Need recommendation: Independent garage in Metro Detroit area.

[ImDisaster]

I usually do work myself, but I've got a wheel bearing or trans issue that I don't have the time or equipment to deal with right now. Because I always do my own work, I don't know of a good service ship in the area. I know better than to take a 12 year old vehicle to a dealer. Any recommendations for a trustworthy shop in the Metro Detroit area?

[fourwheeler]

I had good luck with the Belle Tire at 18 Mile and Rochester.

[robcam13]

i work at a dealer and we usually get 12 year old car that the local shop couldn't fix.

[TedL]

Originally Posted by robcam13

i work at a dealer and we usually get 12 year old car that the local shop couldn't fix.

My most recent non warranty, non recall experience with the closest dealer was when I brought my '99 Avy to them for an alignment. They couldn't get it so the steering wheel was centered; first off by about 30 degrees one way, then the other way. Told me it needed an intermediate shaft, and my rear sway bar bushings needed replacement. Estimate well over $500, including close to an hour labor for the bushings. I did bushings myself in my driveway taking about 30 minutes total. Took it to independent shop for alignment. Perfect on first try.

Is it a mystery when people call them stealers? I just shake my head when people here talk like the dealer service departments are the gold standard. There have been good ones, and two I've actually trusted. But it's also been a dealer tech (Olds) who left bolts out of my front suspension; a dealer service department (Toyota) that consistently charged for 5.5 qts of oil and additives when changing oil on a 3KC engine that held 4 qts; a dealer service department (Ford) that took several tries to properly install an intake gasket. And I give them very few opportunities to screw up, because I do virtually all my own work.

What bothers me most is that they emphasize specialization and knowledge of the specific brand of vehicle, and charge a premium hourly rate commensurate with such expertise. But then use the "book hours" allowance for someone who sees the car brand once a month. What's the billed hours to clock hours worked ratio for a decent tech at a dealership? North of 1.5 from the little I hear about the subject. Oh, and then the Toy dealers near me charge 120 to 150% (and more) of list for parts.

[fourwheeler]

Good rant! I heartily agree. I miss my local Ford dealership which went out of their way to make sure cars were repaired right the first time, kept pricing fair and honest and only performed the work which was actually needed. I refuse to go back to my now local Toyota dealership because the service manager told me I had the wrong power steering fluid installed (ATF) after changing my rack and pinion and p/s pump. He also told me he wouldn't automatically replace the water pump on a 180,000 mile timing belt change. Sounds like he likes the labor charge for doing that job twice, once for the belt and another for the water pump.

[robcam13]

wow. well it saddens me to read this stuff. my dealership charges 70 bucks an hour. no scams, shortcuts, etc. hell my biggest gripe is we give too much stuff away. diags tire repairs stuff like that. honest shops must be harder to find than i thought.

[TedL]

Originally Posted by robcam13

wow. well it saddens me to read this stuff. my dealership charges 70 bucks an hour. no scams, shortcuts, etc. hell my biggest gripe is we give too much stuff away. diags tire repairs stuff like that. honest shops must be harder to find than i thought.

Sayre, PA. It's a little easier in your neck of the woods to find places that are not focused on hooking up a shop vac to the customer's wallet. At least that was true when I was in the Triple Cities (last in Vestal) area from '71 to '83. The (only) Toyota dealer whose service dept. I trusted was in Binghamton. My dealings with them ended in 1979 with the demise of my '71 Corolla.