What Spannerworks does

Spannerworks is an independent MOT testing and vehicle-servicing garage operating under the First Stop Spanner Works brand from a single location at 29 Ferry Hinksey Rd in central Oxford, United Kingdom. The company was established via a 2021 rebranding from HiQ Oxford and re-aligned to the First Stop national network in November 2023, retaining the same owner-operator (Robert) and service team. It is privately held with no external investors, parent company, or public shareholders evidenced. Headcount stands at 14 employees.

The service portfolio is anchored on Class 4 MOT testing for cars (from £50) and motorcycles (from £29.95), complemented by a three-tier car-servicing menu (Oil and Filter, Silver interim, Gold comprehensive) starting at £70, plus broader repair work covering brakes, clutches, suspension, steering, diagnostics, exhausts, wheel alignment, battery checks, and alloy-wheel refurbishment. Adjacent offerings include air-conditioning regassing/repair, tyre sales and fitting via the First Stop UK channel, car rentals, window tinting, and electric-motorbike sales/service through a Xero Motorbikes partnership. All transactions are one-time, pay-on-completion engagements with no subscription or recurring contract mechanics; payment is not taken until the MOT test is completed, and a free retest is offered on initial failure.

The technology stack is non-proprietary: an industry-standard real-time online MOT booking diary (provided by Motasoft per the website credit) supports 24/7 self-serve booking, supplemented by phone bookings and walk-ins. Digital marketing is limited to local SEO targeted at ~11 named Oxford neighbourhoods, a blog, and a Facebook page. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer with no third-party distribution, fleet, or B2B channel. Customer base consists entirely of individual vehicle owners in Oxford and surrounding Oxfordshire; the publicly visible reputation signal is a 5.0-star Google rating across 41 reviews.

Name

Spannerworks

Legal name

Spannerworks

Website

https://spannerworks.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spannerworks is an independent, single-site MOT testing and car-servicing garage in central Oxford, UK, serving individual car and motorcycle owners across Oxfordshire with MOTs, tiered servicing, repairs, tyres, and rentals under the First Stop Spanner Works brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Repair and MOT Testing Services

NAICS

Automotive Mechanical and Electrical Repair and Maintenance (81111)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600)

akta.pro primary industry

Brakes, Steering & Suspension Services (TLAKAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vehicle Diagnostics & Fault Code Scanning Services (TLAKANAA), Tire & Wheel Services (Mount/Balance/Alignment) (TLAKAAAD)

Keywords

• MOT testing services
• Car servicing
• Vehicle repairs
• Air conditioning regassing
• Tyre fitting

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. MOT Testing Services: Annual vehicle safety and emissions testing services for cars (class 4) and motorcycles. Revenue generated per test with payment collected upon completion of test.
2. Vehicle Servicing: Three-tier car servicing: Oil and Filter service, Silver Service (interim fixed price), and Gold Service (comprehensive). Includes engine oil, filters, and thorough vehicle inspections.
3. Car Repairs: General repair services including brakes, clutches, suspension, steering, diagnostics, battery checks, wheel alignment, exhausts, and other wear-and-tear items.
4. Air Conditioning Services: Air conditioning regassing, servicing, and repair for vehicle climate control systems.
5. Car Rentals: Vehicle rental services available for customers needing temporary replacement vehicles.
6. Tyre Sales: Tyre sales and fitting services, facilitated through First Stop UK partnership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Spannerworks is an independent local garage and DVSA-approved MOT testing station in Oxford, providing MOT tests for cars and motorcycles, three tiers of car servicing (Oil and Filter, Silver, Gold), and general vehicle repairs including brakes, clutches, suspension, exhausts, diagnostics, and air conditioning services. Additional offerings include tyres via the First Stop network, car rentals, window tinting, wheel alignment, alloy wheel refurbishment, and electric motorbikes. Customers can book services through a 24/7 real-time online booking system, by phone, or by walk-in at the Ferry Hinksey Road location.

