WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA—Quality improvements across the automotive industry are driving down the need for warranty repairs at new-vehicle dealerships and are transforming the nature of the dealer service business.

According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, now in its 22nd year, the balance of work at dealerships is tilting more toward regularly scheduled maintenance as opposed to repairs. Routine maintenance business now makes up 57% of all work, an increase from 47% in 1999.