Dealer versus corner mechanic?
In The Loyalty Effect, car dealerships are shown to have both the highest turnover rates and the worst records for good repairs. The next worst was the discount chains, e.g. Firestone. The best were the independent mechanics. Of course, there are good corner mechanics and horrible ones. However, the webmaster’s personal experience suggests that the “indies” have charge half as much as the dealers, do better work, stand behind it, use the same parts (especially if you supply them), and finish in less time. That said – there are many dishonest independent mechanics and many honest dealers. In short, if your car is out of warranty, we would recommend a good local mechanic. Make sure your mechanic has a computer setup which includes the latest manufacturer service bulletins and computer diagnostics (so they can get fault codes from your computers). Get recommendations from people you trust. (If they always seem to have problems with their cars, find other friends.) Keep in mind that if you
