A real mechanic with the tools and diagnostic data to find what's wrong with your car

Find the fault
before you spend a penny.

Send us your car's faults and symptoms. A real UK mechanic writes you a hand-built repair guide for your car's fault: the likely cause, how urgent it is, and step-by-step checks to troubleshoot it before you buy parts or book a garage.

From £20 · Usually answered within 1 to 2 hours · Free follow-up within 7 days

If we can't help, you don't pay.

Book now, from £20

How it works

Four steps to your answer.

1

Book and tell us about your car

Pay securely, then fill in a short form about your car and what it's doing. Fault codes and photos help, but they're optional. Takes about two minutes.

EXAMPLE YOUR CAR DETAILS

Make, model and year
2014 Ford Focus 1.6 petrol
Mileage
78,000
What's the car doing?
Rough idle when it's cold. Engine light came on after a motorway run.
Fault codes (optional)
P0301, P0171
Photos or videos (optional)
dash-light.jpgidle.mp4
Send to The Chief Mechanic
2

The Chief Mechanic works on it

He reads your codes against your symptoms, mileage and history, the way he would at the bench. Never AI, never a code lookup.

ON THE BENCH FOCUS 1.6

  • P0301: misfire on cylinder 1
  • P0171: running lean, bank 1
  • Worse cold, after a long run. Plug or coil first, then air leaks.

Your guide is being written

3

Your hand-built repair guide arrives

By email: the most likely cause, how urgent it is, and the checks to make, in order.

IN YOUR INBOX 2 TO 4 HOURS

From First DiagnosticYour Detailed Diagnostic, 2014 Ford Focus 1.6

AMBER Needs attention soon

Most likely: a worn spark plug or failing coil on cylinder 1.

Check first: swap plugs 1 and 2, clear the codes and drive. If the misfire moves, it's the plug.

See a full example →
4

Stuck? Ask us, free

Tried the checks and something's not adding up? Reply within 7 days and he'll help with the next step, at no extra cost.

FOLLOW-UP FREE FOR 7 DAYS

YouSwapped the plugs and the misfire moved to cylinder 2. What now?
The Chief MechanicThat confirms it's the plug. Fit a new one, clear the codes and the lean code should go with it.

Who we are

Who reads your car's faults.

Not an app. Not a call centre. Our Chief Mechanic: a real UK mechanic, hands-on since 17, qualified and college-trained, and now running his own workshop. Experience across all makes and models, with specialist experience on Volkswagen and BMW platforms, from mechanical and electrical fault-finding to engine rebuilds. He also builds and wires drift cars for motorsport.

More about the mechanic →
The mechanic who reads your codes

No garage visit

Everything happens online or over a call. Your car stays on the drive.

A real mechanic, not an app

Fault codes point at a system, not a part. A real UK mechanic reasons through what's actually likely for your car, not an automated code-to-text tool.

Know before you spend

Get a fault-finding plan before you pay a shop to start swapping parts.

Book now

Pick your service. Get your answer.

All three start the same way: at checkout you tell us your car and what it's doing, plus any fault codes if you have them. Every request is read and answered personally by a real UK mechanic, never generated automatically, and every service comes with a free follow-up within 7 days.

Choose a service

WHAT IT IS

Quick Diagnosis

A professional starting point. Tell us your car's faults and symptoms, and a real mechanic writes back the most likely causes, a fault urgency rating and the first checks to make before you buy any parts.

WHAT YOU TELL US AT CHECKOUT

Three quick things

  • Your vehicle, e.g. 2014 Ford Focus 1.6 Ti-VCT petrol
  • The symptoms and when they happen (cold start, under load, at speed…)
  • Any fault codes if you have them, e.g. P0301, P0171. No code? Symptoms are enough for many faults.

WHAT YOU GET BACK

A plain-English answer

Most likely: a misfire on cylinder 1 (P0301) with a slightly lean mixture (P0171).

