I bought my car from a local dealer for a price that allowed them some profit not because I care deeply about "free oil changes", etc., but because I care about them staying in business.
If my local dealership goes out of business, the next closest one is approximately 50 miles away. That'd be so incredibly inconvenient that I'd almost assuredly end up selling the car and buying a different marque that was locally serviceable.
Auto dealerships add value for me, and as such I will pay a small premium over the marginal cost to help make sure they're incentivized to still be there in 5 or 10 years.
If my local dealership goes out of business, the next closest one is approximately 50 miles away. That'd be so incredibly inconvenient that I'd almost assuredly end up selling the car and buying a different marque that was locally serviceable.
Auto dealerships add value for me, and as such I will pay a small premium over the marginal cost to help make sure they're incentivized to still be there in 5 or 10 years.