Speaking of Hondas in Houston...

Then why not go to Honda Dealer ? All work is warranteed for 1 year.

Lynn

Because some dealers are good and some are bad. Also, turnover at a dealer is sometimes high and you don't really know who will be working on your car.

Another problem with dealers is that you have to talk to an relatively uninformed person, the "service writer" and rarely speak with the actual mechanic. Find a good independent specialist and you can communicate directly with the owner and/or mechanics.

Good independents are well worth supporting when you have one available.

John

John you are correct when you say when you have one available.

However just from my consumer point of view since I am not connected with the industry, I see that in the next ten years the indy shop will become as rare as the white rhino in Africa.

With the enormous cost of new diagnostic equipment and highly specialized and ever changing skills needed to service more and more technologically sophisticated electronics and advanced power plants (read hybrid and the hydrogen fuel cell) there will be no chance for the small indy shop to survive. I don't think that a shop can make a go of it even as a brake shop. At some point the manufacturers will devise a brake system that is so reliant on electronics that you will need a dealer out of necessity to do the service.

I am not saying which is better, but just stating what I see as the future of auto service.

Perhaps, but people have been saying that for at least 30 years now. Fuel injection, body control computers, etc. were all supposed to be the end of the independent. So far the aftermarket equipment suppliers have managed to keep the indy shop going, at least those shops with the ability to invest.

John

Check the mechanix files at Cartalk.com for their recomendations in your area. You are right on the money about using an independent shop. bob

the future of auto service is specialists to whom the dealer contracts out. this already happens with body work, audio install, glass, air conditioning, tires/alignment, injection, etc. there's absolutely no reason a consumer shouldn't work with those specialists direct. motorcycle dealers are already there - last dealer i visited did minor tune-up's, brakes, etc., but contracted everything else out.

: >> Then why not go to Honda Dealer ? All work is warranteed for 1 year. : >>

: >> Lynn : >>

: >>

: >

: > Because some dealers are good and some are bad. Also, turnover at a : > dealer is sometimes high and you don't really know who will be working on : > your car. : >

: > Another problem with dealers is that you have to talk to an relatively : > uninformed person, the "service writer" and rarely speak with the actual : > mechanic. Find a good independent specialist and you can communicate : > directly with the owner and/or mechanics. : >

: > Good independents are well worth supporting when you have one available. : >

: > John : >

: John you are correct when you say when you have one available. : : However just from my consumer point of view since I am not connected with : the industry, I see that in the next ten years the indy shop will become as : rare as the white rhino in Africa. : : With the enormous cost of new diagnostic equipment and highly specialized : and ever changing skills needed to service more and more technologically : sophisticated electronics and advanced power plants (read hybrid and the : hydrogen fuel cell) there will be no chance for the small indy shop to : survive. I don't think that a shop can make a go of it even as a brake shop. : At some point the manufacturers will devise a brake system that is so : reliant on electronics that you will need a dealer out of necessity to do : the service. : : I am not saying which is better, but just stating what I see as the future : of auto service. : I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, but in the Atlanta area, where I live now, I have my pick of at least two independent shops that can handle p retty much anything my current cars need (except alignment, and I have good options for that too). That's what I'm looking for in Houston. When I need someone to service my fuel-cell-powered flying rocket car in 10 years, I'll go to a dealer if I have to.

I've had mixed luck with dealers, although I will say I've done better with the Honda dealers here than with dealers for the other cars (other makes) that we've owned before.

Good idea on the Car Talk site -- I'll take a look.

Paul

IMO, you would be better off going to a dealer. Goodson Honda is on the Katy Freeway near Spring Branch. I have lived here 25 years and have not found a _good_ independent shop. Friends and I have been looking for a long time. I remember one shop that I took a company truck to to have the idler arm replaced a few years ago - a new tech they just hired had never seen an electric drill. He was absolutely amazed with it. You will need to speak fluent Spanish to many of the mechs at independent shops here.

Paul,

This is in Far NW Houston. I use them b/c I live here. Good work for decent price.

Burden Honda Care, 10754 Fm 1960 Rd W Houston TX 77070 (281) 955-2565

There is also HondaCar Shop. They are expensive.

I have heard Happy Honda on Hwy 6 between I10 & 290 does good work but I have never used them myself. A guy I worked with used them sometime ago and say they were good.