Modern cars need little maintenance and most people are using the dealer. If you want to save money and help out a local business, try an independent auto repair shop! I like the recommendations below and wanted to share them with you. CHECKBOOK recommends you do the following to help improve your auto repair results: Whenever possible, compare prices, especially for big repairs. CHECKBOOK found some shops charge more than three times as much as their nearby competitors for the same work. Deal with the shop in a business-like way, and be especially thorough in the first few years, while you are getting acquainted. Write down a detailed description of the car's symptoms, give a copy to the shop, and ...