Mechanical

The Best Repair Shops for Your Car in 2023

by Guillaume Rivard
Photo: Lexus

Canada’s auto service market has declined to a pre-pandemic level of $9.1 billion this year, down from $10.9 billion in 2022, according to the J.D. Power 2023 Canada Customer Service Index—Long-Term (CSI-LT) Study released today.

Dealerships have grown their overall share of the market to 61 percent in 2023 from 58 percent in 2022. That incremental 3 percentage points of market share translates to more than $250 million in revenue. Aftermarket facilities account for the remaining 39 percent.

Blame Inflation

Unsurprisingly, customers in Canada are paying more for maintenance and repair work than they did a year ago. The average cost per visit at a dealership is $432, up from $394 in 2022, while the average cost per visit at an independent shop is $262, an increase of $15.

Photo: Volkswagen

“Inflation has certainly had an effect on automotive service,” said J.D. Ney, automotive practice lead at J.D. Power Canada. “Average spend per service visit is up year over year at both dealerships and aftermarket facilities—yet the number of service visits is down.

The study also found that aftermarket facilities correctly complete service work the first time 95 percent of the time, while dealers' success rate is at 93 percent.

Where Should You Go?

J.D. Power Canada conducted a survey among 8,188 owners of vehicles that are 4-12 years old (still under warranty or not) to assess their usage and satisfaction of service shops. Dealerships’ overall score of 799 points on a scale of 1,000 is lower than that of aftermarket facilities with 808 points.

Photo: J.D. Power Canada

Lexus and Volkswagen dealerships lead the way in 2023. In fact, the former rank highest for the second consecutive year. Toyota dealerships round out the podium, while Subaru dealerships finish dead last. Shocked?

In the aftermarket service segment, Jiffy Lube sits atop the ranking, followed by Great Canadian Oil Change. On the flip side, Canadian car owners are the least satisfied with Canadian Tire and Costco.

Photo: J.D. Power Canada
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