Do you bring in your car to the dealership

[1GoldenSun]

Yes, but as others say, only because it's still fairly new and most maintenance is still free. The first thing time it needs an actual repair I'm taking it to the trusty mechanic that keep my (now passed along to my daughter) 250+k miles, 14-year-old Lexus still running smoothly.

 

[Kittyblue]

Nah, I'm far out of warranty. I have a different mechanic.

 

[jo-jo]

We did , until the dealer told us the repair would cost more than the van was worth and not worth doing. Took it to local guy, cost 1/3 less. That was about 8 or so years ago. Van still running. Even a 2 grand repair is better than shelling out 35-40 grand for a new one. Now if we were shelling out 2 grand every few months, that's a different story. Our two cars have been very good to us over the last 30 years.

 

[cvjw]

Yes.

 

[Brett Wyman]

for regular maintenance?

It seems so expensive!

Im a dealer service die hard(except for tires). I want brand trained technicians and OEM parts and Im willing to pay more to get it. Plus modern cars have many recalls and software updates that will be handled while being serviced as well.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

Only my car because it’s new.

 

[leebee]

Never, if I can avoid it. Obviously for recalls there is no choice, but other than that, no way. Prompto charges $28 for an oil change; why pay the dealership $85? Tires from Sam's or BJ's have free annual rotations. Our "newest" car is a 2015 Kia Soul; we also have a 2009 Honda Fit and a 2003 Honda CRV. We actually have 2 "local" mechanics; one is a garage that we use for most things and the other is a single-guy shop where the prices are good, the work outstanding, but we have to leave the vehicle for a week or so unless it's a mystery issue, we mostly don't use him much (especially now that we are 4 adults with 3 cars. Four adults with only 2 cars would be a NIGHTMARE!). The dealership just costs too much, and I don't think their work is any better, their mechanics better trained or anything. I think they have too much overhead as a dealership, and the maintenance department is how they keep the place afloat!

 

[ronandannette]

Yes. We lease our vehicles and never drive them past the warranty period. Our current ones (a Toyota hybrid and a Mazda) both came with a free oil-change card.

 

[lucas]

Yes, we take both of our cars to the Honda dealership for any service.

 

[soccerdad72]

Yes I do

 

[leebee]

Yes. We lease our vehicles and never drive them past the warranty period. Our current ones (a Toyota hybrid and a Mazda) both came with a free oil-change card.

Somewhat off-topic, but we've been thinking about leasing. I KNOW it's not really cost-efficient, but we cannot afford a down payment and monthly payments on a new car, and 'gently' used cars are almost as expensive and the loans have much higher interest rates. We leased an Equinox a few years ago- guess it's been about 2 years since we turned it back in- and I have to say, it was really, really nice driving a new car with good gas mileage and minimal chance of random break-downs instead of older clunkers all the time!

 

[ronandannette]

Somewhat off-topic, but we've been thinking about leasing. I KNOW it's not really cost-efficient, but we cannot afford a down payment and monthly payments on a new car, and 'gently' used cars are almost as expensive and the loans have much higher interest rates. We leased an Equinox a few years ago- guess it's been about 2 years since we turned it back in- and I have to say, it was really, really nice driving a new car with good gas mileage and minimal chance of random break-downs instead of older clunkers all the time!

It's a fraught issue here on the DIS, for sure, but there are other valid considerations besides just dollar-for-dollar, sometimes. DH and I both lease for work and have done so unapologetically for the last 16 years. It's lovely to get a new vehicle every 3 years.

Now if you really want to go down a rabbit-trail, let's talk about carrying credit-card balances, although I'm sure I'm the only person on the entire DIS that does.

 

[leebee]

It's a fraught issue here on the DIS, for sure, but there are other valid considerations besides just dollar-for-dollar, sometimes. DH and I both lease for work and have done so unapologetically for the last 16 years. It's lovely to get a new vehicle every 3 years.

Now if you really want to go down a rabbit-trail, let's talk about carrying credit-card balances, although I'm sure I'm the only person on the entire DIS that does.

Or not!! We don't, only because I juggle them for travel points, but if there is a "big purchase" and I want the points, I'll use the credit card and then transfer the money from the home equity loan to pay the card. Still borrowing money, just at a better rate and sometimes offset by the travel points, but still borrowing to pay over time for something we can't afford in the present (although this summer's new furnace/conversion to gas and the new retaining wall came in at $23,456- and who has that kind of money laying around, so you can bet it went on the HELOC!)

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I haven't had to go to a dealer yet because my dad and my husband are both mechanics. My dad is in the heavy equipment industry and my husband is in the agricultural end of things. I'm sure we will have to eventually over something they don't have the software to fix, but they've been able to take care of our vehicles so far.

 

[_19disnA]

Yes, because I do not know of anyone else who is competent and trustworthy.

Same here, have always found the dealers I work with to be reputable and you have the vehicle manufacturer to go to if you feel something wasn't properly handled. Local garage mechanic............good luck when they mess up something or tell you that expensive repairs are necessary. Some are probably reputable, but no idea how you determine that in any sort of reliable way.

Newer vehicles might also need specialized tools, electronic test equipment and trained mechanics to perform needed service. Local garage is less likely to have those things.

 

[JLTraveling]

Nope. We have a wonderful local mechanic--both inexpensive and extremely good. Bonus: The shop is a block from our house, so no sitting around waiting or getting a ride. Just drop it off and come home, go get it when it's ready.

 

[Christine]

When I bought my car, I got "maintenance for life" so yes I do bring it there for oil changes, tire rotations, and state inspections. Some of my "checks" are at no cost also (20,000, 30,000, etc). Generally though, when my cars get older, I move to a local mechanic.

 

[RangerPooh]

For maintenance yes, as we are still under warrenty. Tires we go elsewhere.

 

[fla4fun]

Our Toyota is a Hybrid so it has a 10 year, 150,000 mile warranty on the hybrid components, so anything to do with that will be done for free by the dealer for another 8 years.
We are fortunate to have a growing number of independent shops here that work on hybrids. While hybrids are complex that is a good thing. They are so complex that basically if you plug a scanner into them, they tell you what is wrong.

Mine is a Toyota also, and five years old now so there’s still plenty of warranty left. I used to go to a local mechanic back when I drove Ford cars, but he moved out of state and there just isn’t anyone else local with a good reputation. It’s a bad sign when they kind of grimace at the mention of a hybrid. You are fortunate to have several local shops to choose from.

It’s actually a pain to go to the dealer because they are about 30 miles away in a congested part of Orlando. There is a dealership about four miles from home but I don’t trust them either (wouldn’t buy or have service there). I have had very good service where I bought the car, and when comparing prices I have found that they have been competitive on the few non-warranty items I have had replaced, such as the 12v battery and tires. The warranty work they have done has been hassle free as well. So long as that continues I will keep going back.

 

[tvguy]

We did , until the dealer told us the repair would cost more than the van was worth and not worth doing. Took it to local guy, cost 1/3 less. That was about 8 or so years ago. Van still running. Even a 2 grand repair is better than shelling out 35-40 grand for a new one. Now if we were shelling out 2 grand every few months, that's a different story. Our two cars have been very good to us over the last 30 years.

Have you priced vehicles lately? Not much out there for only $35-40 grand. When I still had my Suburban, I think the last set of tires I bought were well over $1,000