There are people affiliated with insurance companies, dealerships, and more who will make suggestions that are simply not in your best interest.  These topics are often not discussed and will contradict what some people of authority may tell you.  More importantly you may fall into some of these situations in vulnerable moments.  Recently I spoke with several individuals concerning at least one of the issues I am about to address.

People who operate dealerships generally want you to come in for maintenance as an opportunity to add value for themselves at your expense.  They put plans in place to strongly encourage this, even when the value proposition is not based on ethics.  This is not always the case, as some dealerships do provide a reputable dealership (detailing) protection plan and trustworthy auto repair options.  Especially regarding the dealership protection plan, a reputable service is the exception, not the norm.  In general, an actual upper tier detailing business for vehicle cosmetic protection and a preferred mechanic shop are going to be better alternatives than a dealership for car care.

We pay insurance for an (in case something) accident that may or may not be your fault.  YES, you can pick who you want to have the vehicle repaired and resprayed with!  In addition to the aesthetic and durability issues of a cheap repaint, a cheap repair or compromised replacement of a car panel can lead to long term vehicle structural issues.  Representatives of insurance companies could care less about this.  Insurance companies start at production focused shops and work their way down price shopping and scaling to give themselves the highest possible return possible, regardless of how quality is cut in service.  The more effort even those chosen shops make for an equitable return, the less interested they are in working with those companies.  A lot of quality shops have gone out of business over the years, as opposed to more production shops with ‘good enough’ for the average crowd service who happen to focus cheap work.  Insurance work is often steady work for them.  Due to (3rd party and CONSUMERS) focused on price shopping over quality, there has been a decrease in available quality options.  It is ironic as I am often critical of dealerships, but when in doubt their recommendations are often at least more reliable.  Credible shops are often more intent on fighting for you.

I have a good relationship with the staff at my local mechanic shop.  But there have been concerns and frustrations uttered about the lack of integrity by managers of mechanic shops.  It may be in your best interest to invest in a diagnostic tool, that may be worth the cost.  This cannot only be a benefit to you to verify the shop manager’s assessment of why the Check Engine Light is on, but it also might be a valuable tool when purchasing a used vehicle.