Product overview

Spannerworks is an independent garage and MOT testing station in Oxford offering a unified portfolio of vehicle maintenance services. The core offerings include MOT testing (class 4 for cars and motorcycles), three tiers of car servicing (Oil and Filter, Silver Service, Gold Service), and comprehensive car repairs. Additional services include air conditioning, tyres (via First Stop network), car rentals, window tinting, wheel alignment, alloy wheel refurbishment, diagnostics, and electric motorbike sales. The company rebranded from HiQ Oxford to First Stop Spanner Works in November 2023 while maintaining the same team and service quality. Services can be booked online through a real-time booking system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MOT Testing Annual DVSA-approved vehicle safety and roadworthiness test for cars (Class 4) and motorcycles, required for vehicles over 3 years old, covering steering, brakes, tyres, lighting, exhaust, emissions, and body structure. Car MOTs start from £50 and motorcycle MOTs from £29.95.
• Car Servicing Three-tier fixed-price vehicle servicing package for cars and vans: Oil and Filter service (from £70, every 12 months), Silver Service (interim, including screen wash, shock absorbers, and exterior lights check), and Gold Service (comprehensive service including engine oil, oil filter, engine air filter, spark plugs, fluid top-up, and grease fitting lubrication). Servicing honors block exemption regulations to preserve manufacturer warranties.
• Air Conditioning Service Vehicle air conditioning regassing, servicing, and repair including leak detection and system checks, recommended every 18 months to 2 years.
• Car Repairs General vehicle repair services including brake checks and pad/disc replacement, clutch replacement, shock absorbers, suspension, steering, exhaust repair and replacement, battery checks and replacement, airbag and warning light diagnostics, and vehicle health checks.
• Tyres Tyre sales, fitting, and replacement services, including RunOnFlat tyres, facilitated through the First Stop UK national network.
• Car Rentals Vehicle rental service offered at the Oxford garage location for customers needing temporary replacement vehicles while their own car is being serviced or repaired.
• Alloy Wheel Refurbishment Alloy wheel repair and refurbishment services for vehicle owners.
• Window Tinting Window tinting service for vehicles offered at the Oxford garage.
• Electric Motorbikes Electric motorbike sales and service offered through the Xero Motorbikes partnership.
• MOT and Service Special Offers Combined MOT and service packages offering discounted rates compared to booking each service individually, available through the online booking system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.0 star rating based on 41 Google reviews

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• First Stop UKcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpannerworks operates under the First Stop branding, a UK network of automotive service centers. Tyre sales and fitting are facilitated through the First Stop UK network (firststop.co.uk/tyre-search-results). The partnership provides access to national brand recognition while maintaining local independent operations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ATS Euromaster: Major UK tyre, MOT, and vehicle maintenance chain. Overlaps with Spannerworks on tyres, MOT, and general servicing but operates as a broad incumbent with national footprint and fleet contracts.
• Kwik Fit: UK's largest independent garage chain offering MOT, servicing, tyres, and repairs across hundreds of centres. Comparable to Spannerworks in service mix (MOT, tyres, repairs) but operates at national scale and competes for the same Oxford-area customers.
• Halfords Autocentre: National UK chain providing MOT testing, servicing, and repairs, often co-located with Halfords retail stores. Directly comparable MOT-and-repair offering to Spannerworks with significantly larger scale and brand recognition.
• Formula One Autocentres: UK chain offering MOT, servicing, and repairs across multiple sites. Comparable service offering to Spannerworks with a similar local-garage feel but expanded geographic coverage.
• Protyre: Goodyear-affiliated UK garage chain focused on tyres, MOT, and servicing. Direct overlap with Spannerworks' tyre-and-MOT offering through First Stop, but at multi-site national scale.
• Goodyear AutoCare: Goodyear's UK network of affiliated independent garages providing tyres, MOT, and servicing. Same partnership-network model that Spannerworks pursues through First Stop, making it a structurally close incumbent peer.
• Mr Tyre: UK regional chain providing tyres, MOT, and vehicle servicing. Comparable service menu to Spannerworks but with multiple sites across the Midlands and South of England.
• National Tyres: UK-wide tyre and MOT chain offering servicing and repairs. Overlaps directly with Spannerworks' tyre sales and MOT testing but at significantly larger geographic and operational scale.
• Just Tyres: UK tyre-fitting chain that has expanded into MOT and basic servicing. Comparable in local-garage feel and customer base to Spannerworks but operates across multiple sites.

Direct peers

• Bosch Car Service UK: Network of independent UK garages operating under a shared brand with standardised MOT, diagnostics, and repair services. Closest structural analogue to Spannerworks' First Stop partnership model: independent operator with national network affiliation.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/spannerworksoxford
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spannerworks

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spannerworks