Dealer Service or Independent - Provenance

As an owner one should go to the department that they trust.
An owner should consider what is important to them and them alone, and chose based upon who best provides those items deemed important. As a buyer, it may be different. I personally know several independent shop owners / technicians that I would trust with my Ferrari, who provide an excellent service to owners all across the United States. Many I have even recommended when asked.

There are good and bad on both sides of the table, which is why I started my reply with you, as the owner, need to visit the department that you trust.

I'd ask others in this thread to list what is important to them, as they add their replies below.

Examples:
1. Price / Cost
2. Value
3. Warranty of repairs
4. Warranty repair options ( where a warranty repair could be performed if needed )
5. Inclusion / Invitations to special events
6. Quality of waiting room
7. Alternate transportation
8. Time to repair
9. Condition of vehicle upon return ( filled with fuel or washed )
10. Ability to use aftermarket parts vs OEM only
11. One stop shop ( Body work, wheels & tires, service, repair, etc )
12. Facility
13. Customer Service
14. Manufacture support vs BBB
15.

I could go on.

Steve

 

Excellent answer Steve.

To the OP. There are great dealers. Then some are train wrecks. Same with independent shops. Some of both try to be everything to every Ferrari owner. To the best of my knowledge that place does not exist. Be selective based on the car in question and do not fall back on a place because it is convenient.

 

I don't look at the sign planted outside, I look at the quality of service provided in the shop.

If it happens to be a dealership that I choose, it won't be because it is a dealership. If it happens to be an independent shop, it won't be because I am trying to save $$.

 

I think it should be both. You need to get into the dealer periodically (every 3-5 years), because they have access, tools, etc. your independent might not have. But most things your independent can take care of. I have two nice independents to work with, but one didn't have the machine for transmission mounts and the other one doesn't do tires. A belt service completed before purchase, but the timing was off and the engine light kept coming on, so we had the dealer redo it. I think having an independent gives a lot of flexibility, plus they have some really great people working there, typically trained when some of these older cars came out, but every now and then, there'll prob be a reason to use your dealer

 

IMHO .. as long as the indie is known ( in a good sense) here or in Ferrari circles and you have the paperwork to prove the work .. I would say that is as good if not better than having the work done at the dealer
Most of the time the owner is the one working on the car and will be the same person working in a year from now .. at a dealer that is probably not going to happen

 

As a guy that doesn't have the luxury of picking between the 2 options. Closest Ferrari dealership is either Atlanta or Nashville. Both 2 hrs away from me. I had to find a qualified independent shop.

That led me to the local groups for recommendations. When I heard a shop name pop up a couple of times, I told myself that I'll just show up and talk to them and should figure out their level of capabilities with a Ferrari instead of calling and getting the generic "yeah, we can work on those" answer.

They said "what are you looking at?"
-I said F430.
-go talk to Derrick!

I spent an hour listening to his indepth knowledge of the 430 and all the other Ferraris he's touched, complained about and fixed.

That's my spot now, and I'm confident my car will be in good hands with them.

I also checked their Facebook page and saw a lot of Italian come through there.

Good luck. As long as you're comfortable with the shop, just keep the paperwork and you're good.

 

Well, speaking frankly, you know, in full disclosure, I have found the crankier an independent is, the better they are. I'm just saying.

 

I went for many years in a dealer not allowed to express my opinion. I no longer have a barrier to doing so and have on a number of occasions shown people the door and I continue to have a willingness to do so. But I have also made many great friends in this business.

 

I won't let a person under the age of 50 touch a flat 12.

A friend of mine broke my rule with that the other day and paid for it dearly.

 

Verstappen?

 

I meant for service lol.