Car Repair Deals at the Dealership

People always ask me how to save money when it comes to car purchases and maintenance, so you will want to know how I just scored big on a repair—at a car dealership. Dealerships are known for their hefty pricing compared to an independent mechanic’s shop. Some folks feel it’s worth it for the extra peace of mind they receive; others not. When I worked for a dealer, of course I had my car serviced there. It was convenient and I took advantage of employee pricing. That was years ago, so what do I do now? I take advantage of advertised deals plus the ones I create, and believe it or not, sometimes it’s at the dealership.

Before I tell you about my latest coup, let me backtrack. I needed tires. Tire deals are available 24/7 and you can get great prices at Costco and Discount Tire. However, my car is older, I drive very little, and I didn’t want to invest in a new set. I mentioned this to my mechanic at North County Motor Works in Escondido and he referred me to A4A Tire Company where I was able to pick up a slightly used set of four Continental Touring tires, installed, balanced, etc., for $250.00. They’re also great if you need one tire.

After they were installed, I checked out alignment ad specials, and then promptly forgot to have the work done. Fast forward: I had to go to the dealer, BMW of Vista, for an airbag recall. While there, of course they told me other things that my car needed, including an alignment. Their cost was $366.00. They were not busy and offered to do it right then. It would have been convenient, but at that price? No way! When I had shopped around for specials, I found pricing around $89 – $129.

My first comment to the service advisor was, “Can you give me a compelling reason why I should spend $366 for an alignment when I can get it done for around $100?” His response: “If I can match the price, will you let us do the work today?” That sounded good to me. He called Discount Tire where I thought I had gone for pricing, but they did not offer alignments. No problem. We quickly agreed on $99 total; there’s no tax on a service.

Viola! A little over an hour later, my little Beemer was returned to me, washed and ready to go. Will you see a savings like I did—over 70% off? If you don’t ask, you don’t get! It helps to be prepared.