For students seeking to eliminate that funny sound emanating from somewhere underneath their car’s hood, finding the right repair shop can be a chore.
Fortunately, the number of businesses beckoning students to seek their help for their ailing automobiles is nearly infinite.
From dealers’ service departments to independent repair shops, students seem to have their own way of finding the right place to provide anything from routine maintenance to collision repair.
Psychology sophomore Matt Peralta said he goes to an independent business on Burbank Drive near his home.
“They have really fast service and really good prices,” Peralta said. Peralta said he is not inclined to take his car to a dealer because it is a used vehicle, and repairs would be too expensive.
With his last car, he said, he went to a dealer, who charged him $280 to fix his brake problem.
When he had to get the same problem fixed three months later, he went to an independent mechanic shop, which charged him about half of the dealer’s cost.
Kelly Porter, a political science senior, had a different take on getting her car repaired.
Porter said she usually goes to a dealer’s service department because it offers several advantages.
“It’s usually easier to get parts,” Porter said. “I guess they would know the car better.”
Porter said, however, she has been to other dealerships that have delayed repairs to wait on a mechanic who was able to fix her car.
She has also been to smaller, independent shops, which sometimes offer better prices.
Edward DeLeon, service manager and customer relations manager at Audubon Ford, said his service department is often the best bet for car owners.
“We have certified technicians that are trained to work on Ford vehicles,” DeLeon said.
DeLeon said people usually do not bring other makes of cars to the service department at Audubon Ford, but for Ford vehicles,
“We generally stock a lot of parts here,” DeLeon said.
“Our work turnaround depends on what kind of work you’re having done,” DeLeon said.
He said general maintenance at Audubon Ford was as fast as at other repair shops.
Rodney Purvis, manager of Champ’s Collision Center, said he has worked both at a dealership and at an independent repair business, and he is able to compare the service received at each.
“I really can’t say there’s a difference,” Purvis said.
Purvis added even though most dealers carry parts in-house, independent businesses generally are able to provide faster service because they can shop around for parts and are not forced to order from one company.
If students find the auto repair decision overwhelming, they can follow the example of psychology sophomore Mandi Harvill to find the proper repair shop.
“It’s where my parents go,” Harvill said.