The Benefits of Dealership Service
When the little "Service Engine" light appears on your dashboard, you know that it's time to take the car into the shop. The question is: Do you take it to your local mechanic just down the road or do you drag it to the dealership that might be considerably farther? While there's a lot to be said for maintaining personal relationships, dealership service does have some distinct advantages.
Relax, We've Got This
It might be inconveniently located from your home or office, but the dealership does know how to take the sting out of unexpected or even routine maintenance. Most service departments have a lounge area for customers to sit, relax, grab some coffee or snacks, watch a little TV and even charge up their cell phone.
Since they're usually attached to the dealership proper, you can visit the accessories counter or even "window shop" the latest models. Or, if you're pressed for time and really need to be somewhere, most dealerships offer courtesy shuttles to wherever you need to go within a certain radius.
Pieces and Parts
If you're bringing your car into a dealership service bay, there's an expectation they're going to be using the same parts to replace what's broken, and that expectation is entirely correct. After all, it'd be pretty odd if a dealer used parts that didn't come from the original manufacturer.
By the same token, the service technician who ultimately does the work is likely to be one who's been specifically trained to repair vehicles of a certain make. While all cars are fundamentally the same, each manufacturer has slightly different specifications and processes for assembling and maintaining their particular line of vehicles. And getting that specialized training is what makes the servicing of your vehicle that much faster and that much better.
The Right Way
Car warranties are handy for regular maintenance activities, since they're either fully covered or deeply discounted. When a car is out of warranty, there can be sticker shock on certain repairs. One thing that can ease your pocketbook's pain is that dealerships usually guarantee their work, so if something fails after you just had the car in the shop and had work done on that particular component, the dealer is likely to take it back and make things right with you.