First checks: swap the cylinder 1 spark plug with cylinder 2, clear the codes and drive. If the misfire moves to cylinder 2 (P0302), replace the plug.

An example for a petrol Ford Focus. Yours is written for your car.

PRICE£20.00 per request
REPLY TIMEUsually 1 to 2 hours
YOU GETMost likely cause, urgency rating and first checks, by email
AFTERWARDSFree follow-up within 7 days. Upgrade to Detailed for the difference

WHAT IT IS · RECOMMENDED

Detailed Diagnosis

A full fault-finding plan, not just a guess. We build an in-depth diagnosis and a step-by-step plan, with diagrams for mechanical and wiring checks.

WHAT YOU TELL US AT CHECKOUT

The full picture

  • The symptoms, plus any fault codes
  • Your vehicle and engine, e.g. 2014 Ford Focus 1.6 Ti-VCT petrol
  • Any history, or parts you've already changed or checked

WHAT YOU GET BACK

A step-by-step plan

How your codes relate, then an ordered plan: the ignition side first (spark plug swap, then the coil), compression if it stays, and fuel trims plus a vacuum-leak check for the lean code.

The most likely outcome and the exact parts to have ready, so you change one thing at a time.

PRICE£40.00 per request
REPLY TIMEUsually 2 to 4 hours
YOU GETA full step-by-step plan with diagrams, by email
AFTERWARDSFree follow-up within 7 days

WHAT IT IS

Voice Call

Talk it through with someone, live. A direct one-on-one 30-minute call with a professional mechanic.

WHAT YOU TELL US AT CHECKOUT

Before the call

  • A preferred time (we confirm the exact slot by email)
  • Your contact number
  • The symptoms, any fault codes, and what you'd like to cover

ON THE CALL

A real-time walk-through

We go through your symptoms, codes and what you've already tried, and talk you through what to check and in what order.

Best when you'd rather ask questions back and forth than read a written report.

PRICE£50.00 for 30 minutes
WHENBooked within 1 to 3 days, Mon to Sat, 11am to 8pm
YOU GETA live call, then a short written summary
AFTERWARDSFree follow-up within 7 days

WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY

★★★★★

Really good service and well worth it. I had a warning light on and didn't want to start replacing parts without knowing what to look for. The diagnostic guidance helped me understand the issue and work out my next steps. Wish I'd known about this sooner!

Verified customer

★★★★★

I was going round in circles trying to figure out a fault on my car. First Diagnostic helped me make sense of it and gave me a good starting point for checking things properly. Much easier than spending another evening going down internet rabbit holes. Definitely recommend.

Verified customer

★★★★★

Great experience from start to finish. I wasn't sure what my fault code actually meant, but they explained it in a way that made sense. The guidance was detailed and gave me something practical to work with rather than just a list of possible problems. Really pleased with it.

Verified customer

★★★★★

Had a fault come up on my car and spent ages looking online trying to work out what was wrong. The advice I got was really helpful and gave me a much better idea of where to start. Would have saved myself a lot of time if I'd found these guys sooner!

Verified customer

★★★★★

Really helpful service. I'd changed the EGR valve on my Evoque but the warning light kept coming back. The diagnostic advice was great and helped me understand what could be causing it and what to check next. Saved me a lot of head scratching and endless searching on Google! Would definitely recommend.

Verified customer

COMMON QUESTIONS

Can you really diagnose my car without seeing it?

Yes. By using your fault codes and symptoms, we can help narrow down the possible causes and guide you through what to check next. Some faults will still need hands-on testing to confirm.

What if your diagnosis is wrong?

We give you the most likely causes and a practical testing plan based on the information you provide. We won't pretend to guarantee a fix without inspecting the car.

Why shouldn't I just Google the fault code?

Google gives you general information, often with dozens of possible causes. We help you make sense of your specific fault and work out where to start.

Will you just tell me to replace a part?

No. We focus on helping you identify the cause before spending money on parts. Our guidance includes checks you can carry out to narrow down the problem.

Is it worth paying when I can use a free diagnostic app?

