Service History

For most of my motoring life I have carried out my own servicing. I always completed the appropriate page in the servicing record and kept receipts. I also keep a maintenance 'log' - just a small notebook in which I make a note of everything I do to my car - such as replacing tyres and w/screen wiper rubbers. I have never yet had any problem with trading a car in and would argue that a car maintained by a competent and conscientious owner is likely to have been far better looked after than a car serviced by a sloppy junior mechanic at a dealership. In recent years I have been buying either new or nearly new cars which have (until recently) required dealer servicing to maintain warranties. I invariably find cause for dissatisfaction after such servicing.

Kev

"Uno Hoo!" wrote in news:ddhoug$igv$ snipped-for-privacy@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk:

It depends on how long you intend to keep it for. In my case, I've had my car for 5 years and the amount I've saved on garage servicing is greater than the loss in value from not having a service history. Saying that, I haven't managed to sell it yet ;-)

Like Kev says, keeping your own record is a good idea and the astute older car buyer will be more impressed with that than a collection of ink stamps. I slipped up badly by not doing this with my own car.

Personally i would be more assured by a nice fat enevelope of receipts and invoices than a few stamps on a service history with nothing backing it up. Matt

And with a program such as MS Money on your pc you can keep a full record on an account named 'Car Expense'. My nerdy side has kept records of every item -servicing, even the odd puncture, replaced light bulbs and cost, where and when of fuel fillups. Print it out or give it to the new owner on a cd. DaveK.

Hi

One thing to watch. The anti-perforation paint warranty on some cars is linked to the servicing schedule. In most cases this warranty is valid for

6 years.

Strange I know, but apparently when your car is in for a service, the garage technicians or workshop manager are supposed to check your car for any signs of corrosion. If there's a problem - then it's flagged up and the warranty honoured.

My only concern is by doing the servicing yourself - you may invalidate the anti-perforation paint warranty.

Weigh up a couple of things - can you do the servicing yourself? Is the car a high performance model with specific tools required for servicing? Some cars have onboard computers that have to be reset, etc.

I do my own servicing (apart from changing timing belts), but as long as you keep all receipts and follow the schedule meticulously you shouldn't effect the resale value.

Spart

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Depends on the vehicle, my last car a MK4 gti turbo was less than 3yrs old when purchased, I was sorely dissapointed with the quality of detail paid tothe car at the 'big' service, when I did go to sell it, I explained to the purchaser that the in between service is just oil and filter change and there was no way I was gonna pay VW 140quid, I kept the receipts for the parts etc even bulbs, my corrado I kept for 8yrs and like another poster mentions , what I saved on service made up for the loss in not having the FSH, besides that buyers nowadays are well tight, fortunately I sold the MK4 to the 1st buyer that saw the vehicle in the flesh.