Car Repair: National Chain, or Independent Mechanic?
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by: lucyjones
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When you need a car repair, the first choice you have to make is: national chain or independent mechanic? Although there are plenty of independent mechanics around, you may find that a national chain is a better choice for three reasons.
The first reason is speed. Chains reduce the amount of time you spend waiting for a repair to be done because they can afford to have larger inventories of parts on hand, meaning you and the mechanics dont waste time waiting for parts to come in. Chains also have larger staffs, so if a repair is a two man job or its possible to speed up the car repair by adding extra mechanics to the job, the repair shop has the people to do the job.
The second reason is an assurance of quality. Chains hire only licensed and certified mechanics. Plus, the more employees a shop has, the more likely it is to have a specialist for each part of the car, which means the shop is more likely to be able to diagnose unusual problems and to have someone who can do difficult and highly specialized repairs.
The third reason is convenience. The warranties that independent mechanics offer on their car repair are generally good only at their own shop. If youre caught away from home, what good is a warranty for a shop a hundred miles away? On the other hand, national chains are spread across the country, so there are few areas you can travel to where you will be more than an easy drive or a short tow of a shop where your warranty is good. That can mean considerable savings for you.
You can also get personalized service at a chain just as easily as at an independent mechanics. Getting to know a particular mechanic at your local branch is just as easy as getting to know a mechanic at an independent shop. The nationally accessible records that chains keep are also extremely helpful in getting personal service. When you need a car repair at a different branch than you normally go to, the mechanics there have immediate access to your repair history. Rather than laboriously explaining your cars quirks to yet another mechanic, the information can be there in writing. This makes it even more likely that the mechanics will diagnose the necessary car repair correctly, instead of being distracted by your cars quirks.
The next time you need car repair, consider all the benefits national chains can offer you. As one of your most important belongings, your car deserves the best care possible. National chains can give your car that care.
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