As an owner, you know that regular car maintenance is important for your vehicle. If the car needs a repair, you have to decide where to take it. Do you drive it to an independent repair shop or bring it into a dealership? Many people have strong opinions on either side. There are quite a few advantages to taking your car to a dealership. They can provide better service than a local shop or chain repair place.
Certified Technicians
When you bring your car in for a repair, you want technicians that know how to handle a particular problem. That might not happen at a local repair shop. They see a variety of makes and models on a daily basis. Sometimes they only have a guess about what could be causing the problem. There is no “one size fits all” in the world of car maintenance. Manufacturer certified technicians do not play any guessing games. They are certified to work on your particular line of vehicles. The technicians are aware of any service recalls or issues that may be affecting the vehicle. They know how to fix it right the first time. The professional service does not stop with the technicians. All members of the staff are trained to make sure your model of vehicle is correctly serviced.
Professional Equipment
Most local and chain shops only have equipment for general repairs. If your
car requires a specialized repair, you may have to wait days for a tool or other type of equipment to arrive. Even something as simple as an oil filter may cause you a long wait. You will not have that problem at a dealership. They have the right equipment in their service bays to complete any job. If the repair needs a piece of equipment and it is not at the shop, there is a network of dealerships that can get it there as quickly as possible. You can also be reassured that the dealership will have the latest equipment available for your car’s service.
Correct Parts
Dealership car service centers use only original equipment parts for their repairs. National chains or local shops often will push an aftermarket part with a higher price tag. You really don’t know where these parts have been sourced. Some parts might not even be the correct one for your particular model. There are no problems like that at a dealership. They only use the parts recommended by the manufacturer. You do not have to worry about a part that may cause more harm than good. Some third-party parts can void a warranty. A dealership will only put in parts that meet or exceed the standards for your car.
Guaranteed Work
A dealership car service center will guarantee that all work is done correctly. Most warranty work will need to be handled by a certified dealer. Otherwise, you may be paying for repairs that should be free. Repair work is backed by the dealership. If the repair fails, you can just bring it back in. A local or national shop might charge extra fees just to diagnose the repair problem for you. Dealerships can also give you the opportunity to purchase an extended warranty on your car. You can drive with the peace of mind that your car is covered.
A Complete History of the Vehicle
It is important to have your car serviced at regular intervals. To keep your warranty valid, the car needs certain services done at specific times. It is best to have these completed by the certified dealer. They can keep a record of when you performed maintenance on the vehicle. This can be useful when trying to diagnose a problem. It will help the technician to get a clearer picture of the vehicle history with the service records in one place.
Customer Satisfaction
A certified dealer needs to live up to a certain standard. There is a reason they carry a manufacturer’s name. Customer satisfaction is the number one goal of the dealership. If you are not happy, neither is the dealer. They strive to make sure that every repair is completed to the customer’s satisfaction. Local shops care about their customers too. They are not held to the same level of accountability as a certified dealership though. A manufacturer certified mechanic wants the vehicle to be repaired correctly and as quickly as possible.
There are many choices when it comes down to getting your car repaired. Local shops and national chains can offer lower prices, but the quality of parts can come into question. In order to keep your warranty current, you need to visit a certified dealer. It can be repaired with the highest standards set by the manufacturer. All repairs are guaranteed by the dealership. So if you have a problem, you can always bring it back to the shop. Customer service is the number priority of a certified dealer.
