About Us

Our Story

Twelve Years on Dunmow Road

HalfPriceAutoRepair opened in 2013, founded by Marcus Webb after more than a decade working as a technician at franchised dealerships in Hertfordshire.

The name came from a straightforward observation: at the time, the hourly labour rates at many franchised dealerships were significantly higher than independent garages — and the quality of the work wasn't always better. Marcus wanted to offer properly qualified, well-equipped workshop services at rates that reflected the real cost of the work rather than the overhead of a dealership model.

Over the years, the workshop has grown from a two-bay operation with a small team into a well-equipped six-bay facility. The approach hasn't changed: we explain what's wrong, agree on a course of action, and carry out the work to a standard we'd be comfortable applying to our own vehicles.

How We Work

Our Workshop Philosophy

A few things we've held to since the beginning.

Diagnosis before repair

We identify the actual problem before recommending any work. Replacing parts speculatively wastes your money and doesn't always fix the issue.

No work without agreement

We quote before we start and call you if we find something additional during the job. You decide what happens with your vehicle.

Plain explanations

We explain what we found and what it means in straightforward language. Most people want to understand the situation, not just be handed an invoice.

Proper tools for the job

We invest in current diagnostic equipment and correct workshop tooling. It makes a real difference to accuracy and efficiency.

Qualified technicians

Every member of the technical team holds relevant industry qualifications and we support ongoing training as vehicles evolve.

Realistic timescales

We give honest estimates on timing and communicate clearly if anything changes during the job. We know your time matters.

Timeline

How We've Grown

A small amount of context on how the workshop has developed over the years.

2013

Workshop opens on Dunmow Road

Marcus opens the workshop with two bays and a team of three. Initial focus on general servicing and brake work.

2015

Diagnostics equipment upgrade

Investment in professional-grade multi-brand diagnostic tooling, allowing us to work confidently on a much wider range of vehicles.

2017

Workshop expansion

Took on the adjacent unit, expanding to five bays and bringing in two additional technicians to handle growing demand.

2019

Hybrid vehicle capability

Raj joins the team, bringing specialist knowledge of hybrid systems and modern vehicle electronics. We begin accepting hybrid vehicles across all services.

2022

Sixth bay and updated alignment equipment

Completed refurbishment of the workshop and installed a new 4-wheel laser alignment system.

2025

Still here, still independent

12 years on and still owner-managed from the same address. The team is stable and our customer base is largely built on returning customers and local recommendations.