Where to service car

fire_man

I have gone to main dealer last couple of years to service but it's an inconvenience to take time off work etc.

Is there any benefit going there rather than a local garage?

hoodie6029

Depends on the car. High value or prestige brand, you might get better trade in with a dealer service history.

If it a car you’re planning to keep for a few years yet, you may as well go local and save yourself a few quid

Banzai600

just as an fyi, my local mechanic has been servicing our cars for years, great guy, has all the software etc and is very reasonable re pricing. he's well established.

but he has been under enormous stress over last few months, ppl out of the blue calling him, all times of night etc and just turning up to his garage. he said that a lot of decent private guys have dropped out of the trade due to the hassle of parts and stress with being overwhlemed with bookings. i seen it first hand when i was with him recently. he wont take on any more "new" ppl, as he is keeping with the current ppl who use him.

like brickies, this will be another trade gone to the wall in a afew years as not enough ppl are getting into it.

i can only make one comment re an NISSAN official garage we tried to deal with a couple of months ago, no call back, no repsonse to emails, bullsh1t service. it was to do with a recall - they'd no interest.