Car Repairs: Dealership Vs. Local Garage
When your vehicle chokes, wheezes, or stalls on you, having it repaired becomes a priority. The questions is, where should you take it to have the work performed, a local garage or the dealership? The service center at a dealership has the appearance of professionalism and competence, but the price tag can be exorbitant. On the other hand, your local repair garage may offer to do the job for a lower price, but will they do high-quality work? Today, we’re going to take a closer look at the question that most drivers eventually ask themselves: “Should I take my car to a dealership or a local garage?”
Impact On Your Bank Account
Arguably, this is the area in which your local mechanic can trump the dealership. A dealership is saddled with a lot of extra expenses, such as paying for extra support employees, state-of-the-art tools, an immaculate and roomy service facility, and other amenities. Keep in mind that they’re not absorbing those expenses; they’re transferring them to their customers.
By contrast, your local repair garage operates a less-expensive facility. The garage won’t win any cleanliness awards, they may be using older tools, and the mechanic may be the same person greeting you at the register. But, that translates to a lower bill. Plus, they can often do just as good a job as the technicians at the dealer.
Knowledge And Competence
A lot of people consider the technicians who work in a dealer’s service center to be better mechanics. However, that’s not always true. They’re trained to work on specific makes and models, and they’re typically kept updated on the latest parts from the manufacturer. But, mechanics in small repair shops may be just as knowledgeable and competent. In fact, a lot of local mechanics once worked at professional service centers and left to open their own shops. Don’t immediately assume that a dealer’s technicians are more capable than the guy at the repair garage down the street.
Satisfied Customers
This is another mixed bag. A dealership must answer to the automaker regarding whether its customers are satisfied. From the manufacturer’s point of view, if customers are angered by the service they experience when they have their vehicles fixed at the facility’s repair center, it reflects poorly on the automaker. So, the dealership goes to great lengths to make sure you’re satisfied.
Now, let’s look at customer satisfaction from the point of view of your local repair shop. They need your business. Over and over. Plus, they stand a much better chance of surviving if you tell a few friends about their shop. If you’re unsatisfied with their work, that’s a death knell to them. So, they’ll usually do whatever they can to make the experience a pleasant one for you.
Making The Choice
In the end, it’s not an easy decision to make. Most of us have a limited budget each month, so taking our vehicles to a dealer for repairs and maintenance isn’t always feasible. Plus, a lot of the presumed perks of doing so aren’t entirely accurate. Your best bet may be to establish a professional long-term relationship with a local mechanic you can trust.
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