Where to service the car? Dealership vs conventional auto repair shops
Besides fuel and insurance, repair and maintenance costs are the biggest burden on every driver's budget. Should a visit to a mechanic be expensive?
Polish auto repair shops can be divided into three groups. The largest of these are independent self-employed companies. The other two are authorized service stations operating at car dealerships of specific brands and chain workshops, working according to the rules set by the major player that brings them together.
ASO: - We are expensive, but reliable
ASO services are most often used by owners of young cars. What speaks for ASO? Authorized services employ professionals who are constantly trained by concerns. The mechanics has special indices and is constantly monitored. Therefore, they must be able to quickly and correctly eliminate any defect.
The second argument, in his opinion, is access to knowledge about cars. Dealers can even contact the engineers of the car manufacturer they are trading with at any time. This helps in troubleshooting complex failures. Similar to authorized service equipment, which includes specialized tools designed for specific car models and electronic systems. Thanks to this, communication with the car computer is carried out easily and correctly.
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The car warranty is also important. Almost every manufacturer requires regular checks and repairs at an authorized service station for its maintenance. It is true that there is an EU GVO regulation that allows repairs in independent garages without voiding the warranty. But in disputable situations, inspections outside an authorized service station may become an argument for the importer of non-compliance with the car warranty, and the vehicle owner will have to defend his rights in court.
Network services: - We have no worse than ASO, but cheaper
Many drivers trust the so-called network services. Usually these are independent companies connected to a network of a certain brand and meeting its requirements. One of these seminars under the Bosch brand is held in Rzeszow by Pavel Hoffman. He makes sure that the quality of services on his site is not worse than on ASO.
“My employees deal with seemingly hopeless cases. Like the mechanics of authorized stations, we also participate in many trainings and have access to the latest equipment and computer programs, emphasizes Pavel Hoffman. According to him, the level of training of employees and the equipment of the workshop gives him an advantage over non-network services: - Many mechanics who work independently do not even have a computer and repair cars in the dark, by trial and error. error. And often they do not give a guarantee for the services provided.
