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Comment by mvkel | Hacker News Reader

In the market for a new car and our experience at four dealerships has forced us to choose between Rivian or Tesla, simply because of its DTC model (and, importantly, shipping better EVs).

Just can't stomach driving to the dealership for routine maintenance, having to deal with such a predatory culture.

I wonder if traditional auto cos are aware of the opportunity cost of dealerships. The cost is growing

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You've got it backwards. Buying a Rivian or Tesla means you're locked in to servicing the car with the company you bought it from, and have nowhere else to turn if you're unhappy with that service. Buying a car from a make with a dealership network means you can get it serviced anywhere, and never have to deal with the company that sold you the vehicle again if you prefer not to.

That’s a nice “in theory” take. In reality, you end up fighting the manufacturer over what may be considered in warranty v not, and the dealership is usually a pure middleman with a vested interest to make sure their money arrives.

I've owned several cars (Ford, Subaru, all ICE), and never went to the dealership after buying the cars. Are you buying high end European models or electric that require dealership maintenance?

> forced us to choose between Rivian or Tesla

> Just can't stomach driving to the dealership for routine maintenance, having to deal with such a predatory culture.

Ummmm, are you sure you've done your research and due diligence on the Tesla maintenance and repair experience? They are, ummmm, widely regarded as more predatory than pretty much every other manufacturer/dealership.

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