Why Lasco

Is Dealer-Backed Service Actually More Expensive?

The short answer: usually not. Here’s the real data, and what we do differently.

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The Straight Answer

No — And the Data Says So

It’s a fair question, and an honest one deserves a straight answer: being backed by a dealership does not mean you’ll pay more here. According to Cox Automotive’s 2025 Service Industry Study, the average dealership repair invoice came in at $261, against $275 at general repair shops. Kelley Blue Book calls the opposite belief — that dealers always cost more — perception bias rather than reality.

The perception exists for a reason. New-car buyers remember a dealer’s sticker price on a big-ticket repair, or a service advisor upselling a maintenance package they didn’t ask for. That happens at some dealerships, and it’s fair to be wary of it. It’s just not the whole picture, and it’s not how this shop runs.

How We Price

How We Actually Price a Repair

Michigan law requires a written estimate before any repair over $50, and if a job is going to run more than 10% or $10 past that estimate, we have to call you before we go further — so we do, every time, regulation or not.

If you’ve already got a current written estimate from another licensed, registered repair facility for the identical parts and work, bring it in. We’ll match it or beat it — on parts and labor, not just parts. This guarantee can’t be combined with other coupons or specials, and it doesn’t apply to commercial or fleet pricing, but otherwise: if you found it cheaper somewhere else in writing, tell us.

Why It Works

Why Factory Training Can Actually Save You Money

Our technicians are factory-certified — more than one manufacturer’s program, plus master techs qualified across every make and model — and they work with factory diagnostic equipment, not a generic code reader. That combination tends to mean a correct diagnosis the first time, which matters more to your final bill than the shop’s hourly rate. A repair that gets misdiagnosed once, then fixed twice, costs more than the same job done right the first time at almost any labor rate.

A tire chain or quick-lube down the street can hire good people. What it can’t do is send them to a manufacturer’s own training program, because it isn’t a franchised dealer. We can, and we have.

What It Buys You

What “Dealer-Backed” Actually Means

We’re a service of Grand Blanc Mitsubishi, part of the Lasco Auto Group — we say so on every page, because hiding it would mean giving up the advantage to avoid a label. Being dealer-backed means your service history lives in the manufacturer’s own system, not a paper file that disappears if a shop changes hands. It means VIN-level recall and TSB checks on every visit, on any make. And it means the parts and tooling investment a single independent shop usually can’t justify.

None of that requires you to pay dealership sticker prices. It just means the same investment that used to only show up in the price also shows up in the outcome — and we’d rather compete on that than on who can advertise the lowest number in the phone book.

Questions

Straight Answers

Do dealership-backed shops always charge more for the same repair?

Not according to the data. Cox Automotive's 2025 study found the average dealership repair invoice ($261) actually came in lower than the average independent shop invoice ($275). Being dealer-backed is not the same as being the most expensive option in town.

Will you always use OEM (dealer) parts?

No. We install both OEM and aftermarket parts depending on your vehicle, your budget and what you ask for, and we'll walk you through the difference before we start. See our OEM vs. aftermarket page for the specifics.

What if I find a lower price somewhere else?

Bring us a current written estimate from a licensed, registered repair facility for the identical parts and work, and we'll match it or beat it — on parts and labor. It just needs to be in writing and current, not a verbal quote.

Are diagnostic fees higher here than at an independent shop?

We diagnose first and quote second, always, and we'll tell you plainly what we found before any work starts. Every estimate is written, and Michigan law requires that above $50 anyway.