Car owners prefer independent repair shops, chains to dealers - CR

This may be one of those survey results that prompts a hearty "duh" from the average car-savvy reader, but Consumer Reports released a report Wednesday suggesting that owners prefer independent repair shops and chains to dealerships when it comes time to take their cars in for repairs. Repairs being the key word here; we're not talking about routine maintenance or scheduled service. This is about getting your car fixed on your own dime when something goes wrong.

CR surveyed nearly 11,000 of its members who reported their experiences with 11,670 repairs across 36 auto repair chains (such as Goodyear, AAA Car Care and Firestone), independent shops and dealerships. They were scored on 12 attributes: honesty; price; the quality of the work; the amount of time it took to complete repairs; communication about the repair; whether or not the problem was fixed the first time; the accuracy of the initial cost estimate; the shop’s willingness to negotiate on price; the presence of free perks with service (such as car washes, loaner cars, and shuttle service); the presence of discounts; the proximity or convenience of the shop’s location; and the presence of guarantees or warranties for work done.

Broadly, independent shops and chains scored higher marks for honesty, cost and the quality of their work. Dealerships scored higher marks for comfort and perks, while chains were noted for their convenience — more than 80% of respondents took their cars to a repair shop within 30 minutes of their homes, CR said. But at the end of the day, there are some things only a dealer can tackle, namely tasks that require specialized equipment or training to complete. Some makes, such as Tesla, are repaired almost exclusively by branded service facilities.