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Best Auto Electricians in Palmerston North

We assessed 11 auto electricians in Palmerston North and ranked the top 5 on their public review record: rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The 10 listed below hold 1,025 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 3 September 2026. How we rank →

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Before you hire

Auto electrical faults can be difficult to diagnose. Ask whether they charge a diagnostic fee, what equipment they use to read fault codes, and whether they have experience with your specific make and model, particularly for EVs or vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems.

Top 5 Auto Electricians in Palmerston North

The top 5 auto electricians in Palmerston North are #1 Autokraft, #2 Mike Murphy Auto Electrical, #3 Autokraft 4x4, #4 Broadway Auto, and #5 Auto Electrical Solutions, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you book.

  • 1

    Autokraft Electrical and Diesel

    ★ 4.9 252 reviews Top5 Score 170
    5★ 232 4★ 15 3★ 3 2★ 1 1★ 1

    Autokraft turns around battery replacements, dashboard electrical faults, and aircon removal on older vehicles, often fitting customers in the same day they call. They tracked down a discontinued Smart Bar indicator part from an Australian supplier and had it installed within two weeks, which gives a fair indication of how they approach awkward jobs.

    location_on 691 Tremaine Avenue, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North

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  • 2

    Mike Murphy Auto Electrical

    ★ 4.5 359 reviews Top5 Score 163
    5★ 282 4★ 41 3★ 8 2★ 7 1★ 21

    Mike Murphy Auto Electrical gets cars back on the road fast, covering battery replacements, reversing camera and stereo installs, aftermarket gauge fitting, and towing electrics. Technicians like Ryan take time to walk customers through the work and show how new equipment operates before they leave, which makes the handover straightforward even for unfamiliar upgrades.

    location_on 97 Lombard Street, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North

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  • 3

    Autokraft 4x4

    ★ 4.8 74 reviews Top5 Score 150
    5★ 66 4★ 4 3★ 1 1★ 3

    Autokraft 4x4 fits radio equipment, security systems, and house battery configurations to 4x4s and campervans, including work with imported parts that need on-site modification to mount correctly. Staff like Shane and Gary spend time talking through setup options before the job starts, and the team has sourced batteries and arranged same-session installs when customers turned up with urgent needs.

    location_on 693 Tremaine Avenue, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North

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  • 4

    Broadway Auto

    ★ 4.5 106 reviews Top5 Score 146
    5★ 82 4★ 11 3★ 1 2★ 4 1★ 8

    Broadway Auto covers alternator replacements, trailer wiring repairs, power window faults, battery diagnostics, alarm installs, and car scanning with fault code explanations, making them useful across a wide span of auto electrical jobs in Palmerston North. Technicians like Connor take the time to walk customers through what the scan found and show live what a fix would involve, so you leave understanding what was done and why.

    location_on 944 Tremaine Avenue, Roslyn, Palmerston North

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  • 5

    Auto Electrical Solutions Ltd

    ★ 4.4 91 reviews Top5 Score 142
    5★ 69 4★ 9 3★ 2 2★ 4 1★ 7

    Auto Electrical Solutions picks up electrical faults that other shops have given up on, covering wiring problems, ignition repairs, heater diagnostics, horn faults, and trailer rewiring. Where a competitor spent three weeks on a heater fault without resolution, they identified the cause within half a day and had the part fitted inside a week.

    location_on 21 David Street, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North

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Before you book an auto electrician in Palmerston North

Drawn from 476 customer reviews collected for this page. The first answer is what it costs.

What do auto electricians typically charge in New Zealand? expand_more

Labour rates at New Zealand auto electrical workshops run between $90 and $150 plus GST per hour, with Palmerston North shops sitting toward the mid-range of that scale. A diagnostic fee is usually charged separately, falling between $80 and $150 plus GST, and some workshops will credit that fee against your repair bill if you proceed with the work. Common jobs such as alternator replacements or starter motor swaps can land between $300 and $700 all up, depending on parts and labour time. Review patterns from local shops suggest pricing that came in under initial expectations is a recurring positive, so getting two or three quotes before committing is worth the effort.

What should a proper auto electrical diagnosis include, and what does it cost? expand_more

A scan tool reading is just the starting point: it retrieves fault codes stored in your vehicle's computer, but a code alone does not pinpoint the exact cause of a fault. A thorough diagnosis also involves circuit testing, voltage drop checks, and physical inspection of wiring and components, which takes additional time beyond the initial scan. Expect to pay between $80 and $150 plus GST for the scan, and ask upfront whether that fee is credited against your repair cost if you go ahead with the work. One local reviewer praised a shop for identifying a heater fault in half a day after another workshop had the car for three weeks without resolution, which shows that diagnostic skill varies considerably between operators.

Are all auto electricians qualified to work on EVs and hybrids? expand_more

Standard auto electrical training does not cover high-voltage hybrid and EV systems, which operate above the 60V DC threshold that WorkSafe New Zealand uses to define high voltage. Technicians working on these systems should hold unit standards aligned with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) framework, with specific high-voltage training increasingly delivered through Competenz, the Industry Training Organisation for the automotive sector. Before leaving an EV or hybrid with any workshop, ask directly whether the technician has completed recognised high-voltage competency units and whether the shop holds insulated tooling rated for high-voltage work, as the qualification alone does not guarantee safe practice without proper equipment.

