OnRamp Repair Shop Guide
Part 1: Finding the right repair shop
One of the most frequent questions we are asked is where you should take your car to get it repaired. The answer depends on a number of factors. If your vehicle is under an original factory warranty, you must go to one of your vehicle’s dealerships for repairs if you want it covered by the warranty. So if you’ve got a Honda, you must go to a Honda dealer to get warranty service. Note that this is not always true of extended warranties which may provide coverage at multiple shops. One caution: in general, OnRamp does NOT recommend getting an extended warranty. They rarely cover the things that tend to wear out and fail, and therefore hardly ever end up saving you money.
If the car is out of warranty, then we recommend checking online to find a local independent repair shop with ASE-certified mechanics. Try to find a shop that warranties their work. These shops tend to use the best quality repair parts, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that if something they’ve repaired fails soon afterwards, that part will be covered. Look through online reviews and ask friends and neighbors about their own experiences at the shops you are considering. EVERY shop will have a handful of bad reviews and angry customers. Broken vehicles cause stress and expense, and no shop can please everyone every time. But look for overall trends. Were most people you actually know pleased with the service they received? Did the shop communicate well while they had the vehicle? Were repairs done in a timely fashion? If problems arose, did the shop work hard to fix the issue?
What about cost? Shops that use certified mechanics, factory (OEM) parts, and warranty their work will charge roughly the same prices, which are usually set “by the book.” There is an actual book that specifies the hours a given repair job should take for a particular vehicle. Each shop will have an hourly labor rate, and the total charge will be the book hours x the labor rate + the cost of parts. If the only way to reduce the price significantly is to go with cheaper, non-factory parts or less expensive, usually non-certified mechanics. That is an option, and many people have to go this route because they don’t have enough money for a top-tier repair. But if you choose this option, you need to be aware of the risks. You are unlikely to get a decent warranty, if any at all. The non-factory parts may have significantly less life, and the quality and safety of the repair could be jeopardized by the mechanic’s lack of training and experience. Also, there is an increased risk of misdiagnosis with this option since the mechanic may have less training and less sophisticated tools at his disposal. Misdiagnosis can lead to greater overall costs and longer delays. None of this is certain – you could get lucky and end up with a great repair at much less cost. But it is a risk.
One note for owners of newer vehicles: the more high-tech your vehicle, the fewer shops you will be able to choose from. You will have to rely on dealerships or high-end independent shops that have enough money to invest in the expensive, sophisticated equipment and tools your vehicle requires.
Finally, we strongly encourage you to consider these options, do your research, and choose your repair shop BEFORE your vehicle breaks down. While it’s still running, you have time to make a good decision. You also have an opportunity to “test” a new shop by having them do simple maintenance like an oil change. See how they treat you and your vehicle. This will help you make an informed decision whenever major repairs are needed.