Once you purchase a new or used vehicle, keeping it in prime working order should be your top priority. A big part of that is having it serviced. There are a few options available to the owner. If you’re handy, you can work on the car yourself. Otherwise, you need to take it to a shop for service. You can take your car to a garage or to a dealership like Atlantic Toyota to have it worked on. There are pros and cons to each option, but taking your car to a dealer’s service center is often the best idea.
Dealerships Versus General Service Garages
There are a few key differences between the service you get at a general auto service garage and a dealership service center.
The good thing about general service garages is that parts and labor are, on average, a bit cheaper than the work you’ll have done at a dealership service center. However, there’s an important catch. Many of these expenses are because of the parts used, not because of the hourly labor costs. There are two types of replacement parts for your car. You can get original parts from the manufacturer or buy aftermarket parts from third-party sellers.
Aftermarket parts run the gamut when it comes to price and quality, but generally, anything that isn’t a luxury performance part (like a fancy muffler) will cost less than original parts. The problem is that these parts also have potential fit issues, have lower quality machining, and won’t last as long as original parts. This can be more expensive in the long run. If you replace a tailpipe, for example, you’re charged for the pipe and labor. If you need to replace it again in three years because a lower quality part failed, you’ll pay for parts and labor again.
Recall Repairs and Other Perks
If there’s a recall on your vehicle, a dealership service center will make necessary repairs free of charge. If you decide to have a private garage do the recall work, you have to pay upfront and then wait to be reimbursed by a dealership. If it’s an expensive recall, that may not be a luxury you can afford. Some dealerships also offer perks like free oil changes and state inspections.
Manufacturer Certified Technicians
While generally highly skilled, mechanics at garages have experience in several makes, models, and years rather than just one make of car. This experience allows them to work on just about any car that rolls in for repairs. When you take your car to a dealership service center, you get technicians who are trained by that manufacturer to service the vehicles perfectly every time. They also receive training to work on newer model cars that may have more complicated parts and inner workings compared to older cars.
Taking your car to a dealership service center may seem like it costs more up front. However, the savings you’ll get from quality service and parts outweigh the initial expense.
Image via pxhere used with permission via CC 1.0 Universal / cropped from original
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