Maybe I’ve been lucky, none of my new cars have had any problems while under warranty.
And maybe my dealership problems were atypical, and maybe my local guy is atypical (he’s great).
My local shop has loaners available. The dealers have shuttles but I prefer to wait for the car, so I sometimes bring my laptop and use their wifi to work while waiting. Or yeah, sometimes I call it personal time and go into work late.
I’ve been lucky to not have any multiday mechanical repairs. For body work, I have rental car coverage and the company has the car ready for me to pick up at the body shop.
I was lucky at my last place, I lived close enough to walk to most of the places I used. I’d drop the vehicle off the night before, toss key in slot and walk home. Luckily I had two vehicles so I could still drive to work the next morning. I also had the bicycle option. One vehicle was a pickup truck and I had a bike rack that fit the car.
Now I live out in the country and the closest places are 5-6 miles. Within biking distance but too far to walk. The issue hasn’t come up since I moved out here. I’ve had tires put on but that was while-u-wait.
I live a 5 minute walk from my service station, have known the two oldest mechanics for almost twenty years. I trust them with everything.
But I also work in my basement, so it’s a simple matter of dropping it off, walking home, and walking back over to pick it up any number of days later.
I also have the good fortune of having a musical instrument store even closer than the mechanic, so during a break at work I can drop off the car, walk to the music store, find yet another bass guitar to spend money on, walk home, and still be on time for my meeting.
Same feeling here…
But sometimes the dealer is the only one with the secret tools. I had a problem with my VW GTI that should have been diagnosable by my mechanic with his computer, but was obfuscated enough that only the proper VW diagnostic tools with the double secret decoder ring at the dealer would work. I suspect VW probably makes it that way on purpose.
The 3rd closest Honda dealer to my home has a free loaner program, provided you bought the car from them. It’s a part of the sale. Which is why I shop there. And lower out-the-door prices for their cars. Which is also why I shop there. I make an appointment, drive to the shop, drop off the car, pick up a similar model car (civic for civic, accord for accord), and return the loaner when my car is ready, usually the same day. Of course, there was that time I dropped off a civic and the only loaner they had available was a 9-seat Chevy van. :rolleyes:
Other brands are taken to a trusted local mechanic. I make arrangements to drop off my vehicle the night before (after shop hours) they can work on it. I also leave a note, along with my key, in the key drop box. I call them in the morning to make sure my car is still there, and that they know what needs to be done. Payment is made by credit card, and we arrange a hiding place for my key. I then make arrangements to pick up my car after hours.
In the event I have to use a new, different, not-yet-trusted, shop, I’ll take the day/morning off and talk to the manager and mechanic(s) in person.
My wife follows me to the shop when I drop the car off. We always leave it at the shop the night before. Then I ride home with her.
One of my co-workers drops me off at the shop to pick up my car. Usually it’s during the lunch hour. I return the favor when needed.