Does anybody in the B.R. have a ball park figure to put against the value of continuing with the main dealer servicing after the 3 year warranty period has expired on a quality marque on its eventual retail value, as opposed to switching to a quality independent servicing outlet.
Is a full main dealer history really worth it or not ?????
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I would be interested in the trade view on this as well. I kept fstidious records on all my cars but no interest was ever shown by salesmen.
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mlj - why would a salesman show interest - he isn't buying the car. If he did, the seller might expect favours in return! When I hand over a car I always throw in the paperwork, but I don't remember often receiving much with a used car. Either few drivers bother, or the dealers bin it.
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When I hand over a car I always throwin the paperwork, but I don't remember often receiving much with a used car. Either few drivers bother, or the dealers bin it.
..........or they've got something to hide.
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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My car is 4yrs old and has a full VW service history, when I trade my vehicle in.I can clarify mileage, works carried out since I have had the vehicle etc. Surely that must be worth something, might just be a story being put out by dealerships lol. Who know's, but I would expect more if I had a full service history and if the vehicle I wanted did'nt, I would'nt purchase it. IMHO
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Exactly. I don't expect a salesman to shout hooray and slip me £50 for a fully documented DSH but the consensus is that it will stand you in good stead come trade-in time. I would service regularly anyway but a thank you from the dealership when swapping motors is not too much to ask, is it?
By the way Andrew, no he isn't buying my car, he is doing a job that will involve selling my trade-in to another customer. Who just might be interested in a folder full of invoices.
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Judging by some of the main dealer 'service' documented throughout these pages I'm beginning to wonder whether such a record is something to be worried about.
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When I traded in my Passat 170k on the clock the dealer didn't give a forbidden word about the full dealer service history.
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When I traded in my Passat 170k on the clock the dealer didn't give a forbidden word about the full dealer service history,
Ah, but Flat, remember that when you're trading a car in, the salesman will pretend to ignore anything that increases it's value......
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Absolutely, mlj. I'm not suggesting your salesman isn't glad to see your FSH. It will undoubtedly make the car easier to sell, but whether it equates to many £££ for you - I'm not sure.
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Interesting thread as I have often wondered about this myself.
I was offered £3450 for my 96 A4 tdi when trading in from an Audi main dealer. I thought this was a fair price, however the salesman said the car would be worth £400 more if it had FSH.(his opinion of course)
Servicing for 7 years would come to a lot more than £400 on a 100k mile car. Personally I think it is much more important to change fluids often and timing belts at the specified intervals than stamps in a service book. Although I appreciate a FSH is a way of ensuring that the above have been carried out.
I tend to buy nearly new cars and keep them for a few years and I am not convinced that a service history makes much difference.
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well I have bought second hand BMWs and Audis and Fords - usuually 2-4 years old after the depreciation etc... I don't mind high mileage..
BUT I do insist on a FSH properly stamped at the right times.. Because there is a 75% chance the car has been properly looked after.
With NO FSH, there is 75% chance it has been misused..
Simple really..
After about 7 years old, it's a banger anyway so who cares?
madf
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i am in the trade, and full service history is quite easy to explain.
If a car is under 6 years old and less than 100k miles it reinforces book prices, as quite rightly said, previously most cars over 7 years old are bangers unless it is a prestige model (mercedes , porsche , bmw etc).
If a car has no history and you are trading in at a franchised dealer you will get hit hard as the dealer will look to trade out the car , and are looking to pre sell the car to traders and these people are looking for nice stock themselves.
If you buy a car and intend to run it in to the ground it is advisable to get it serviced during the warranty period with the franchised dealer and then get it serviced with a local garage.
bigbiff
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Surely the way to do it is to ask for a trade in, apologise for the lack of service history (i.e. bring it to the Salesman's attention), get him to say something like "shame you didn't have the FSH, I'd have been able to offer £x more". Get the final price, then pull out the Service History, "oh, I forgot this, now about that extra £x".
Worth a try?
V
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On a slightly related point to this thread I have just had my Xantia serviced ( 2000 HDI 90) by the local Citroen specialist and he has lost my service book ! I am just wondering how much fuss to make particularly as I have not paid the bill ( £260) yet! Any advice of how to proceed appreciated.
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Forest, the dealer can 'make up' a genuine history, from your previos work carried out.
It'll be in the computer & your invoices will back everything up.They'll just give you a new service booklet, filled in appropriatly.
VB
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If I was buying my car with 170K on the clock I would feel better than seeing a lot of stamps from indies or some of the bucket shops. I've experienced their servicing and know although it's cheap so is the service you get, thios happened to me when the "Mechanic" topped up the brake fluid with water! yes a real confidence booster but it did really happen. A clutch changed and they tried to lift out an engine that had to be dropped down, then they stripped all the threads holding in the sub-frame because they didn't know what a torque wrench was, ah yes I think i'll stick with main dealer service, at least they "should" know how to do the job, the "mechanic" is over 16 and hopefully not on drugs, yes I've had that as well!!!
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If I bought a used car, I'd place more value on being able to talk to the bloke who had serviced it than on any number of main-dealer stamps. That's what I offered the purchaser of my old Audi and he was duly comforted, walking away with a bunch of copy invoices too. Try finding the bloke who has done the work in a main dealers -- he's probably left to set up on his own if he was any good. My dealings over 30+ years with Ford, VAG and MB main dealers have steadily eroded my confidence in all of them -- yes, I tar them all with the same brush -- to the point that I won't use them any more beyond the initial warranty period. There have also been more than enough reports on this board to convince me that I am not alone in this respect.
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I really don't think that the hundreds of extra £££s you would have spent over the years of ownership on main dealer servicing versus an independent is reflected in the price you get for your car when selling it, either privately or part-exchanging it at a dealer.
Often, I have done one or two services myself and have written in the service book to this effect, backed up with bills for oil and filters etc. The salesman at part-exchange time has never worried and I've done this several times.
The dealer is more interested in getting you to buy the new car and there is enough leeway in the price you haggle for your old car and the discount on list price for the new car, i.e "the price to change", for any missing or "independent" service stamps to matter.
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local Citroen specialist ... has lost my service book !
Forest,
Surely your dealer is in a position to create a duplicate service history record. Speaking from BMW experience, details of what was done at what mileage is held on computer record and a duplicate book can be authorised and duly stamped.
Oz (as was)
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