Independent Auto Repair vs. Dealership Auto Repair: 5 Things to Consider

by Marjorie Steele, Cars for Keeps Social Media Manager

"Your dealership alternative" is becoming a familiar slogan among independent auto repair shops. To be sure, independent auto repair shops - like Cars for Keeps - would like to drink some of that warrantied service milkshake, but it's not just a ploy to steal business from auto dealerships. More and more vehicle owners are actively looking for better customer service, better prices and more comprehensive repair service than auto dealerships offer.

There are many factors to weigh when choosing between auto dealership repair service and service provided by independent repair centers. In some cases, the similarities between the two may be very close, making it difficult for vehicle owners to choose. To make matters worse, a lot of misinformation has been spread to consumers about warranties, cost and parts availability.

If you, a friend or family member is struggling to choose between auto dealership service and independent repair service, we encourage you to take the following into consideration:

Vehicle warranty. Contrary to popular belief, vehicle owners have the legal right to choose anyone to be their auto repair service provider to perform services not covered under warranty, without risking losing their warranty. There will always be some services and recall-related repairs which auto dealerships can offer at a lower cost (or for free) under warranty, but these are limited, especially as the vehicle ages.

Additionally, standard dealership warranties usually expire after 12 months or 12,000 miles; highly certified independent auto repair centers (like Cars for Keeps) can often offer extended parts and labor warranties which cover terms as long as 3 years.

OEM parts. Quality independent auto repair shops like Cars for Keeps have access to the same original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts auto dealerships do; independent repair shops are often able to get OEM parts from less expensive suppliers than dealer direct, passing those cost savings down to the customer. Also, OEM parts may not always be the best solution for auto repair, and they are certainly not always the most cost-effective, yet OEM parts are the only parts auto dealerships offer. Independent dealerships offer car owners a range of parts brands, allowing car owners to cut expenses by choosing non-OEM parts, if they need to.

Labor cost. Auto dealerships and independent repair shops track their technician's hours differently; dealerships tend to standardize allotted work time, offering technicians incentive to finish jobs more quickly. Independent repair shops typically track technician work by actual hours, passing along cost savings to the customer. Independent repair shops as a whole generally offer labor at 20% less than dealerships.

Technician experience. Last but not least, auto technician experience is a very important factor when it comes to auto repair. Auto dealership technicians receive highly specialized training specific to the auto brands the dealership sells. This gives dealership technicians firm expertise on a handful of auto brands, but it also means that technicians lack expert knowledge of other brands, hindering their breadth of expertise. Highly qualified independent auto technicians are cross-trained to work on a wide spectrum of vehicles, and for technicians who work at AAA approved, Bosch and NAPA Certified independent repair centers, their level of mechanical training and knowledge is quite extensive. Experienced independent repair technicians often develop better problem solving skills as a result of their diverse experience, allowing them to fix vehicles faster, more permanently and more thoroughly.

Of course, we at Cars for Keeps are biased towards independent auto repair, so if you're still skeptical, we encourage you to try making the comparison yourself. If you do, be sure to drop us a line and tell us about your experience!

How to Prepare Your Motorcycle to Ride on the Racetrack

Clean your motorcycle. This allows you to double check all key areas to make sure nothing is loose (which will be relevant in step 10.) It also makes it easier to check the motorcycle at technical inspection (the day of the event.)

Remove your center stand. This is for safety on the track. Almost all organizations require center stand removal. This is especially true for the more advanced (and therefore faster) groups. Some organizations and tracks may ask you to also remove your kickstand (side stand.)

Remove or tape up your mirrors. Sometimes removal is not an option, since it may be the only way your fairing is supported. In that case, tape up the mirrors so that if they contact the ground, the glass does not fall out on to the track surface.

Tape up your headlight(s)and signals. This includes the tail light and license plate light. If you can, remove the fuse for the headlight. With the headlight off, it reduces that chance of tape residue sticking to your headlight. Make sure to put the fuse back in before riding on the street again.

Check all of your controls, meaning clutch cable, throttle cable, brake lever, clutch lever, rear brake lever, and kill switch for proper operation. If they fail tech, you will have to get them fixed before you are allowed on the track. Doing it before you get to the track saves you stress if you have to do it while you are at the track. You are anticipating getting on the track and now you have to work on the motorcycle. Very stressful.

When you check your brakes, make sure you have enough brake pads to make it through the event. Riding hard on the racetrack will also cause you to use your brakes even harder. If you have new brakes pads installed before the event, try to get them seated and bedded in before the event.

Check your tires, both for tread wear and depth. Usually new or nearly new tires are required in order to pass tech. Badly worn tires will not pass tech and you may also be able to notice any unusual wear patterns on your tires, which might save you some aggravation early. An example of unusual wear would be bald sides on your front tire with tread in the center. This would indicate low front tire pressure, with the tire (tread) smoothing out while leaned over (turning) but keeping its shape while riding straight up and down.

Check your tire pressures and inspect your rims for damage (see step above.) You will probably have to adjust tire pressures before you get on the track, depending on various factors: your weight, the brand, the temperature, and the track surface. Check with your owner's manual, the track day organization, and your local tire representative for the best pressures for those conditions.

