First, the admonition against fuel system cleaners is aimed at in-tank type chemicals. Many manufacturers fuel system cleaning processes are different in that they directly insert a chemical into the fuel rails to clean the injectors. Chrysler does have a recommended chemical for in-tank cleaning.
People should understand that dealers have overhead costs the vast majority of independent shops do not. Dealers must send technicians to training classes for specific subject training, plus the yearly training for product updates in order to maintain certification. The dealers bear this cost. The service departments must also have a full-time factory certified service manager.
There's an advantage of having factory trained techs working on vehicles of the same lineage all of the time, with easy access to factory service bulletins and gaining experience from repetition that may take independent techs a long time to acquire.
Do you realize the overhead difference of maintaining a building big enough for ten lifts or more, versus the average independent shops with an average of three?
They must also stock all of the special tools and specific make/model service parts that independents don't. Dealers are also mandated to provide a certain stocking level of prescribed parts.
In general, dealers also provide service employees paid health benefits that many independents don't. In the one mile diameter of me the four dealers (CDJR, Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan) all have the same shop labor rate - $99 per hour. The independent shop I've done business with in the past is now at $90. There are probably some cheaper, but unless their overhead is a lot lower I'm betting there's not a big difference.
Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Now at: 008698 miles.
