I have used a main dealer for the last few years but last week I started using the small independent garage again. I had an MOT last week and they changed £10 to install my wing mirror and £30 to get my wing repaired enough to get it through the MOT. This morning I dropped my car at the body shop and the guy drove me to the station and will pick me up later and is replacing the wing for £150. Not only am I getting good value for money but excellent service too. Who do you use?

Car still under warranty so Main Dealer for now.

Independent garage for me. We've never had a car new enough to be under a warranty!

I used one garage on recommendation. They served me well for over a decade, until the proprietor retired. The new guys meant well, but we always had the impression they were piling on faults to make a bit extra. After a round of expensive repairs which eventually led us to write off and essentially scrap one car, we gave them the elbow.

Now we use a friend of a friend. He's turned out to be both cheap and reliable, and knows his baby Fiats, which is a bonus.

I was having mine serviced by an indie but as it turns out he made a bit of an arse of it. Used cheapo parts which caused a couple of longer term issues. In the end I had to take it to a dealer to get them sorted. The dealer was in fact really good. More expensive yes but not insanely so. So now I use them.

Much better than the previous main dealer I had used, who forgot to replace (as in put back) an oil filter during a service resulting in all the oil in my car pouring out all over an Asda car park. I was not impressed.

I think the base point is this : if you find a good garage, dealer or indie, stick with them.


Jon

Local Ford dealer. They're reliable and no more expensive than many indies.

Had terrible trouble when I had a Fiat though, because the local main dealer couldn't do anything right but still charged through the nose. Never buying a Fiat again...

Can we have multiple selects pelase

Servicing is done via Indie (as it requires VAGCom and not worth the hassle for me getting messy) as are technical repairs (like anything that requires proper dismantling of the car)

Some repairs I'll do myself though, stuff like replacement of a coil pack or changing brake pads/discs (All I need is for a place to press my bearings and some impact tools to remove some stubborn bolts) or even some handbrake/engine work I'll give a shot myself. Replaced the radiator on my old accord myself, saved myself a bomb doing that (£50 for the rad + 5 in jubilee clips instead of £250+ for an OEM repair... got the radiator from an OEM supplier that was local!)

Replacing the indicator relay was a PITA but did that myself, £35 for the part and a bent knife to ease the fascia off

Though I am needing a new indie as my old one is over an hours drive away now which means a full day off for any work

Done - just for you Fin

In Notts either DIY or independent

In Donny either DIY, Dad or independent who also happens to be a friend

Cheers

DIY, partly because we both have ancient cars, but also partly because I refuse to be ripped off to the tune of £60 an hour for things I can do myself with a bit of grunt and sweat.

When I had my fiesta, it was a local independent garage that my dad had used for years. With the Golf, for the three years it was in warranty, it was the dealer. Modifications were carried out by independent garage. The two faults it developed were fixed under warranty. I've just had an interim service (oil change at six months, upgraded sparkies, blow out of filtere of CAI, cam follower inspection and replacement) by a VW-specialist independent. Unfortunately they're around 50 miles away. So far I've not had any problems since it has come out of warranty.

We have our Citroens looked at by a friend of a friend who is both cheap and good. He's also local, which helps.

Main dealer as it's still under warranty & has a service package with it (& I don't have to pay for it)

So a lot of people with flash cars then

I take my shoes to the cobblers, but tend to have to just replace my walking shoes/boots as they wear. That's the nearest thing I can give to a sensible answer. Sorry.