Why Independent Auto Repair Shops Are Different

The Difference

Nobody Here Has a Sales Target.

At a dealership service department, the service advisor's job is partly sales. There are targets for upsells — fuel system flushes, cabin air filter replacements, transmission services — recommended on a schedule that often has more to do with revenue than your vehicle's actual needs. At chain shops, it's the same dynamic with different branding. Corporate sets the playbook. The local team follows it.

At an independent shop, nobody has a quota. When we tell you something needs attention, it's because it actually does. When we tell you something can wait, we mean it. There's no service writer between you and the technician trying to pad the invoice.

This isn't about bashing dealerships — they serve a purpose, especially for warranty work and recalls. But once your vehicle is out of warranty, an independent shop can offer the same quality of work without the overhead and the upsell pressure. We keep our recommendations honest because our reputation is the only thing bringing people back. For a deeper look at what to consider, we've put together a guide on choosing a mechanic.

We recommend what's needed. Nothing more.

Direct Access

You Talk to the People Doing the Work.

At most dealerships and chains, you deal with a service advisor who relays information between you and the technician. It's a game of telephone. Details get lost. Context gets simplified. Questions don't always make it through. You end up approving work based on a summary rather than a conversation.

Here, you talk to us directly. If you have a question about what we found, the person who found it explains it. If you want to understand why we're recommending one approach over another, you get the full picture. We send digital inspection reports with photos so you can see exactly what we see — not a filtered version of it.

We're a team of four people. That's it. When you bring your vehicle to Auto Solve, the same people who greet you are the ones working on it. You build a relationship with your technician over time, and they get to know your vehicle. That continuity matters — it means we catch things earlier, track developing issues, and make better recommendations because we have context that a rotating staff at a larger operation simply doesn't have.

No middlemen. No filtered information.

Your Options

Parts That Fit Your Situation.

Dealerships use OEM parts almost exclusively. That's fine if you want factory-original components, but it also means you're paying the premium that comes with them — even when a quality aftermarket part does the same job for significantly less.

Chain shops often go the opposite direction — budget parts to keep the price competitive, even when a better option is worth the investment. Independent shops give you choices. OEM when it matters. Quality aftermarket when it makes sense. Recycled parts when the situation calls for it. We explain the trade-offs and let you decide what fits your budget and your plans for the vehicle.

A driver in Creemore with a 15-year-old truck they plan to keep for another five years has different needs than someone in Collingwood with a newer SUV under warranty elsewhere. We tailor the recommendation to the person and the vehicle — not to a corporate parts contract. Whether it's an oil change or a major repair, you get options that make sense for your situation.

The right part for the job — not the most expensive one on the shelf.

Accountability

When Your Neighbour Is Your Customer.

A chain shop in a big city can lose a customer and never feel it. The next one walks in ten minutes later. A dealership has the brand name behind it — people come back because of the badge on the building, not necessarily the experience they had.

In Creemore, we see our customers at the grocery store. At the brewery. At the fall fair. If we do right by someone, they tell their neighbours in Stayner and their coworkers in Collingwood. If we don't, that travels just as fast. Small-town accountability is real, and it's one of the most powerful forces keeping an independent shop honest.

We've been on Edward Street since 2013, serving drivers from across Simcoe County — Wasaga Beach, Nottawa, Clearview Township, Mulmur, and beyond. Every one of those relationships started with a first visit and grew from there. We offer loaner vehicles because we respect your time. We do auto body work and collision repair because we'd rather keep your business under one roof than send you somewhere else. If you're new to the area, come meet us. That's the best way to decide if we're the right fit.

Our reputation lives on the same streets we do.