For car owners, car maintenance are a must. For our peace of mind, we have to make sure that we get frequent oil changes, tune ups, and check ups. Preventive maintenance helps us avoid breakdowns due to worn-out parts and costly repairs down the line.
Now the question of where to have our car serviced can be quite the dilemma. We can always have our cars serviced at the dealership which we refer to as “casa.” Or, we can have them serviced at third party talyers (whether the swanky ones or the backyard ones).
We do put a premium to casa servicing, that secondhand cars are often tagged with “casa maintained” to say that the owner has spent a good amount keeping the car in good running condition. The question is, are they worth it?
What Are the Benefits of Casa Maintenance?
Let’s first weigh the good and the bad. Here are some advantages of casa maintenance:
Access to Diagnostic Equipment and Service Manuals
Modern cars often feature proprietary engineering. Casa technicians have access to the service manuals and technical bulletins to perform fixes according to manufacturer specifications.
Modern cars also have plenty of electronics and sensors. They’re also designed to throw error codes. Manufacturers are making it hard for third-party mechanics to properly diagnose these codes by making sure that only proprietary hardware and software can properly read these codes.
So, if you want a proper initial diagnosis through a scan, your best bet is to bring your car to the casa.
Warranty on Parts and Services
To be fair, casa servicing does guarantee the parts and services that they will perform on your car. It’s irritating to have back jobs but at least you get a window where you can just bring the car back and have them fix whatever it was they’ve supposedly fixed. Most talyer would only guarantee service and not the parts that are replaced.
Cozy Waiting Lounge
Perhaps one of the nice things about getting your car serviced in the casa is the waiting lounge. These are often airconditioned spaces in which you can stay while you wait. There are individual tables and chairs and couches. Often, there’s free-flowing coffee and some snacks like biscuits and crackers to nibble on.
What Are the Disadvantages of Casa Maintenance?
Then there’s the bad. Here are some disadvantages:
Expensive
Casa maintenance is expensive. Dealerships charge a price premium for their parts and services. And don’t just fall for the “guaranteed original parts” thing. The same original parts you can actually get from Banawe parts dealers for at least 20% cheaper. I’ve seen some dealerships even source parts from Banawe stores when they’re in a rush and even have the gall just bump the price to their “SRP.”
You also get charged for everything even for the most minor jobs and supplies. Even one piece of trapo, which you can buy per kilo from your hardware store, will be charged ten times the price. Sure, you get some “free” stuff like engine wash and car wash. But those are simply baked into the costs anyway.
Servicing is Hidden from Sight
Most casas have their service bays hidden from your sight. Some service advisers I’ve talked to in the past claim that this is for workplace safety reasons. There’s a valid argument there. Cars are often mounted on lifters for servicing and that’s basically a hazard.
But there’s value in seeing your car actually being serviced. One time, I specifically requested to have my wheels rotated since it was due anyway. I told that to the service advisor (and was even charged for it) but later found out wasn’t actually performed. I marked the wheels with chalk prior. I’m sure I would’ve caught that earlier and saved me the bother of raising hell about the issue.
No Guarantee of Quality
If you think that casa mechanics are the best, think again. We’ve had our fair share of casa mechanics bungling their work. One time, I caught them leaving a sandwich wrapper inside the cabin right after servicing. Another time, they over-torqued the oil drain plug which they had to replace the next servicing.
Slow
Another beef I have with casa maintenance is that it’s slow. There’s a bunch of stuff you have to go through like a talk with the service adviser for work to be done and inspection and checks before servicing actually begins. An oil change and routine checks that can be done in under an hour can last two to three hours in a casa.
What’s the Catch?
It’s all about the warranty. Dealerships will insist that you only have your car serviced in the casa, otherwise you can void your warranty. You surely wouldn’t want to play the odds after buying a brand new car. Faults can arise any time. If a major part like the engine or transmission that croaks within the supposed warranty period and you voided the warranty in favor of cheaper oil changes, sucks to be you.
With the crazy offers of Chinese car brands on warranty, you’d be crazy not to keep them serviced in authorized casas. Many now offer 5-year warranties with free labor, somewhat offsetting the cost factor for routine maintenance service.
My rule is that while the brand new car is under warranty, I will get it serviced at the recommended intervals at the casa. Otherwise, I’m going to my trusted talyer. Preventive maintenance schedules indicating which parts need to be inspected and replaced are available online anyway. And the good ones know these guidelines too. Some upscale talyers can rival the casa experience with their own proper equipment and customer lounges.