Shadetree Automotive in Layton will take a portion of our monthly sales to give back to our customers by hosting a huge customer appreciation event at our shop!

Event Date: Saturday, November 11th, 2023

How to Enter?

First, anyone who visits Shadetree Automotive in Layton Utah from October 1st to November 10th, 2023 can receive Shadetree Bucks by taking a photo and uploading it to Facebook with the hashtag #Shadetreeautolayton.

But the real bucks come from repairs and service. Anyone who brings their car to Shadetree for any service or repairs will receive dollar for dollar Shadetree bucks. For example: If a customer were to spend one thousand dollars on a vehicle repair, they would receive 1000 Shadetree bucks. Then, on Saturday November 11th, they are invited to participate in the prize auction.

We will be auctioning off amazing prizes such as, bikes, TVs, Smoker Grills, Pit Bikes and much much more! No real money will be needed to bid on these prizes; all you will need is your Shadetree Bucks.

There will also be food trucks, a mechanical bull, and tons of free games and prizes for families and kids.

“The best compliment we can receive is when our customers love us enough to refer us to a friend, family member or co- worker. Referrals are a top factor in the success of our business that provides a great life for our team and our families. I firmly believe in the power of a simple thank you. We have a fun prize drawing each month as part of our referral program but the most important thing for me is to send out a genuine thank you to all that provide this amazing life for myself and those around me. Thank you” Tom Lambert

Shadetree Automotive is a family-owned business that has been part of the Layton community for over 20 years. We are not like most auto repair shops in the state. Our business is clean and welcoming. And our advisors are some of the friendliest and most knowledgeable people in the industry. More importantly, we have the highest level of customer service and communication skills possible. The advisors at Shadetree love people and know the importance of giving back to their community.

In our previous blog, we answered a question that we get asked all the time in our repair shop: Is Honda Still Reliable? Based on our decades of experience as mechanics and some studies, the answer was yes.

Another common question that we get asked along those lines is whether Honda or Toyota make better cars. After all, cars are significant investments, so you want to ensure that you go with a make you can rely on for as long as possible. To answer this question, we did our own research by going into our general auto repair shop records and pulling reports from the last 10 years.

So, Honda vs Toyota, which is more reliable? Well, there are a number of factors to consider here. Here’s what you need to know from our own shop records and what we’ve noticed with these popular Japanese makes. Let’s get into it!

Disclaimer: These Reports Are Based On Northern Utah Data

So, before we get into the reports, we want to make a quick disclaimer. Our shop is based in Layton, UT. If you’re not from Utah, what this means is that Utah vehicles get used in a somewhat different way than in other parts of the United States.

Utah is subjected to super cold, snowy winters, which means there’s a lot of road salt and winter weather conditions. Utah also gets very hot and dry summers. Both the extreme heat and the extreme cold can impact tires, fluids, and more. So, keep this in mind when we talk about our reports. Bear in mind the fact too that our reports are based on what comes into our shop.

All of that being said, here’s what the reports had to say about the Honda vs Toyota debate.

What The Reports Show: Top Makes Serviced

Over the past 10 years, we’ve worked on a total of 335,223 vehicles, with an average repair order across all models of about $726.

Bear in mind with the average repair order cost that we take on a lot of the jobs that other shops don’t really like to do. Because of this, our repair order is typically about 20-25% higher than the average general repair shop, just because we do more major work than a lot of other shops do. Our services range from $75 oil changes to $20,000+ diesel engines, so that’s where we get our $726 average from.

The top four makes that we’ve serviced in regard to total volume over the last 10 years are:

Ford Trucks. We’ve worked on a total of 3939 Ford trucks, with an average repair order of $705.14. Utah loves Ford trucks, and we do a ton of fleet work.
Toyota. We’ve worked on 3657 Toyotas, with an average repair order of $621.70. Unlike Ford, Toyota doesn’t break their trucks out, so this is based on all the different Toyota models that come in. We see a ton of Toyotas here in Utah.
Honda. We’ve worked on 2957 Hondas, with an average repair order of $598.52. Again, Utah loves Honda. Like Toyotas, we see Hondas all the time, on the roads, and here at the shop.
Chevy Trucks. We’ve worked on 2405 Chevy trucks, with an average repair order of $673.15. As with Ford trucks, we service a lot of Chevy trucks that are part of fleets.

