Luxury and upscale brands topped the chart among franchised new-car dealers, with Buick, Lincoln, Cadillac, Lexus, Porsche, and Acura slotting in behind Tesla, in that order.

To be fair to mechanics at franchised dealerships, our respondents also reported being very satisfied overall with their repairs from top to bottom—despite trailing the Ratings of the independent shops.

Is it the better coffee, the putting greens, or the massage chairs that put premium dealerships at the top of the list? Not necessarily. There were also some disappointments involving prestige marques.

The biggest gripe was about the cost of parts and labor. Mercedes-Benz drivers, in particular, were much more satisfied with the price they paid at independent shops.

Also dinged for high prices were Jaguar dealerships as well as Mini dealerships that often share a service drive (and high prices) with an affiliated BMW dealership.

But if you own a BMW, Porsche, or Volkswagen, bargain hunting for a mechanic might not pay off. Owners of those brands were equally satisfied with the price paid at dealerships and independent shops. (To reduce the visits for necessary repairs with your next car, but sure to check our car reliability ratings.)

