Why You Should Skip the Dealer and go to an Independent Car Repair Shop

If your new, or nearly new, a vehicle needs repair or maintenance, you should take it to the dealer, right? Not necessarily. Many people mistakenly believe that taking their car to the dealership is their only option. Or, they believe that the dealer somehow is “better” than the average independent repair shop.

Both are incorrect.

Yes, we are an independent repair shop. So, you might expect us to say that we are the better choice. However, we also want to earn your trust. So, let us start off by saying that sometimes, we are NOT the right choice.

Yes, you read that correctly. Sometimes, you SHOULD take your car to the dealer. To top it all off, if your car SHOULD be at the dealer, we will tell you that.

We can guarantee that you won’t ever hear the service advisor tell you when you should be taking your vehicle to an independent repair shop like ours.

Why will we tell you the truth and they won’t? Let’s talk about that.

The Truth about When to go to the Dealer

Since we are talking truth here, we will be honest with you about when it is best to take your car to the dealer.

• When your vehicle is still under warranty and will cover the repair(s). If you aren’t sure whether your warranty covers a repair, you can always call the dealer first.
• If a maintenance plan covers your vehicle.
• When you have a lease and the lease states that you must have maintenance and/or repairs done at a certified dealer.
• If your vehicle has a recall notice.

Under any of the above circumstances, you absolutely should go to the dealer.

Why spend money doing repairs that would be free if you have them done under warranty? Unless you absolutely hate the dealer and you would prefer to have us perform the repair, of course. We would be flattered if this happened. Although, we will tell you upfront that your warrant covers this repair.

If you’ve received notice that there is a recall on your vehicle, this will also be performed at the dealer free of charge. It is important to have this done at the dealer because most recalls are safety-related items. After the recall has been performed, it will be noted in the computer file dealerships keep on every vehicle.

In some states, you cannot sell a vehicle if there are outstanding recalls, so have these done promptly at the dealer.

As far as leased vehicles go, even if you plan on purchasing the vehicle in the future, if the lease states that you must have service and/or repairs done at the dealer, then do so! Otherwise, you risk voiding your warranty.

Why Won’t the Dealer Tell You that You Can Have Repairs or Maintenance Done Elsewhere?

One small fact that dealerships don’t mention is that not only does the mechanic earn a percentage of the money you are paying for repairs, your service advisor does also.

If your service advisor was to tell you that the repair or maintenance you were about to pay for could be done for half or less of the price he quoted you, and you decided to save some cash, the service advisor makes zero.  So does the mechanic, the parts department, and the dealership in general.

An Independent Repair Shop Will Save You So Much Money

On average, an independent repair shop will charge half of what a dealership does when it comes to labor prices. If you don’t believe us, call the dealership, and ask what the mechanic’s hourly rate is. Then, call several independent repair shops. You will probably be a bit shocked.

Independent repair shops will also be able to offer you substantial savings on parts. If you wish, they can get original parts from the dealer, or they can use aftermarket parts. Car manufacturers do not make aftermarket parts and are considerably less expensive.

If you are in dire straits, you can ask an independent shop to search for used parts for your vehicle. Most repair shops will do this. While used parts are very inexpensive, you probably won’t have any warranty on the part.

The idea here is that, at the dealership, they won’t use anything except original equipment manufactured, or OEM, parts. Manufacturers (IE Ford, General Motors, Subaru) make these parts in the factory. While the quality might be better, if the part isn’t in stock, you must wait for it to arrive.

Since independent shops work on all types of vehicles and use OEM and aftermarket parts, they can advise you when an OEM part is the better deal or whether an aftermarket part works just as well.

Other Things to Know about Independent Repair Shops

Many of the repair shop owners, and the mechanics employed there, are often former dealership employees. So, they know all about your vehicle.

While it is true that dealerships are the first to be notified about technical problems with your vehicle, these service bulletins can be accessed online within a few days of their release. This means your local mechanic will know everything that the dealership mechanic knows.

If you have ever called your dealer and tried to get an appointment, you’ve probably been forced to choose a time and day that didn’t really work for you. Due to warranty repairs, dealers are rarely without work to perform. So, they aren’t really concerned about getting or keeping your business.

Independent shops cannot afford to operate in such a manner. We care about keeping your business. We always try to work around your schedule to make things easier for you.

Meet the Mechanic

The chances of your meeting the mechanic that worked on your vehicle at a dealership are next to zero. Why? Because your vehicle could have gone through several mechanics, and no dealership wants to pull three or four mechanics off a job to speak to you.

At an independent shop, you can not only meet and talk to the mechanic, but you can have that same mechanic work on your vehicle on multiple occasions.

This means that the mechanic will get to know your vehicle, and you, on a personal level. They will remember that you just changed that battery a year ago. They will even double-check the alternator and voltage regulator while taking a few minutes to see if there is a draw on the battery, or if the battery is just plain bad.

Try getting that kind of detailed service from the dealer.

A dealer mechanic has a continual flow of vehicles each day. Sometimes they can see 50 different vehicles a week. They won’t remember yours unless you have a unique paint job or something that makes your car stand out.

Worried about Non-dealer Repairs and Maintenance When Selling?

Don’t worry about a potential buyer looking at your car as less than perfect if most of your receipts don’t come from a dealer. All that a potential buyer really wants to see are the receipts as proof that the vehicle was maintained and/or repaired. Almost no one will care where the work was actually performed.

The Bottom Line

At Hong Kong Auto Service, we pride ourselves on honesty and an honest relationship with our customers that fosters trust.

We will tell you when your warranty covers the repair. If an OEM part is a better choice, we will let you know. If it is not, our mechanics will show you how aftermarket parts can save you a bundle.

We will work with you to keep your vehicle in good condition so you can rely on it. We won’t inflate repairs just to line our pockets.

All our mechanics are ASE certified, which means they have the training you can rely on to do the job right.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us or talk to one of our mechanics.

Just try to get that from any dealership in town.