 an hour - up 10 per cent in two years.
Roxburghshire was the second least expensive area after Powys, averaging £60.70 an hour, with Dunbartonshire, West Lothian, Inverness-shire, Banffshire and Renfrewshire also in the cheapest ten.
West Lothian was also the cheapest area for franchised dealerships, averaging £59.30 an hour.
The figures were compiled by insurer Warranty Direct from 50,000 of its policy holders and covered 4,250 workshops.
Spokesman Duncan McClure Fisher said: “Price hikes continue apace in 2012 and we are now at the point that a simple breakdown could cost an eye-watering sum to put right.
“Some older cars could even be written off by a relatively straightforward mechanical hiccup.”