Sometimes you are faced with a dilemma on whether to visit the dealership for auto repairs, or to go round the corner to your local auto shop. The dealership can be expensive and you are wondering whether you can afford it. On the other hand, the local auto shop has fair prices for its service, but you are not sure whether they are qualified.
This is just one of the dilemmas that you will be faced with when trying to find a suitable repair shop. However, you need to change your mindset a little bit. This is not simply a matter of looking at what is better. You need to consider what each repair shop has to offer. Some local mechanics are very qualified. They auto shop may even have people with very specialized skills. Here are a few things you need to look out for.
Skill and Expertise
In practically all dealerships, you will find very highly specialized mechanics. These mechanics work on the model of your car only. They have had lots of experience working with your make they can pinpoint the engine faults with ease. They are always getting up to date training to ensure their skills are up to date. For this reason, they are always ready to repair sophisticated modern cars that the mechanic around the corner may sometimes find hard to repair.
It is not always easy to get the level of expertise that you’ll find in this manufacture trained dealership auto shops. However, that level of skill is not always necessary. Most mechanics in the auto shop around the corner can fix most of the problems you have. Furthermore, not all dealership have very experienced mechanics. Experience can just be as important as training.
If you are going to a local shop, check if they have the right qualifications for their mechanics. Some will have ASE certified professionals that specialize in things like, suspensions, brakes, heavy machinery etc. A qualified local auto shop will charge the much less than a dealership and can provide the same level of service.
Direct Communication
The biggest disadvantage with a bigger facility such as a dealership is that there is hardly any direct communication. Often you are a just a record in their database. You hardly ever get acquainted with a particular mechanic. There are implications with this kind of interactions and that is evident to those who frequent the local mechanic shop down the road.
The advantage of direct communication is that the local mechanic gets to know you and your car. If you frequent his shop, he is going to retain that memory as opposed to having it as a record on his computer. He can anticipate problems and fix it. He may call you to remind you of an important appointment that you would otherwise have forgotten.
Convenience
When you are looking for a reliable repair shop you want a place that is just a drive down the road. You need a place that you can go conveniently after work or during your free time. The local shop has that advantage. Most of them are located close to residential areas. Dealerships are situated much further away. There is no reason why you shouldn’t visit the local facility unless the repairs are major.
Dealerships can offer free repairs as long as your car has a valid warranty. These big facilities have professionals with a very high level of expertise. They can be ideal for major and specialized repair. However, for most repairs it is often best to find a local repair shop. As long as they are qualified they can offer an acceptable level of service.