I just got a new-to-me 2017 Infiniti QX80 with about 57,000 miles. I asked the local Infiniti dealer to quote the recommended 60,000-mile service, and he came back with a $1,500 request. The Nissan dealer’s price was the same.

When I got a quote from my local, AAA-approved repair shop, it was much less, under $500. The local shop guy says the dealers are being overzealous and adding additional services I don’t need.

Should I trust the dealer or go to the local shop? I could give up the dealer’s loaner car and free cappuccino if it would save me $1,000! — Will

Regular service is a wonderful source of profit for most dealerships. I don’t know that the dealer is adding services you don’t need, Will, I think they’re just charging a lot more for them.

Your car’s repair manual tells you exactly what services should be done at 60,000 miles. You’ll need an oil and filter change, a brake fluid flush, a tire rotation and a new cabin air filter. But other than that, the 60,000-mile service is all “inspections.”

You do want those inspections. You want your mechanic to check all the belts, hoses, and fluids. And you want him to look for leaks, torn CV boots and stuff like that – things that if caught early, and fixed, will save you money later on.

But at 60,000 miles, you don’t expect to find a lot of stuff that’s wrong. And, of course, if a problem is discovered and you have more confidence in your dealer to fix it, you can always take it there for the repair. Either way, you’ll pay for any needed repairs on top of the cost of the 60,000-mile service.

Given the actual services to be performed and the time involved in the inspections, I think $500 is much closer to the right price.

If you have faith that your independent mechanic is going to do all the work – if you’ve used him before or if reviews of his shop are uniformly good (check mechanicsfiles.com) — you should definitely forego the cappuccino and pocket the $1,000 bucks.

That’ll be almost enough to cover your next few trips to the pump.

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