service history

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Tue 2 May 2006 16:16
service history - s61sw
Hello,

Could anyone give their thoughts on my quandry please? I've been quoted £210 for a 60,000 mile service on my 2001 '51 reg Volvo S60 2.0T by an independent, £252 by a main dealer. When it comes to thinking about re-sale time (2 years hence and a further 20,000 miles), would it be worth spending the extra £42 now, in anticipation of getting a better sale / trade in price due to a main dealer stamped book, or will any difference in future price be negligible?

Thanks in advance, and apologies if the subject has been covered before.

S61SW
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Tue 2 May 2006 18:29
service history - R75
I cant see it making any difference to the price you will get, but a car with full dealer SH may be more attractive if it was between one with that and one with independent stamps - personally I would not be too concerend if I was buying it, as long as it was serviced on time that is all I would be interested in.
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Tue 2 May 2006 18:33
service history - cheddar
For only 42 quid difference it is most certainly worth keeping the Volvo service history. Also more chance of a contribution if any failures occur etc.
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Tue 2 May 2006 20:36
service history - ziggy
If you already a full set of stamps, stick with the main dealer.
For any buyer the indepedent is an unknown quantity.

Just make sure you understand all the items included and make sure they are ticked off.
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Tue 2 May 2006 21:15
service history - s61sw
Thanks for your thoughts and advice b'roomers. I'm leaning toward paying the extra and keeping the dealer's stamps consistent (the current ones are from the same company).

S61SW
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Tue 2 May 2006 21:29
service history - Civic8
>>For any buyer the indepedent is an unknown quantity.

>>Just make sure you understand all the items included and make sure they are ticked off.

In some cases an independant is better thought of than MD,ie just because the boxes are ticked wont mean the jobs been done!.

For sale purposes only its worth getting it done by MD,but once any car comes out of warranty its value with FDSH debatable,as some people dont trust MD
--
Steve
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Tue 2 May 2006 22:36
service history - blue_haddock
If you are keeping the car for some time i would go with the independant but if you are only going to keep maybe for a further year then i would go with the dealer.
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Tue 2 May 2006 23:55
service history - ziggy
>>For any buyer the indepedent is an unknown quantity.
>>Just make sure you understand all the items included and make
sure they are ticked off.
In some cases an independant is better thought of than MD,ie
just because the boxes are ticked wont mean the jobs been
done!.


I absolutely agree with that. But it is at least evidence of what should have been done, and what that you paid for adds up. It is worth 'forcing' dishonest people into a lie

Maybe it is too zealous but some engineering managers take the view that if a job is not documented as done it is not done at all. I know of engineers who have had to repeat a job, say, 3 times because each time they did not document it.
For sale purposes only its worth getting it done by MD,but
once any car comes out of warranty its value with FDSH
debatable,as some people dont trust MD


Generally I would trust engineers who work with the same vehicles all the time and have a brand image to uphold more than an indepedent. Also they might have better access to up to date information.

Of course there are some great *specialist* indepedent garages out there, which may in fact be run by hardened veterans of the MD network.



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