"Time is money for technicians," said Mr. Snow, who oversees communications with service departments at 1,300 Honda and Acura dealerships as well as 18,000 certified independent mechanics.

To the artist who embraces this philosophy it is "aesthetic" anarchism, to the reformer, ethical anarchism, to the independent mechanic, economic anarchism.

In interviews, car experts, dealers and buyers offered this advice: Buyers * Do not buy without taking a test-drive and having the vehicle checked by an independent mechanic.

Dealer-service organizations show us their highly trained staff members, their computers and their special tools and equipment as evidence that they can do a better job than independent mechanics.

GET A CHECKUP Always have a vehicle inspected by an independent mechanic.

While independent mechanics may disagree, manufacturers and industry experts generally think that following the manufacturer's guidelines closely is the best way to maintain a vehicle.

Honda has previously notified mechanics at its dealers and sent a bulletin to independent mechanics to be cautious when conducting the first oil change.

But independent mechanics say they are often unable to pinpoint problems because manufacturers have either denied them access to the underlying technology or charge too much for the diagnostic tools.

He said an independent mechanic who works at the station suffered a similar loss.

One free service is from the National Automotive Service Task Force, a clearinghouse that provides help on specific repair issues to independent mechanics.