Remember to stamp the service book. Please.

[Agent57]

Why do so many garages forget to stamp the service book?

Over the years they must have about a one in three success rate.

I nearly always have to remind them.

Even when I leave a note in the car specifying the issues and stating where the service book is.

Please try and get the basics right.

Thank you.

[stevemcs]

Leave it on the seat so we don't have to go looking for it.

[Monkeylegend]

I haven't had a car with a service book since 2007.

[Darkslider]

I always seem to buy cars from sketchy sellers with no paperwork at all which avoids the problem.

[Leins]

They’ll probably tell you it’s the fault of GDPR or the like

[andy43]

stevemcs said:

Leave it on the seat so we don't have to go looking for it.

Sit in drivers seat. Stretch arm across to passenger side. Open glovebox. Extract service book. Add half an hours labour to the bill…

[Agent57]

andy43 said:

Sit in drivers seat. Stretch arm across to passenger side. Open glovebox. Extract service book. Add half an hours labour to the bill…

Indeed.

It should be part of the handover 'script' when returning the car.

[Nickp82]

Darkslider said:

I always seem to buy cars from sketchy sellers with no paperwork at all which avoids the problem.

/#\lifehacks

[GetCarter]

New cars no longer need service books (well my last two haven't). I assume that'll be if you only use main dealers.

[anonymous-user]

Monkeylegend said:

I haven't had a car with a service book since 2007.

Indeed.

None of my current cars have service books.

If it’s a classic or something very unusual, then fair enough, it maybe still has a book, but as far as I’m aware most ‘modern’ cars don’t have service books.

There was a crossover period years ago when cars seemed to have a service book as well as the service data stored in the car and/or in the manufacturers cloud system.

[Cold]

"No need for a service book, it's all online" or similar. Yes, that's great. Now, all they have to do is update the portal. Do they remember to do that? Do they f**k.

[stevemcs]

andy43 said:

stevemcs said:

Leave it on the seat so we don't have to go looking for it.

Sit in drivers seat. Stretch arm across to passenger side. Open glovebox. Extract service book. Add half an hours labour to the bill…

Fumble through lots of other stuff, weathers ... tissues, used facemasks ..... all the stuff you just love to find.

By the way we have the service book on our check list which whoever is working on the car needs to either tick or write no book, if they write no book we check online for a DSB, if there isn't we ask the customer where it is when they collect.

[sixor8]

Cold said:

"No need for a service book, it's all online" or similar. Yes, that's great. Now, all they have to do is update the portal. Do they remember to do that? Do they f**k.

I have a 2009 Mercedes and used a 'specialist' in 2022 because they had access to the online update, which they did do, and print off for me.

With my older cars, I take the service book with me when I collect a car and stand there until they stamp it. Garages often seem incapable of entering the date, or the correct mileage too.

[donkmeister]

stevemcs said:

andy43 said:

stevemcs said:

Leave it on the seat so we don't have to go looking for it.

Sit in drivers seat. Stretch arm across to passenger side. Open glovebox. Extract service book. Add half an hours labour to the bill…

Fumble through lots of other stuff, weathers ... tissues, used facemasks ..... all the stuff you just love to find.

By the way we have the service book on our check list which whoever is working on the car needs to either tick or write no book, if they write no book we check online for a DSB, if there isn't we ask the customer where it is when they collect.

I've always left the service book and locking wheelnut key somewhere in direct sight... Generally on the passenger seat, or if there's a little tray on the centre console I leave it there.

I thought that was one of those universal "things you do", TBH, like turning off the stereo so they don't judge your taste in music. And much like how leaving a post-it with your mileage on is a thing to not do as it tells the mechanic you don't trust him, result in farting and nose-picking in your seat, and possibly not getting those "while I was in there I saw that x needed doing, nah no charge" jobs done.

[Jag_NE]

With a modern car minus a service book I just keep the invoices so a future buyer can take a look, if they care.