If any reader has an opinion on this I'd like to hear it. The question is this: should you take your car to an OEM dealer or use a generic repair shop? There must be good reasons for each but we own a Hyundai and there is no dealer this side of Medford so for us anyway the question is very relevant.
Despite assertions to the contrary I have trouble imagining a small shop that works on all makes and models having factory training for my car. In fact, cars seem to be getting impossibly complex and it seems almost necessary to specialize in a brand. Perhaps independent shops can do better with older models rather than new? After all even I could change the spark plugs on a 235 Chevy in-line 6 but when I need to change them on my Hyundai it will cost $128. Good grief I told the guy but he said that on todays cars you have to remove most everything on top of the engine just to get to them. The truth is I can look into my engine compartment and I can't even SEE the spark plugs.
And then there is the issue of parts. We've had regular oil changes done by local shops but even that simple job had a problem. Seems the OEM oil filter comes with two "O" rings and either was installed wrong or they used an after-market filter that only came with one "O" ring. Not a serious problem, just an irritating drip. But it wasn't until we took it to the Hyundai dealer in Medford that we learned why.
There is of course a cost difference, too. Our latest service, the 30,000 mile one, caught my breath at $458. Especially when I learned that a local shop could have done it for about half. But would it be the same, do you think? Would they get the wrong oil filter, or miss checking a sensor, or not have the manual or software for the service thereby making their version of it priced about right?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for keeping business in town. And if I had a Ford or Chevy or Dodge I wouldn't be writing this. So back to the top, is there a difference?
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