As you see, Toyota and Honda up there among our top makes serviced. While this may give you pause and make you think that neither make of car is that reliable, it’s important to note that Utahns love these types of cars. All of our top makes serviced are vehicles that you constantly see on the roads here, so if there are more of them on the road, it’s natural for them to make up the top makes serviced.

About Toyotas

Toyota owners spend about 14% less than the average car that comes in, about $104.21 less.

About Hondas

Honda owners spend about 18% less than the average car owner and 4% less than the average Toyota owner. Honda owners spend an average of $127.39 when they come in, which is about $23 less than Toyota owners.

Important Notes About Honda vs Toyota Reliability

#1. Honda Doesn’t Have Trucks

While the numbers show that Honda owners have come in less frequently and spent less money overall than Toyota owners, there is a factor that’s skewing the data. This is the fact that while Toyota has SUVs and trucks, Honda doesn’t have SUVs or trucks that get used in the same way as Toyotas. While Honda does have their Ridgeline, it doesn’t do what Toyota Tundras and Tacomas can.

Trucks and SUVs get used and abused more than the average car that you just drive around down, especially here in Utah, where people love motorsports. Because of this, they’re going to be in the shop more often.

#2. Honda And Toyota Owners Take Better Care Of Their Vehicles

Both Hondas and Toyotas have exceptional reliability and are great cars, but a great car that isn’t taken care of won’t last as long. We’ve noticed that Honda and Toyota owners generally understand what their cars need in order to maintain their reliability.

We often get unprompted phone calls like: “My Honda just hit 100,000 miles; I need to schedule it in for maintenance” and “My Toyota just hit 60,000 miles; I’m due for fluids and filters.”

This isn’t something that we see much with the average car owner. When we make recommendations to people who bring their cars into the shop, it’s often a surprise. But in general, with Honda and Toyota owners, they know what they need to be doing in order to help their vehicles maintain reliability for as long as possible. We’ve been very impressed by this.

Now, we don’t know whether this is because Honda and Toyota dealers are educating their customers better than other dealerships, or if maybe because people buy Hondas and Toyotas for their reliability, they’re more vigilant about what’s needed to keep them running. Regardless, it’s something we’ve noticed throughout the decades.

Honda Vs Toyota: Which Is Better?

Alright, the reason why you clicked on this blog: which is the better make?

We don’t have a solid answer for this question. Both Hondas and Toyotas are reliable vehicles, so buy what you like and make sure that you’re taking care of it. While neither make is as reliable as they used to be, they’re still beating the other makes out there. So, as long as you take care of your Honda or Toyota, you’ll be just fine.

Expert Auto Repair In Layton, UT

Regardless of whether you have a Honda, Toyota, or other make of car, you’ll likely need repairs at some point. Shadetree Automotive’s specialists are here to help you keep your car in good condition for as long as possible. We do inspections, diagnostics, repairs, maintenance, and more. To learn more about our services or for any questions you may have, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Hondas have a fantastic reputation as a reliable car brand, but do they live up to it? Many people feel like cars aren’t made as well as they used to be, so if you’re wondering if Hondas are still reliable, you’re not alone. That’s a question the mechanics here at Shadetree Automotive get asked all the time.

Well, wonder no more! Here is what you need to know about if Hondas are still reliable, what studies say about Hondas, and other factors that impact their reliability. Let’s get into it.

Is Honda Still Reliable?

In short? Yes.

Hondas are reliable now, and they were reliable before too. If you’re looking for a new car and you want to ensure that what you get is safe and will last a long time, Hondas are a smart choice. We don’t say that out of brand loyalty, we say that based on being an auto repair shop that services cars of all makes and models.

is honda still reliable honda repair layton utah

Honda is one of the car brands that we can almost guarantee our customers to be able to get about 300k miles out of, so long as you’re mindful about maintenance.