Clean and check your chain for proper slack and lubrication. You should not have a chain that is too loose or too tight. Check your owners manual for proper slack. Also make sure your chain is lubricated to prevent binding.

Make sure all your bodywork is properly supported and fastened. Do not have loose or flapping bodywork, it will fail tech inspection. Try not to have fur or other loose, flapping objects on your motorcycle. You will be asked to have those items removed before you can pass tech inspection and are allowed on the track.

Check your oil level. Try to change the oil if it has been a while to ensure that you have the best engine protection possible. The engine will be working especially hard on the track and dirty oil makes the job harder.

Drain your radiator and replace the glycol based coolant with water and a coolant substitute, such as Water Wetter or Engine Ice. Glycol based coolants are not allowed on the racetrack since they do not evaporate and leave the track surface slick (like oil.)

Secure your wheel weights (taped) on the rims. It prevents them from flying off while you are at high speed.

Make sure you have good valve stems and valve caps on your wheels.

If you have hard point saddle bags, remove the bags. The mounts can usually stay.

If you have auxiliary lights, it is a good idea to remove them. If they are fork mounted, they adversely affect handling and if they are frame mounted, they may become damaged in the event of a dropped bike. If you leave the lights on, tape them up. (If you have an on/off switch, leave them off. If you cannot turn them off, remove the fuse.)

An Interview with Michael: All About Brakes, Part I

by Colette Cooley, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

Michael Chan is our head mechanic at Cars For Keeps. It has been noted and commented on that Michael makes a few extra steps when he's doing a brake job, so I asked him what he does special when replacing the brakes on a car. His first reply was, “I do them fast”.

He also said, “These days when a cars brake pads need replacing, the rotors are usually down to their minimum specifications and the cost of replacing them versus the cost to have them turned is fairly close anyway, and it is good to put new to new together so both surfaces are correct." Michael went on to explain that when he's doing front brake pads and rotors, the hardware really should be changed out for new as well, but if the customer declines, "I will clean them up to get the corrosion off, then put a special lubricant on the slides and hardware to make sure it slides free and clear. "










When Michael takes the rotors off the hub, they are almost coated in corrosion, so he uses another special corrosion hub cleaner on it that gives it "a nice and true surface to mount the rotors, which cuts down on premature wear on the rotors." According to Michael, if the incorrect lubricant is used you may as well not bother cleaning the hub. "You must make sure all the caliper pins are lubricated correctly so as not to get uneven wear on the brake pads. We make sure the tire pressure is at spec on all brake jobs.”

I asked him what people can do to get the optimal performance life out of their brakes, and he came up with a surprising answer which will be covered in next week's blog - so stay tuned!

How to Replace Rear Brake Pads : How to Install a Wheel on a Car

Learn how to reinstall the wheel on a car after changing the brake pads on a car with expert automotive tips in this free online auto repair and car maintenance video clip. Expert: Mark Blocker Bio: Mark Blocker is a semi-retired ASE-certified master mechanic with more than 20 years of automotive experience. Filmmaker: Daron Stetner

Car Headlight Cleaning: Improving Nighttime Driving Visibility on the Cheap

by Rob Hopp, Cars for Keeps Owner

As the days grow shorter and nighttime driving increases, I figured it was the right time to discuss night vision.

Did you know that the headlamps on your car, truck or SUV fade over the years and miles? The sand and other debris they are constantly blasted with create layer upon layer of tiny scratches over the years, causing the headlights to be glazed with a haze that impairs the light output. In other words, your car's headlights inevitably become duller - and less safe - over the years. Dull and hazy headlights are dangerous for nighttime driving, and they're also unattractive on your vehicle.

When the automobile was first invented, early headlamps in the late 1880s were fueled by acetylene or oil, similar to the standard household lamps of the time. The first electric headlamps were introduced in 1898 on the Columbia Electric Car by the Electric Vehicle Company of Hartford, Connecticut, and were optional.

Today's automotive headlights are much more effective. The old, relatively flat glass headlight styles that were introduced in 1940 remained relatively unchanged until about 1983, when the U.S. Government first allowed the use of plastics in headlamp design. Plastic headlights combined with newer electric technology allowed the more powerful light output we're used to today. Not only do our modern plastic headlights improve car headlight durability and light output - they're also much easier to maintain.

Many drivers continue to drive as their ability to see in low light or dark conditions is degraded more and more as the plastic erodes. The loss of vision is so gradual, it is easy to ignore. Car owners who do inquire about replacing the lamps or lenses are shocked to find that they often cost over four hundred dollars EACH!

Maintaining a safe level of nighttime visibility shouldn't be out of the average driver's budget range. That's why Cars for Keeps offers an inexpensive solution. Using a patented four step restoration process, we can restore most dull headlamps to a like new condition in about an hour - at a fraction of the cost of headlight replacement.

If you’re vehicle's headlamps aren’t crystal clear, give Cars for Keeps a call today to see how we can help you keep the car!

Happy & safe driving!