What are the warning signs of an auto electrician you shouldn't trust? expand_more
  • –Charging for a diagnostic or repair without telling you there would be a cost before starting the work, as happened to at least one reviewer who was billed $189 without any upfront warning.
  • –Providing only a vague invoice such as "scanned vehicle" with no detail on what was actually tested or found, which makes it impossible to verify the work was done.
  • –Refusing to provide a written quote or estimate before beginning, leaving you exposed to a bill significantly higher than any verbal figure given earlier.
  • –Poor communication from front-of-house staff that makes it difficult to get clear answers, a pattern noted at more than one local workshop.
  • –Returning a vehicle with a new problem that was not present on drop-off, or failing to diagnose a fault that a competitor then resolves quickly.
  • –Being uncontactable or failing to call back when a vehicle has been sitting with them, which points to workflow problems that will affect your repair timeline.
What should you ask before leaving your vehicle with an auto electrician? expand_more
  • –Ask whether they will call you before exceeding the quoted or estimated amount, and get that agreement confirmed in writing or by email.
  • –Confirm the diagnostic fee upfront and ask whether it is credited against the repair cost if you authorise the work to proceed.
  • –Ask how long the diagnosis is expected to take, so you know whether you need alternative transport arranged.
  • –Clarify whether parts used will be genuine manufacturer parts or aftermarket alternatives, and ask what warranty applies to both the parts and the labour.
  • –Request a written itemised quote before any work begins, not just a verbal estimate, especially for jobs involving multiple components or wiring repairs.

Auto Electricians ranked 6 to 10 in Palmerston North

They scored below the top 5 on the same public review record.

  • 6

    Manawatū Auto Electrical Ltd

    ★ 5.0 22 reviews Top5 Score 139
    5★ 21 4★ 1

    Manawatū Auto Electrical wires accessories onto excavators and commercial equipment, diagnoses and fixes starter motors, sorts solar charging faults, and fits campervan stereos and auto doors. Isaac in particular takes on jobs at short notice when a customer is stuck, and works through problems until they are resolved rather than stopping at the obvious fix.

    location_on 73 Keith Street, Roslyn, Palmerston North

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  • 7

    Deek Auto Engineering Co Ltd

    ★ 5.0 19 reviews Top5 Score 137
    5★ 19

    Deek Auto Engineering builds the kind of relationship where customers return for decades, with Bruce keeping people informed on expected costs and chasing better-priced parts before the work begins. Small jobs like tightening a battery terminal get done without a charge, which reflects how the shop treats people rather than just invoices.

    location_on 667 Main Street, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North

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  • 8

    Feilding Auto Electrical

    ★ 4.3 81 reviews Top5 Score 132
    5★ 59 4★ 10 3★ 2 2★ 1 1★ 9

    Feilding Auto Electrical covers battery replacements, alternator work, aircon faults, light repairs, and trailer wiring across cars, trucks, and forklifts. Customers with urgent problems regularly get their vehicle back within hours, and several report walking in without a booking to have a fault diagnosed and fixed on the spot.

    location_on 71 Stafford Street, Feilding

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  • 9

    Precision Diagnostics LTD

    ★ 5.0 11 reviews Top5 Score 130
    5★ 11

    Precision Diagnostics zeroes in on check engine lights, dashboard warning faults, and wiring problems, with Russell regularly diagnosing and resolving issues within the same day a customer calls. Itemised invoices and clear explanations of options before any work begins mean customers know exactly what they are agreeing to and what it will cost.

    location_on 4/204 John F Kennedy Drive, Milson, Palmerston North

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  • 10

    Pan Pacific Auto Electronics-Palmerston North

    ★ 4.7 10 reviews Top5 Score 126
    5★ 8 4★ 1 3★ 1

    Pan Pacific Auto Electronics stocks a broad range of auto electrical supplies and sources parts overnight when something is not on the shelf, making them worth calling before assuming a component is unavailable. Staff like Branden are proactive with orders and take the time to help customers work out exactly what they need.

    location_on 55 Bourke Street, Takaro, Palmerston North

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Related Palmerston North rankings

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About this ranking

How are the top auto electricians in Palmerston North chosen? expand_more

We build this page from Google Maps results for auto electricians in Palmerston North. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out. See how we rank for the full method.

How often are rankings updated? expand_more

Every category and city is recrawled on a rolling cycle, about every two months. This page was last checked on 3 September 2026.

Can a business pay to appear in this list? expand_more

No. Top 5 and Also Recommended positions are merit-only and cannot be purchased. Verifying a business is free. A subscription adds a website link on the card, a public profile page, and competitor and ranking history in the owner's dashboard, none of which affects ranking position. See what a subscription includes.

Why isn't my business listed? expand_more

We build this page from Google Maps results for auto electricians in Palmerston North. The usual reasons for missing out are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. At the last update, the smallest review count among the 10 businesses listed here was 10. Check where you rank or read how rankings work.