Independent garages are the majority. They are privately owned, and often come with varying degrees of service delivery and pricing. The most reliable of the independent shops can be compared to the highest level dealerships.

An automobile repair shop (also known regionally as a garage or a workshop) is an establishment where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and technicians. The customer interface is typically a service advisor, traditionally called a service writer.

Drawing upon examples from the meatpacking industry, the American automobile manufacturer Henry Ford designed an assembly line that began operation in 1913. This innovation reduced manufacturing time for magneto flywheels from 20 minutes to 5 minutes. Ford next applied the technique to chassis assembly.