When to call it quits with FSH?
Discussion
I've just got myself an 08 plate car that has been maintained by the main dealer from new, has a fully stamped book and two folders of receipts. The car cost £12,500 and has done 130,000 miles. I intend to keep it for at least a couple of years.
My question is: I can do all of the servicing myself, but I don't want to hurt its saleability when I come to sell it. Should I continue with dealer stamps, or just do it myself and keep all receipts for the parts I buy?
My question is: I can do all of the servicing myself, but I don't want to hurt its saleability when I come to sell it. Should I continue with dealer stamps, or just do it myself and keep all receipts for the parts I buy?
Its realoy up to how you see dealer service history.
One of my cars is a Dec 07 vehicle. 55k on the clock with a FSH. I flirted with the idea of getting it indy seviced last year but went with the dealer. All things being equal, I hope to be part Exing it next year for something new.
I can't do servicing myself. I also don't want to.
Will a FSH make much difference to the PX value. I don't really know, but I would rather have it than not.
If I keep the car for a few more years. This is one option, changing another car instead of this one, I think I will go down the specialist indy route rather than main dealer.
I suppose it depends on the car. If its an 08 Astra, a good and regular non-franchised SH woul not put me off. If it was an 08 Aston or something, i'd want dealer stamps.
Cue lots of folk calling me a mug.
One of my cars is a Dec 07 vehicle. 55k on the clock with a FSH. I flirted with the idea of getting it indy seviced last year but went with the dealer. All things being equal, I hope to be part Exing it next year for something new.
I can't do servicing myself. I also don't want to.
Will a FSH make much difference to the PX value. I don't really know, but I would rather have it than not.
If I keep the car for a few more years. This is one option, changing another car instead of this one, I think I will go down the specialist indy route rather than main dealer.
I suppose it depends on the car. If its an 08 Astra, a good and regular non-franchised SH woul not put me off. If it was an 08 Aston or something, i'd want dealer stamps.
Cue lots of folk calling me a mug.
I do all servicing myself, and have a folder with absolutely everything in there (past MOTs, receipts for garage work, and receipts for everything fitted). I keep receipts for anything and throw it in the folder in chronological order, and this includes minor things like coolant, light bulbs etc.
The last two times I have sold a car and have presented this folder the potential buyer has been really impressed. Likewise, when I view a car I am not interested in a load of stamps in a book- I want receipts. Better still, I want to get the impression that the seller knows how to look after a car.
All that said, I would possibly keep some sort of main dealer/specialist servicing going on a four year old car. But this depends on how long you are planning on keeping it for (2 years, then keep FSH going; 7/8 years, don't bother).
The last two times I have sold a car and have presented this folder the potential buyer has been really impressed. Likewise, when I view a car I am not interested in a load of stamps in a book- I want receipts. Better still, I want to get the impression that the seller knows how to look after a car.
All that said, I would possibly keep some sort of main dealer/specialist servicing going on a four year old car. But this depends on how long you are planning on keeping it for (2 years, then keep FSH going; 7/8 years, don't bother).
Chris Peacock said:
Good question.......what's the point of ploughing shedloads of cash into a car that's worth less than 2 bags of sand at some point near the end of its life.
Surely a motor with over 150k on the clock is only worth servicing at home?...
Thats the way I'm leaning. I noticed on the last service it said that the front pads+discs would need doing. I phoned up and asked about that and was quoted ~£500. So instead I got the OEM parts and did it myself for £180.Surely a motor with over 150k on the clock is only worth servicing at home?...
However, those stamps are damn addictive.
wildcat45 said:
I suppose it depends on the car. If its an 08 Astra, a good and regular non-franchised SH woul not put me off. If it was an 08 Aston or something, i'd want dealer stamps.
Cue lots of folk calling me a mug.
Actually, this is a very good point. If it's a specialist car, then I would keep the main dealer service history. Aside from the obvious Ferrari/Aston Martin etc, this applies to cars such as the BMW M3 or M5 (I have a 330, yet service that myself- if I bought an M3, I would use a good independent to ensure that I could easily sell it later on).Cue lots of folk calling me a mug.
Its a tough one, i'd take a folder full of invoices and an enthusiastic seller over a stamped book any day, plenty of divs out there though that will knock a car back without a stamped book. Madness. If its a specialist car then keep the stamps up, if its normal then i'd be happy just to have invoices from indies/parts bought and tell stuffy tyre kickers to do one when the time comes to sell.
Just to throw an idea out there. What would a main dealer likely say if I took my car there and said:
"I'd like my car serviced please. However, I'd like to make you aware that I have already changed the oil, the coolant, the filters and the plugs!"
With an eye to pay for the *look under the car + stamp* bit and not the overcharged service items?
"I'd like my car serviced please. However, I'd like to make you aware that I have already changed the oil, the coolant, the filters and the plugs!"
With an eye to pay for the *look under the car + stamp* bit and not the overcharged service items?
I think they would say no, as they can't take responsibility for you not using the correct parts. Suppose you did that, they stamped the book and then you sold it. New buyer experiences a seized engine, and the manufacturer is being held to account (or at least under pressure for a goodwill repair/new engine) because it has been fully serviced.
I think they would want to avoid that sort of scenario
I think they would want to avoid that sort of scenario
jimxms said:
Just to throw an idea out there. What would a main dealer likely say if I took my car there and said:
"I'd like my car serviced please. However, I'd like to make you aware that I have already changed the oil, the coolant, the filters and the plugs!"
With an eye to pay for the *look under the car + stamp* bit and not the overcharged service items?
They wouldn't stamp your service book unless they had carried out all the work. Think about it."I'd like my car serviced please. However, I'd like to make you aware that I have already changed the oil, the coolant, the filters and the plugs!"
With an eye to pay for the *look under the car + stamp* bit and not the overcharged service items?
SV8Predator said:
They wouldn't stamp your service book unless they had carried out all the work. Think about it.
True. I thought they may cross out the items they haven't done on the service sheet, but I guess if I ditch that then the new owner has no way of knowing that.Maybe I should get a rubber stamp made up with "Jim's Lexus Servicing" put on it
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