Here’s some empirical evidence gathered by Kevin Ransom of AOL Auto that independently owned shops–like Tune Dynamics–are a better value when servicing your car or truck:

“Where Is The Best Place To Get Your Car Serviced?
Independent Shops Cheaper In Study, Claim Parity on Quality”

As the economy continues to slump, and as more consumers are foregoing the purchase of new cars and hanging on to their old ones, the cost of auto repairs is becoming a hotter topic than ever.

Even before the current economic crisis, the conventional wisdom (for whatever that’s worth) was that repairs were less costly at independent repair shops than at dealerships.

Countering that truism was the claim, from new-car dealerships, that their technicians had more sophisticated training and that the quality of work was higher. The verbal jousting on this topic has been going on for years.

But a recent, first-of-its-kind study by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) would seem to back up the truism that costs are indeed lower at those “indie” shops. The AAIA is a trade association representing companies that manufacture and distribute aftermarket parts, accessories, chemicals and supplies, as well as independent repair shops.

According to the AAIA study, repairs cost an average of 34 percent more at new car dealerships compared to the independent dealers, for a total “extra” cost of $11.7 billion a year.

The study was conducted during November and December of 2008 and was based on 840 telephone interviews with both new-car dealerships and independent repair shops in six major cities — Boston, Newark, Atlanta, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Seattle. Foreign and domestic nameplates were considered separately.

Interviewers asked the dealers and repair shops what parts and labor prices they charged for 10 different types of repairs.

In the six cities where surveys were conducted, the cost of vehicle repairs ranged from 19.7 percent more to 46.8 percent more at new car dealerships, compared to independent repair shops.”

[Full article can be found at AOL Auto]

Tags: auto repair, brake inspection, car maintenance, el segundo, family owned, gardena, hawthorne, independent shop, inglewood, lamp inspection, lawndale, manhattan beach, redondo beach, south bay, torrance, tune up, value