Do you repair you car at, the dealer, car repair chain, or small independent garage?
Personaly I will take my car to the dealer only for warranty reapairs, and to chain independents if I have to. Mostly I do my own repairs and oil and fluid changes when possible. On one of my previous cars I was given 4 oil changes free, but I could not afford to drive to the dealer and wait maybe an hour and a half and get the oil changed, then drive back. Rather than spending 3 to 4 hours doing that, I can change my own oil and filter. I have fully equiped myself over the years. I have timing adjustments, oil changes, transmission oil changes,radiator replacement, full distributor replacements, brake jobs. I will probably do less with the new cars being so complicated. How do you have your car serviced?
Last edited by Honda city; 01-26-2009 at 04:27 PM.
Personaly I will take my car to the dealer only for warranty reapairs, and to chain independents if I have to. Mostly I do my own repairs and oil and fluid changes when possible. On one of my previous cars I was given 4 oil changes free, but I could not afford to drive to the dealer and wait maybe an hour and a half and get the oil changed, then drive back. Rather than spending 3 to 4 hours doing that, I can change my own oil and filter. I have fully equiped myself over the years. I have timing adjustments, oil changes, transmission oil changes,radiator replacement, full distributor replacements, brake jobs. I will probably do less with the new cars being so complicated. How do you have your car serviced?
I used to but cars have gotten so complicated these days and we have only a few shops that can do the 2009 Corolla...so I do my service at the dealer. So far, all is well and just involves fluid changes...anything else would be warranty for a couple of years more. My dealer only gets a few $$ more than an independent garage for an oil chg so why not...I want no squabble with the warranty
I always go to the Toyota dealer, where I bought the car.
I don't mind paying a little more if I go there. I know that they know my car inside out, and they know what to do on it at specific mileage, so I trust them.
If my car needs 3.8 liters of oil, I don't want 4.5 in it Too much is like not enough and will do damage.
My Corolla being on lease, I have to take it back to the dealership but with my previous car I learnt everything at home. Did eveything from oil changes, spark plugs, brake jobs, suspension setup and all the mods I had made for the car, only thing I got done from a shop was exhaust work and alignment.
It's good to at least have some knowledge so you don't get taken advantage of from other shops "fixing" things that were never wrong with the car in the first place.
I can do basically everything myself, from rebuilding an engine to changing a wheel bearing, but since I work at a dealership, I often times get them to do things for me, because it is convenient.
I would never take my car to a repair chain. Even if I didn't work at a dealership, I'd only take it to someone I trust (usually at a small shop) or a dealership.
I am new to Toyota, but I took my last car, Acura Integra, to an independent shop that worked only on Honda/Acuras. I found a local independent shop that only works on Toyotas and plan to take my car there. www.CarTalk.com, Mechanic Files, is a great source for local garages.
With all the proprietary technology and electronics in cars these days, your only choice is the dealership for certain repairs or certain components. So yes, I go to the dealership and they are genuinely good enough. Try to find a small shop that specializes in your car brand, that'd be better.
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My 2009 Corolla S Pictures --> Mar 09 | Dec 08 < --
Years ago, when I had my first car. ( a family hand me down GM car ) I had bad experiences with garages.
- With no experience I took apart the front brakes, but could proceed no further when I could not take the rotors off to have them resurfaced. I took it to a auto repair chain and they told me that the bolts were rusted in place and they had to cut them off with a torch and replace them with $14 stainless steel bolts. I had removed the bolts by hand just a few hours earlier.
- There was another occasion where I had to had an alternator replaced. The mechanic told me that he had to cut the bolts off the alternator because they were seized with rust, he showed that the ratchet could not turn the bolt. I asked him if he has ever heard of a air impact wrench. He just shut up and did the job.
- I know of a mechanic ( Born again Christian ) that uses hand tools when the customer is in the shop, but when he is alone he will use air tools to speed the jon up. He also charges set hourly prices for jobs even when it takes half the time. He has told me that he hates Toyotas and Hondas, but in other conversations he admits that they are easier to work on and break down less.
I suspect that these little rip off shops are all on the decline due to the complexities if the modern cars. New cars require less repair and only minor maintainace.
As I have mentioned, I can not afford nearly half a day to go to a dealer to have my oil changed. I do it myself and scan all the reciepts for the materials I use to stay in warranty.
Last edited by Honda city; 01-27-2009 at 08:18 AM.
I use the small independent garage that is attached to my house. LMAO. I don't trust anyone to touch any of my cars. I do all my own stuff. Let's face it if you know what the problem is then you can figure out how to fix it....
I use the small independent garage that is attached to my house. LMAO. I don't trust anyone to touch any of my cars. I do all my own stuff. Let's face it if you know what the problem is then you can figure out how to fix it....
Ohh sure the prices are good, but the guy burps and farts when he is working on your car. He also has bad breath and his mechanics pants ride down and you can see his butt crack!
the mexicali,mexico dealer mechanics are a bunch of monkeys and their customer service completly sucks, i feel more secure finding the problems in my own house than in their hands
Mine goes back to the dealer. If we do repairs ourselves then it gives the manufacturer reason not to fix it under warranty. Any oil changes done while under warranty must have receipt showing oil change. It doesn't matter where you get it changed you just have to have the receipt. Do it yourself oil changes can cause alot of problems with dealers here and a few have tried to sue but because they couldn't produce a receipt stating an oil change they lost. So its dealership until warranty runs out.
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