Reasons to Choose the Dealership Over Other Service Centers

When it comes to having your vehicle serviced, there are many factors to consider, including price, reputation, quality and customer service. One major question car owners often ask is whether it is better to use a dealership service department or to go to an independent mechanic.  Let's talk about the advantages of choosing the dealership over another service center.

Genuine parts

Dealerships are part of the car manufacturer's parts supply line, so the parts that we use will fit and function perfectly since they are official parts authorized by the OEM. An independent mechanic may instead use cheaper parts from unauthorized suppliers that specialize in producing parts that may appear similar to the official part but have not been tested to the car maker’s standard. Some mechanics may decide to use these parts rather than the official parts, which could decrease the value of your car.

Special tools and diagnostic machines

Cars are complicated pieces of machinery and they often require specifically designed tools during services. Some workshops get around this by various means that can damage the vehicle or the new parts being fitted. Also, as cars become more electronically complicated, dealerships utilize official diagnostic computers to evaluate the car, pinpoint issues and identify solutions. Independent mechanics do not have access to these tools, which results in lower quality work and a high labor charge on your bill.

Resale value

When it comes time to sell the vehicle, a full service and repair history from an official dealership can add more value to your vehicle. The new buyer can see what has been done to the car, but more importantly, he or she can see that it has been done properly by factory-trained technicians.

Recall notices

Sometimes a recall and repair notice is issued by an automaker. Most owners are informed of the situation, but some who have their cars serviced and repaired outside of the main dealer network may not get the message. A recall notice is often limited to a certain batch of cars built, rather than a general make, model, and year. Official dealers will be able to tell you whether your car has been the subject of a safety recall and repair, while an independent repairer may not.

Peace of mind

Occasionally, you might save some money by going to an independent mechanic to get your car fixed, but you may never know whether it has been fixed properly. And worse, if the same fault occurs again, you may have trouble getting compensation for the faulty fix in the first place. Better to bring it to the dealership service department, where you can rest assured that things will be taken care of professionally and correctly the first time.