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0 pointsAnIrishDuck13y ago0 comments

I think the problem that he was stating is that Ford is essentially a monopoly on all Ford cars, which has especially damning implications for the car service market. The first casualty in a monopoly-dominated market is often the low-end consumer.

Whether that warrants the dealer protection laws, or whether they are effective at combating this problem by essentially creating another monopoly, is very debatable.

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ars13y ago· 2 in thread

> Ford is essentially a monopoly on all Ford cars

So? They are not a monopoly in cars in general - if Ford was not competitive people would switch.

And people don't go to dealers all that much for service, except when the car is new and you have no choice. They don't call them stealerships for nothing.

otterley13y ago

> people don't go to dealers all that much for service

What evidence do you have to support this contention? Every car dealer I've ever been to has had a very busy service center, often to the point of requiring a week's notice to obtain an appointment. And in CA, at least, state law forbids manufacturers from requiring cars be serviced at a dealership as a condition of honoring the warranty.

ars13y ago

> And in CA, at least, state law forbids manufacturers from requiring cars be serviced at a dealership as a condition of honoring the warranty.

People assume it's better there, and since it's free (i.e. warranty), they go.

My evidence is reading car forums. It's not evidence to you since I can't share it, but it is for me. On top of that, to the best of my memory, I do not personally know of a single person (in my entire life) who has ever gone to a dealer for service except when they had no choice (i.e. warranty or dealer only part purchase). (And yes, I know that's not evidence either - especially since you know nothing about me.)

Someone I know once mentioned that someone they know went to a dealer for service and we thought that was the most bizarre thing ever. (i.e. We wondered why are they wasting their money.)

You clearly have been to car dealer service centers - is that for warranty work, or by choice?

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