When you need to get some work done on your car, there are really two choices – the dealer or an independent shop. So, which do you pick?

When the first automobile dealerships were established, it was quickly seen that to really offer full service to customers, a repair and maintenance shop was going to have to be part of the dealership. This set up a competition between the independent mechanics who were being called "shade tree mechanics." The dealer versus independent mechanic competition was not very great in the beginning because the dealer mechanics were more geared toward the idea of preventive maintenance and warranty work on newer automobiles.

At the same time the independent mechanic was more used to working on a variety of older vehicles and was not as involved in the preventive type of work that was so often done by the owner of the vehicle. Also, a whole generation of young males, and even some females, was raised with a love of tinkering with automobiles. Simple skills such as tune ups, spark plug replacements, and oil changes were being done in back yards and garages around the world. The "shade tree" auto repair shop was as much a haven for mechanically inclined amateurs as it was a business establishment.

As the automobile industry grew and became more competitive, the quality of the parts and service departments of the dealerships rose considerably. The idea was to keep the customers happy and satisfied with the particular make of vehicle sold by the dealership. The specialization and knowledge of the engineering of various models was a selling point for the dealership mechanic. The independent was forced to keep up with an ever increasing number of models and increased complexity.

The impression that grew from these changes was interesting. The dealership mechanics were generally viewed as both very honest and also very expensive. The independents were viewed as a bit more exploitive, but much less expensive. The feeling was that if you were absolutely unsure of what was wrong with your vehicle, the dealership shop was the place to go. This was because it was understood that the main purpose of the dealership repair shop was to make satisfied and repeat buyers. The independents were much more interested in survival and paying their own rent. They were not backed by the dealership or the auto makers.

This has pretty much changed today. The modern automobile is a complex mix of mechanical and electrical systems. Tinkering with them is not quite as easy as it once was and the knowledge and skill level of the mechanic has grown. The idea of dealership versus independent mechanic has now become just a matter of two options. Both the dealership mechanic and the independent mechanic need to be highly trained to be successful. For the automobile owner, now mainly unable to do much by himself, this is beneficial because competition always benefits the consumer.

Locate reputable car mechanics near you at CarMechanicShops.com.