A scanner tells you what fault code has been stored, but not necessarily what's causing it. We provide professional diagnostic guidance to help you understand the fault and decide what to check next.

Book now See full details

Book now takes you straight to secure checkout, where you'll enter your car details and fault symptoms. Free follow-up within 7 days. Want to start smaller? Book Quick and upgrade to Detailed for the difference within 7 days.

USING US MORE THAN ONCE?

Save with a membership

Skip the queue

Member requests are answered ahead of everyone else, so you hear back faster the moment your dashboard lights up.

Lower rates, automatically

Member pricing on every diagnosis, Quick £15, Detailed £35, Voice £40, applied automatically when you're signed in.

Pay less the longer you stay

Membership from just £9.99/month, with a free diagnosis included when you join on a longer plan.

See membership plans

If we can't help, you don't pay. Every request is read personally by the mechanic above, never an automated report.

Membership

Keep a mechanic on hand.

Priority replies and lower prices on every diagnosis. Pick the length that suits you. The longer you commit, the less you pay, and the more you get.

Choose a plan

WHAT IT IS

Monthly

A rolling membership, billed every month. No commitment, cancel any time by emailing us.

£14.99 / month

WHAT YOU GET

Included

  • Priority replies, ahead of the queue
  • Member rates on every diagnosis (Quick £15, Detailed £35, Voice £40)

BEST FOR

Total flexibility

No lock-in. Ideal if you want a mechanic on hand but would rather pay month to month and stop whenever you like.

WHAT IT IS

6 Months

Six months up front in a single payment, around £12.99/month. One payment, no auto-renewal. Save £12 versus monthly.

£77.94 paid once

WHAT YOU GET

Included

  • Everything in Monthly
  • 1 free Quick Diagnosis when you join
  • Member rates on every diagnosis (Quick £15, Detailed £35, Voice £40)

WHY THIS ONE

A solid middle ground

A lower monthly rate than rolling, plus a free diagnosis to start, without committing to a full year.

WHAT IT IS · BEST VALUE

12 Months

A full year up front in a single payment, around £9.99/month. One payment, no auto-renewal. Our best value, save £60 versus monthly.

£119.88 paid once

WHAT YOU GET

Included

  • Everything in Monthly
  • 1 free Quick Diagnosis + 1 free Detailed Diagnosis
  • Member rates on every diagnosis (Quick £15, Detailed £35, Voice £40)

WHY THIS ONE

The lowest rate we offer

Paid once with no auto-renewal. Best if you'd rather not think about it for a year and want the most value for your money.

WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY

★★★★★

Really good service and well worth it. I had a warning light on and didn't want to start replacing parts without knowing what to look for. The diagnostic guidance helped me understand the issue and work out my next steps. Wish I'd known about this sooner!

Verified customer

★★★★★

I was going round in circles trying to figure out a fault on my car. First Diagnostic helped me make sense of it and gave me a good starting point for checking things properly. Much easier than spending another evening going down internet rabbit holes. Definitely recommend.

Verified customer

★★★★★

Great experience from start to finish. I wasn't sure what my fault code actually meant, but they explained it in a way that made sense. The guidance was detailed and gave me something practical to work with rather than just a list of possible problems. Really pleased with it.

Verified customer

★★★★★

Had a fault come up on my car and spent ages looking online trying to work out what was wrong. The advice I got was really helpful and gave me a much better idea of where to start. Would have saved myself a lot of time if I'd found these guys sooner!

Verified customer

★★★★★

Really helpful service. I'd changed the EGR valve on my Evoque but the warning light kept coming back. The diagnostic advice was great and helped me understand what could be causing it and what to check next. Saved me a lot of head scratching and endless searching on Google! Would definitely recommend.

Verified customer

Coming soon: the Startup Kit.

Everything in one box

A plug-in Bluetooth OBD-II scanner, plus 6 months of membership and a free Quick Diagnosis. We're finalising the scanner now, so it isn't on sale yet.

