Where you take your car for regular service can either save you money or cost you plenty.
Consumer Reports Eric Evarts gathered quotes for routine maintenance service from several dealerships and discovered the cost of service could differ by more than $150 -- and that was before add-ons.
"The dealers all set their own prices and their own menus of service items, and we found that most of them included extra items above and beyond what was in the owners' manual," Evarts said.
More than half of the 27 dealerships surveyed wanted to charge for extra work. But you don't always have to go to a dealer.
"According to the law, you can take your car anywhere you want to have regular maintenance performed," Evarts said.
Consumer Reports found that independent repair shops often charged less than the dealerships or big chains, sometimes by as much as $300.
But don't count out dealers altogether as they often have seasonal specials and can do basic maintenance like oil and filter changes at very competitive prices. Just watch out for the extras.
For example, Mr. Lube charged $45.98 plus tax for an oil change -- while at a Toyota dealer it cost $42.95 plus tax.
So when it's time to take your car in for maintenance, it pays to get quotes from both dealerships and independent shops.
And no matter where you get your car serviced, Consumer Reports says to be sure to check the work being done against your manual to be sure you're not getting taken for a ride.
When it comes to finding a good mechanic, Consumer Reports says the best place to start is word-of-mouth. Ask around for recommendations from friends.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
