CARSON, Calif. (Jan. 24, 2013) — A new survey by online automotive repair resource AutoMD.com reaffirms the long-held perception that independent repair shops are less expensive than car dealerships.
The online survey concluded that while consumers are generally satisfied with their car dealership experience, they trust independent repair shops over dealerships for auto repairs by two to one.
Respondents cited better prices and mechanic relationships as the main reasons for their independent shop preference, with 80 percent reporting they felt they had been overcharged for a repair at a dealership and more than 90 percent believing they can save at least 10 percent by visiting an independent shop.
Two-thirds of respondents said they trust an independent repair shop more than a car dealership to repair their vehicle.
Most respondents reported that when they opted for a dealership service center instead of an independent repair shop they did so because their vehicle was under warranty or a recall.
The price difference apparently is no myth. Among the survey respondents who said they comparison shopped repair job quotes, about 87 percent reported that independent shop quotes were more affordable than dealership quotes.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they believe they can save more than 20 percent on repairs by choosing an independent repair shop over a dealership and 72 percent said a savings of just 10 percent would make them opt for the repair shop over the dealership.
"We conducted this snapshot survey to provide a window into how today's car owners feel about their repair shop/dealership service center options, and found that price and relationships are making consumers push the independent trigger—unless their vehicle is under a dealership warranty. But, with so many aging cars now falling outside the warranty, this survey indicates that consumers are going to compare repair quotes—and then go where they believe the price is right," said Brian Hafer, vice president of marketing for AutoMD.com.
About 47 percent of those who patronize car dealership service centers said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their experience, while 23 percent were neutral, according to the survey.
However, the 30 percent who were dissatisfied with their dealership experience said the main reason was they believed they had been overcharged. Of the 33 percent who said they trust the dealership more than the independent shop, more than half cited the dealership mechanic's knowledge of and familiarity with their particular model as the reason for their preference.
The AutoMD.com survey was conducted online among more than 3,000 car owners from Nov. 2 to Dec. 12, 2012. AutoMD.com is owned and operated by US Auto Parts Network Inc., an online auto parts retailer.