A new survey was released by AutoMD.com recently and it shows that more and more car owners trust independent auto shops over dealerships when it comes to repairs.
3,000 car owners were surveyed and a full 80% stated that they felt they were overcharged by dealerships, while 90% felt they could save money by having independent auto shops work on their vehicles.
There is also a matter of trust. The survey also showed that 67% trust independents while only 33% trust their dealers. Another interesting note was that the majority who went to dealerships for repairs said they go there because of warranties or recalls; not exactly a vote of confidence. They also stated that they would go to independents if it were not for the warranties on their newer cars and trucks.
These findings are certainly in line with what we have heard at All Import Auto Parts. What the survey did not mention is that do-it-yourselfers are increasing in the United States. In other words, those who feel they can save money by doing the work themselves have increased by a whopping 34%, and that is good news all around for salvage yard owners as well as car and truck owners.
Let’s face it, not many in today’s economy can afford to pay $75 per hour to have a mechanic replace a windshield or brakes. Not many can afford to pay $75 for a simple headlight replacement. There are so many replacement jobs that can be done at home, so why not save the money on labor?
As for parts, buying recycled parts at your local salvage yard is as good as gold when it comes to cost. Salvage yards like All Import Auto Parts can save you upwards of 50% on used parts as opposed to buying new aftermarket parts. That can mean a savings of hundreds of dollars on things like transmissions or engines. Can you really afford to throw good money away when you and some buddies could do the work yourselves?
We can hear some saying, “but used parts aren’t reliable,” and to that we would say that all parts purchased carry a basic warranty on them, and extended warranties are available on most parts. Considering the fine craftsmanship on most cars and trucks today, buying new parts really isn’t necessary.
If you are tired of paying through the nose for new parts and for the cost of labor, then you might consider becoming one of many who are now seeing the wisdom of doing repairs yourself. And of course getting parts at your favorite Ft. Worth salvage yard.