When is a stamped FSH no longer worth it?

[American iv]

Quick question - I've owened a 02 Seat Toledo TDI SE with 80k on the clock for a couple of years now and I'm wondering at what point a stamped FSH makes no sense / at what point a car becomes a shed?

My car is in good nick mechanically, although the body work leaves a little to be desired and it appears to be worth ~£2k. Given thats it's a reasonable car and I have no plans to replace it in the near future I'm going to keep it as best I can, but forking out £150/200 for a basic service (oil, filters etc) twice a year seems daft.

I can do the basics myself in a couple of hours without forking out 1/10th of the cars value, but it does mean I don't get the "stamp" in the service book - is the stamp still worth the money given the cars overall value? Will the value of the car plummet if instead of a garage stamp you get a note from me saying it was completed? Anything major of course would go to the garage however (things like timing belts, brakes etc).

[davepoth]

£200 on a service may seem crazy, but unless you are going to do all the servicing yourself, it's good insurance against walking home.

[madala]

.....I would always rather see a stamp in the book but it does not have to be a dealer service especially at that age and mileage.....don't know if it would make any difference to the price though.

[ShadownINja]

American iv said:

I have no plans to replace it in the near future

If you'd just posted that... it's an old car already so I would have stopped using a main dealer ages ago. I would get a local trusted mechanic to do it, though, as a folder of invoices says something about the owner. I mean, what proof do you have that it was serviced correctly and in a timely fashion if you do it yourself?

[b19rak]

How about no stamps but comprehensive receipts and invoices of all work done with dates and milage.

My BMW hasn't had the book stamped for some reason but all the accompanying paperwork gives you a much better understanding about what's been done and how much has been spent.

[steveo3002]

dont matter much on a 2k car , keep up with servicing but diy , and keep the recipts in a folder with a note of what/when

the savings from doing diy will more than offset any resale price drops

[American iv]

Ah, it's always gone to my local garage and not the dealer. I'm just wondering if paying them for the basic servicing is worth it. I do see the point about a garage stamp vs a note from me though

I see your point about invoices - I have a folder of everything I've bought / paid on the car, but surely thats only worth it if I sell privately? If it's traded in you'll get book price regardless of a folder of receipts...

[hobbiniho]

you have just said that you are going to keep it for a while and now your wondering about trade in prices?? if your going to keep it then service it yourself and keep the receipt for the oli/fuel filter and the oil etc so that if you do sell it you can prove that you bought the service items and as far as i am aware most receipts have the date and time stamped on them, maybe just make a quick note in the back of the service book at what mileage you serviced it

[EDLT]

Keeping the receipts would be enough for me. You can have a book full of stamps but if its from a dodgy dealer it might be in pretty bad shape anyway.

[busta]

Service it yourself and keep a note of what you've done. Why people put such faith in a stamp is beyond me. Do people really think main dealers go through your car with a fine toothed comb at basic services? The most they'll do, beyond the basic servicing, is reset the service light and check brake pads and discs for wear, and then replace them for you at extortionate prices if they are more than 50% worn.

[busta]

davepoth said:

£200 on a service may seem crazy, but unless you are going to do all the servicing yourself, it's good insurance against walking home.

You genuinely believe a stamp in a book is a guarantee your car won't break down?

[maniac0796]

busta said:

Service it yourself and keep a note of what you've done. Why people put such faith in a stamp is beyond me. Do people really think main dealers go through your car with a fine toothed comb at basic services? The most they'll do, beyond the basic servicing, is reset the service light and check brake pads and discs for wear, and then replace them for you at extortionate prices if they are more than 50% worn.

It's pretty much, check lights work, check levels and top up as nessacery, scan under car with torch and check tyres, drop oil and oil filter, look at brakes through wheels.

Reset minor service light if they can.

And people pay an extortionate amount for that.

[busta]

maniac0796 said:

busta said:

Service it yourself and keep a note of what you've done. Why people put such faith in a stamp is beyond me. Do people really think main dealers go through your car with a fine toothed comb at basic services? The most they'll do, beyond the basic servicing, is reset the service light and check brake pads and discs for wear, and then replace them for you at extortionate prices if they are more than 50% worn.

It's pretty much, check lights work, check levels and top up as nessacery, scan under car with torch and check tyres, drop oil and oil filter, look at brakes through wheels.

Reset minor service light if they can.

And people pay an extortionate amount for that.

Mind you, it does come back nice and clean






...with hardly any fuel left and 100 extra miles on the clock.

[wildcat45]

Service stamps are good to have. On their own they don't prove that much. I've acquired various emplty service books in my time. They are just part of a sad collection I have - but if I wanted to be dodgy, it'dnot take long to make up a service histpry based on stamps - and garages that are out of business.

Its the other paper work that backs up the stamps and tells the story of the car.

My 2001 MGF get's its tenth service stamp next year. The book will be full. it tells a story of main deler and indy servicing over the last decate. Nice to have, even better is the full box file I have for every drop of oil, lightbullb and valve dust cap it's ever had.

At that age, does it make it worth more? Not really. if I were selling privately to an enthusiast, I suppose it would be worth a couple of hundred extra. I reckon a FSH with paperwork would make it easier to sell on.

With me its a pride thing. I like keeping the car in good condition. Garages that service it always mention how great it is for its age. A service history to back it up can't do any harm.

[TonyRPH]

All FSH means to me, is that the car has been presented to the dealer for regular servicing.

However, this doesn't mean that advisory work has been carried out.

So yes, the car may have been serviced, but if for example an advisory was issued to replace a non critical part and that work wasn't done, then it devalues the history.

A few years back, I bought a 406 Coupe, with a wad of bills and service history. However, when I went through the history carefully, I saw quite a few instances on the service invoice(s) where recommendations were made to replace and / or carry out work - but there was no evidence that said work was ever done.

So to my mind it's pretty meaningless.

[Swoxy]

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

[Jasandjules]

Once a car is worth less than a few k or is 5 years old then FSH doesn't matter that much IMHO. But £200 for a service is not bad anyways?

[Superdry]

This is pretty relevant to me right now....

I have a 1992 325 which has a full service history from new (BMW and indy specialist).

However, I recently bought a place and money is tight so the cash i used to spend on servicing is no longer there.

I'm handy with a spanner but was a slave to the stamp so I always got it done and stamped up until now.

I took the decision to service it myself to BMW standard using proper OEM parts and following the service schedule.

I kept all receipts and did everything exactly as an Indy would do. Saved a good few quid for the sake of few hours work myself.

If I come to sell it, I have every receipt for everything I've done as well as a schedule of the service. I think any reasonable person will see its been looked after.

[busta]

Jasandjules said:

Once a car is worth less than a few k or is 5 years old then FSH doesn't matter that much IMHO. But £200 for a service is not bad anyways?

For a £2k car? Given how little work is actually involved, especially on an older diesel, you'd realise £200 is criminal.

£10 of oil, £3 oil filter, £10 fuel filter, £6 air filter. About 30 mins of labour to fit that lot then 15 minutes under the car checking tyres, brakes and suspension. All done by a mechanic on less than £10/hour.

So £30 of parts and 45 minutes labour for £200?!

[mattmoxon]

I service my car mostly myself. The only things it goes to a garage for are things I don't have the space or tools to do it and, of course an MOT. I do keep all the receipts and a detailed log of what I have done though.