One payment

Price and delivery details will be confirmed before it goes on sale.

Read your own codes

Plug it into your car, read the codes to your phone, then send them to us for a real mechanic's read.

Subscribe

MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS

How does billing work?

Monthly rolls and you can cancel any time. The 6 and 12-month plans are a single upfront payment with no auto-renewal.

What are member rates?

Lower prices on every diagnosis, Quick £15, Detailed £35, Voice £40, applied automatically when you're signed in.

What does priority mean?

Member requests are read and answered ahead of the queue, so you hear back faster when the dash lights up.

Can I cancel?

Monthly: cancel any time by emailing us. The longer plans are paid once, so there's nothing to cancel, they simply run their term.

What are the free diagnoses?

6 Months includes a free Quick Diagnosis; 12 Months includes a free Quick and a free Detailed. We set these up once you join.

FAQ

Before you book.

Can you really diagnose a car remotely?+
Yes, for many faults. A garage starts from information too: what the car is doing, when it happens, and what the warning lights or fault codes say. At checkout you tell us your car and its symptoms, plus any fault codes, photos or videos, and a real mechanic works out the most likely cause and the checks to make, in order. Some faults still need hands-on testing to confirm, and we'll say so plainly. If we can't help, you don't pay.
A fault code points at one part. Do you just tell me to replace it?+
Never. A code flags the circuit or system, not always the exact culprit. A cam-sensor code is often a broken wire rather than the sensor; a MAF code can be an air leak or a sticking EGR valve; a rear ABS fault is often a corroded wire or a worn wheel bearing, not the sensor. We tell you what to check before you spend, the exact tests in the right order, so you or your mechanic confirm the real fault instead of throwing money at a part the code merely points at.
What do I actually get, and what does it cost?+
A hand-built repair guide for your car's fault: the most likely causes in plain English, a fault urgency rating, and the checks to run in the right order, so whoever is at the car walks up with a plan instead of a guess. Every service includes a free follow-up within 7 days. All online, from £20, and if we can't help, you don't pay.
I don't have an OBD-II scanner, can I still use this?+
Yes. Fault codes help, but you don't need them. Tell us what the car is doing and when, and add photos or videos of the warning lights or the fault. That works well for starting problems, unusual noises, loss of power, rough running, leaks and some electrical faults. Where a fault really needs a code reader or hands-on tests, we'll tell you which tests to do next. Many parts stores and garages will read the codes for you if you'd like them.
Am I getting an automated report, or a real person?+
A real one. Every request is read and answered personally by a real UK mechanic. We don't run your codes through an automated generator. The reply reflects actual reasoning about your codes, your symptoms, and your specific car.
Does this replace an in-person diagnosis?+
Not always. Some faults need a hand on the car (a scope, a multimeter, physical inspection). What you get is a clear starting point: the likely cause, what to check first, and whether it's a DIY-reasonable job or one for a garage.
What should I include for the best answer?+
Your car's year, make, model and engine, what it's doing and when (cold start, under load, at speed...), any fault codes exactly as shown, and anything you've already replaced or checked. You enter all of this at checkout.
How do I pay, and when do I get contact details?+
Prices are listed with each service level above, £20 for Quick Diagnosis, £40 for Detailed Diagnosis, £50 for a 30-minute Voice Call. Payment goes through our Shopify checkout; direct contact details are shared once you go ahead with a service.
What if my code isn't listed in your examples?+
The examples on this page are just illustrations of the format. Send whatever code your scanner actually shows, P-, B-, C-, or U- prefixed, and we'll work from that.
How does call booking work?+
We take one 30-minute Voice Call per hour, Monday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm, deliberately covering after-work hours like 5 to 6pm, when most DIY jobs actually happen. Choose a preferred time at checkout and we'll confirm the exact slot by email, usually within 1 to 3 days. After the call you get a short written summary of the findings and next steps. The rest of each hour goes straight into Quick Diagnosis and Detailed Diagnosis replies, which is also why those don't need a booked slot at all.