BETHESDA, MD ? March 11, 2009 ? Vehicle repairs cost an average 34 percent more at new car dealerships than at independent repair shops, resulting in $11.7 billion in excess costs annually to consumers, according to a first-of-its-kind study just released by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA).

The study reveals dramatic differences in the costs of parts and labor between domestic and import vehicle nameplates and from city to city. Consumers in Los Angeles pay as much as 46.8 percent more at dealerships than independent repair shops for repairs. The cost to consumers of specific repairs also varies widely. For example, the average cost for radiator repair for a foreign nameplate vehicle, including parts and labor, is $325.99 higher at a dealer than at an independent shop; and the cost to purchase and install front brake pads on a foreign nameplate vehicle is $138.92 more at a dealer than at an independent shop.

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Welcome to the first edition of the Revolutions Performance Blog. In this space we will talk about what’s new with the shop and also try to bring some good articles about what we can do for your vehicle.

That being said I guess I’ll get right down to it. First things first I want to invite you to become a fan of our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/revolutionsperf

We would also like to announce that Dave Carapetyan in the Revolutions Performance Sponsored and Tuned #725 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution won the Pikes Peak Open Class of the 88th running of the Pikes Peak Hillclimb with a time of 11:34.017 last month. We just want to congratulate Dave and the rest of the crew as well as all of the fans! Look for an even faster car next year. Check out this video for an in-car look at his winning run: