Do I Have To Go To The Dealer For Mercedes Auto Repair Service? | Grapevine, TX

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So, you’ve just bought a Mercedes-Benz (new or used). Congratulations! This brand of luxury European import is beautiful, fast, and made of quality parts. You love your car, and you likely want to take care of it. You might be wondering if you have to go to the dealership for Mercedes auto repair service. After all, everyone knows that dealerships are generally more expensive for repair work, so it is necessary?

We’re diving into this question to provide you with a detailed argument on why the dealership isn’t your only option for Mercedes auto repair services.

LET’S TALK WARRANTIES

Some dealerships suggest that your car’s warranty will be void if you go for auto repair services at an independent repair shop. That is simply not true. Warranties have clear instructions on what maintenance work needs to be done and at what time. As long as you keep your receipts for your records, you won’t have any problems. If any questions arise about your Mercedes auto repair services, you can prove that you’ve been doing all of the necessary work with paperwork.

Pro Tip: Make sure you go to a professional auto repair shop, so there is no question you received proper maintenance on your vehicle. Additionally, it can be useful to provide your repair shop with a copy of the warranty so they can understand the details of the work that needs to be done.

EQUIPMENT

The dealership might suggest that they’re the only ones who have the correct equipment and parts to deal with your European car. However, there are plenty of independent auto repair shops that choose to specialize in European import cars, including Mercedes auto repair. These dealerships have the exact same equipment as your Mercedes dealership, if not more.

For residents of Grapevine, TX, Import Car Center has all the proper equipment and parts to handle any Mercedes auto repair requests.

PRICE

Your Mercedes dealership has every reason to push you coming back to them for auto repair services. Most notably, they charge a premium on service work, taking a nice profit from your desire to do what’s best for your car. Many dealerships sell vehicles at a break-even price, or a loss, hoping that they will make money back in years of oil changes, new tires, and other repairs.

However, that perception that a dealership is better for repairs and maintenance services is simply not accurate. According to a Consumer Reports 2014 survey, independent mechanics ranked higher than dealerships for price, quality, customer satisfaction, courteousness, and on-time repairs.

There’s no doubt you should avoid the dealership when it comes to maintenance and repairs if cost is a concern for you. A study from AutoMD found that the average consumer saves approximately 25% on their bill, or an average of $300 a year, by going to an independent repair shop. Over the years, seeking Mercedes auto repair at an independent shop versus a dealership can save you thousands of dollars.

SOME DEALERSHIP CLAIMS

Dealerships often make specific claims to convince you that you must go to them for quality Mercedes auto repair. Let’s look at some of these claims more closely:

OILS & FLUIDS ONLY THE DEALERSHIP CAN GET

Some dealerships like to say that your Mercedes requires special oils and fluids that are only available through the dealership. While your Mercedes does need specific oils that may not be what the average car takes, rest assured, the oils and fluids are easily accessible to any repair shop.

INDEPENDENT MECHANICS DO NOT HAVE THE SPECIALIZED TRAINING

According to your Mercedes dealership, the only mechanics that know how to work on Mercedes vehicles work at their dealership, right? Wrong. Many mechanics are trained in European cars and choose to take extra training in this classification. While your average independent auto repair shop may not have extensive European vehicle knowledge, a specialized repair shop will.

Import Car Center specializes in the maintenance and repair of all European car brands.

ONLY THE DEALERSHIP CAN GET FACTORY PARTS

At some point, your Mercedes will require parts to be replaced. As with the other arguments presented by dealerships, this point is entirely not valid. Thanks to the internet and many repair shop connections, the network for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts is massive. There is no doubt that an independent shop can get their hands on the parts you need, and usually at a much lower price!

RECALLS

There is one instance when you should always go to a dealership, and that is with recalls. When a manufacturer announces a recall, it’s willing to absorb all the repair costs associated with the service. The manufacturer will not reimburse you if you try to go to an independent shop for the recall services. Additionally, the manufacturer may not share pertinent information with customers on what the recall requires. So, an independent shop doesn’t have the insider information to make the necessary repairs anyways. When it comes to recalls, your local Mercedes dealership is the answer.

Pro Tip: Never ignore a recall notice, as they sometimes can be life-threatening problems that need to be addressed. For example, in January 2020, Mercedes recalled 750,000 cars because of a hazard that sunroofs could detach from some models of vehicles. Obviously, a detached sunroof could be incredibly hazardous to both the vehicle passengers and other drivers on the road.

Hopefully, we have convinced you that you don’t have to go to your dealership for Mercedes maintenance and auto repair work. Your car can be taken care of at any quality repair shop for a fraction of the cost.

MERCEDES AUTO REPAIR

Are you looking for Mercedes auto repair in Grapevine, TX? The Import Car Center has been providing quality import auto repair and maintenance services locally for several years. We specialize in European cars, including Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volvo, Volkswagen, Jaguar, Porsche, and more. We have a parts department with all of your factory and aftermarket car parts. Schedule your first appointment now.