26th Aug 2011, 09:22

In my experience there is no reason to think the dealers are better than the tire franchises. Both groups tend to be overpriced and tend to fix things that don't need to be fixed yet.

In fact I have the best experience with an independent shop that sees all kinds of cars. I advise people to look for such a shop. Ask people who they use and why. Eventually you find a shop that is trustworthy. Look for one that has been around for a long time, and where personal turnover is very slow. In the end, it depends which individual mechanic is working on your vehicle.