Every car owner, especially those who own luxury brands like BMW, Jaguar, or Porsche, eventually faces a common question: should I rely on a dealership for my car repair? It depends on how deep your pockets are. Unless the auto repair is under warranty, the short answer is no, and the math backs this up.
Think the Dealership More Expensive? The Statistics Agree
According to a study by AutoMD.com choosing an Ohio repair shop for your import car maintenance can save you an average of $300 per year. AutoMD compiled extensive data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Federal Highway Administration and the Aftermarket Industry Association (the trade group for parts makers and repair shops) to make their conclusions. They also break it down farther as to when it may actually be a good idea to use the dealership.
Find An Independent Cincinnati Car Mechanic You Trust
AutoMD says that you are most likely to save the most money on the smallest repairs like a brake flush service, an oil change, a radiator flush, or an import brake job if you choose an independent auto repair garage. This is because the dealer loves to make a killing on these smaller jobs, charging more than your local car mechanic usually would for a quick profit and quick turnaround on the repair.
Interestingly enough, the bigger repairs can also be cheaper at an independent repair shop. This is because the hourly labor fee is usually less. So, even if the dealer and the local foreign car repair garage take the same time to rebuild a transmission, you will pay less at the independent car mechanic because their hourly fee is smaller.
Concerned about maintaining your warranty? You can still go to an independent auto repair garage.
The one time it is definitely worth it to go to a dealer is if your car has a recall. They are obligated to do all of the work to take care of the recall for free.
The bottom line is that the average annual repair cost for an owner who uses dealerships exclusively is about $1,209 a year, while those who use foreign car repair garages spend about $900, according to the study.
European and Foreign Car Repair and Maintenance for Less
One of the final pieces of advice to anyone who owns a car—especially a foreign or vintage model—is to choose a car mechanic that specializes in auto repair for the type of car that you have. You wouldn’t go to a Porsche dealership for Audi repair and you wouldn’t go to a Land Rover dealership for VW repair, so why go to an independent auto repair shop that doesn’t know the ins and outs of your type of car. If you aren’t sure whether a potential auto repair garage specializes in your make, you can always find out. Give your potential car mechanic a call and ask some questions. And if you like what you hear, you can have a relationship for life without the high bill you are sure to pay at a dealership.
