ClickMechanic CEO Andrew Jervis says the partnership comes amid record demand from motorists seeking to pay in instalments – with the company’s research revealing 15% of drivers admit to using unsafe cars because they can’t afford repairs.
London, October 2025 – ClickMechanic, the UK’s most used online car repair marketplace – which connects hundreds of thousands of British drivers to independent garages – has introduced Klarna’s ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ payment option.
The partnership comes against a challenging backdrop. ClickMechanic’s latest Garage Trends Pulse Survey of more than 200 independent garages reveals that parts and equipment costs have risen by an average of 18% in 2025, while prices charged to customers are up only 7%. This 11-point margin gap shows garages are absorbing most of the inflation themselves rather than passing it on.
Despite this, customer affordability pressures are mounting – 60% of garages say more motorists are struggling to pay for repairs compared to previous years with 68% reporting rising requests for instalment or Buy Now, Pay Later plans.
Affordability crisis threatens road safety
The introduction of Klarna comes as the cost of car maintenance continues to climb. According to the ONS Retail Price Index for “Maintenance of motor vehicles”, costs have surged by 30.8% between 2020 and 2024 – one of the steepest rises in recent memory.
ClickMechanic’s own consumer research, polling 2000 British car owners, shows the human cost of this trend:
15% of drivers admitted to driving cars they considered unsafe, with a third (33%) of these doing so because they couldn’t afford the repairs.
24% said they have delayed or skipped essential maintenance in the past two years due to rising living costs.
22% have attempted to service or repair their own vehicles, often without proper tools or training.
These findings point to a growing affordability gap – where financial strain isn’t just keeping cars off the road, but potentially putting lives at risk.
Data-driven innovation
The Klarna rollout follows a full replatforming of ClickMechanic’s payment system, enabling customers to spread the cost of repairs safely and securely. Pilot testing in the West Midlands saw a 20% uplift in conversion rates, while average order values increased by 5% nationwide since launch.
“Independent garages are under increasing pressure from both sides – parts and equipment costs are rising faster than ever, while customers’ ability to pay hasn’t kept up.
“Our latest Garage Trends Pulse Survey shows that many workshops are effectively subsidising repairs just to keep customers loyal, but that approach isn’t sustainable in the long run.
“Klarna helps bridge that gap. It gives motorists the breathing room to spread payments without delaying essential repairs, while ensuring garages are paid instantly and in full. For small and independent workshops, this is more than a customer feature – it’s a business tool that strengthens cashflow, supports customer trust, and helps them compete with national chains at a time when margins are tightening across the board.” – said Andrew Jervis, CEO of ClickMechanic.
Empowering independents
The partnership also extends to ClickMechanic’s Private Quote Tool [LINK?], enabling independent garages to offer Klarna payment options directly to their own customers – helping smaller workshops compete with larger players while protecting cash flow.