What The Reports Say

Considering how advocates for each type of car will claim it’s the best, it’s important to turn to unbiased reports in order to get an accurate idea of a car’s strengths and weaknesses. RepairPal provides reliability ratings for car brands as a whole, as well as specific models in order to help people choose the right car for their needs.

Honda has a reliability rating of 4 out of 5 stars – above average, and putting it smack-dab in 1st place out of 32 different car brands. RepairPal looked at factors such as cost, frequency of repairs, and severity of repairs in order to determine the reliability rating of each car on its site.

Cost

This refers to the average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs/maintenance.

On average, Hondas cost their owners about $428 in annual repairs per year. This is inexpensive compared to other car brands. On average, people can expect to pay $526 in repairs for midsize cars and $652 for all models.

Frequency Of Repairs

This refers to how often cars are taken in for unscheduled repairs/maintenance in a year. This study was controlled in order to exclude regular, routine maintenance, such as oil changes.

Hondas typically go to repair shops about 0.3 times a year for unscheduled repairs. On average, cars need unscheduled repairs 0.4 times a year. Bear in mind that these numbers are averages. You can use RepairPal to compare specific makes and models, which can result in a huge gap.

Severity Of Repairs

This refers to the likelihood of a repair to be a major problem and costs 3 times the average annual repair cost, so about $1500 or more. Severe issues impact the car’s safety, and thus, yours, and that of everyone else on the road.

About 10% of repairs in Hondas are severe, compared to 12% across all models.

If you’d like to read the report for yourself, you can click to this link here. You can also look at RepairPal’s reliability page here for general stats and to check your car’s reliability rating.

Hondas Are Still Reliable – But They Need Regular Maintenance To Stay That Way

Regardless of the type of car you have, if you want it to last as long as possible, you need to ensure that you’re caring for it properly. Here at Shadetree Automotive, we follow the specific manufacturer’s recommendations for each model, combined with what we notice from our inspections.

For example, we’re based out of Northern Utah, which is a desert climate with harsh weather. As such, we recommend oil changes on Hondas every 5000 miles, which is a bit sooner than the manufacturer recommends.

We also look at things like your engine air filter, brake fluid, coolant, and more. We make recommendations based on what we notice, such as if your transmission fluid or power-steering fluid needs to be serviced.

About Spark Plugs

Hondas’ spark plugs should be changed about every 100k miles. Their spark plugs can last between 100k and 150k miles, and typically don’t need to be replaced prior to the 100k mark. Since it’s challenging to tell whether these need to be changed based on how they look, recommendations are typically made based on mileage.

It’s important to keep a record of what maintenance you have done to your Honda, as you don’t want to forget that you recently got new spark plugs and then have them replaced again, when they didn’t need to be.

About Timing Belts

Newer Hondas have timing chains, which don’t have mileage recommendations, but older Hondas have timing belts. Since timing belts are rubber, they should be changed every 100k miles. This includes the belt itself, as well as the other components, like the water pump that the belt drives. If one component fails, the belt fails, so you want to stay on top of maintenance here.

As you can see, if you were wondering, “Is Honda still reliable,” the answer is yes, Hondas are very much still reliable, particularly when you ensure to maintain them as needed.

Do You Need Car Maintenance or Repairs?

Shadetree Automotive provides auto repair services in Layton, UT. Whether you have a Honda or another type of car, count on us to treat it with the same car as if it were our own. Our goal is to explain recommendations and processes in a way that alleviates stress and helps you rest assured that your vehicle is in good hands.

We love to help people. We know how expensive automotive-related things can be – especially when it comes to unscheduled repairs. We help you prioritize based on your situation and ensure that the cost is always the exact amount we promised – if not less.

If you’d like to make an appointment, please head to our Request An Appointment page. If you have questions about our services or your vehicle, feel free to shoot us a call during business hours, and one of our service advisors will be happy to help you out.

Monday	8 AM - 6 PM
Tuesday	8 AM - 6 PM
Wednesday	8 AM - 6 PM
Thursday	8 AM - 6 PM
Friday	8 AM - 6 PM
Saturday	Closed
Sunday	Closed

Event Date: Saturday, November 11th, 2023

Disclaimer: These Reports Are Based On Northern Utah Data