Vantage and service history
Discussion
Hi all
I am considering a v8 vantage convertible from a main AM dealer. The advert says full service history, the sales chap says full history but on inspection it isn’t. There are a couple missing when you apply 12 months or 10k miles.
The answer from the dealer is that it didn’t do many miles in those years so it is ok and many owners do the same.
Would this worry you? In particular resale?
Thanks
I am considering a v8 vantage convertible from a main AM dealer. The advert says full service history, the sales chap says full history but on inspection it isn’t. There are a couple missing when you apply 12 months or 10k miles.
The answer from the dealer is that it didn’t do many miles in those years so it is ok and many owners do the same.
Would this worry you? In particular resale?
Thanks
How many miles were travelled during the years of missed services?
If say less than two or three thousand p.a. I would not worry.
My car is lightly used and is also off the road for a few winter months.
Therefore I now have servicing every 24 months.
No problems have been encountered and if 2 year servicing is acceptable to Mercedes-Benz, for one of their 150 mph cars, it should also be OK for a pampered Vantage.
It might perhaps be an excuse for a dealer to pay less at trade-in time, then forget that when retailing, but for keepers that won't apply anyway.
The annual / 10,000 miles basis is quite a general rule, which can be adjusted for light use circumstances (not in the first few years though when under warranty). As an example I think at year 7, the service schedule includes a change of spark plugs. They should be nowhere near worn out, if the car has then only covered say 20,000 miles.
Edited by Dewi 2 on Sunday 17th February 17:16
Its obviously a different main dealer than the one on here the other week that wont honour a warranty if a car misses a service by a month or two 
As always, when you are selling to a dealer or trading in, some missed services will mean sucking of teeth and thousands knocked off the trade value.....then when buying "oh its nothing to worry about, it only did a few thousand miles, no issue with skipping a service that year" ......
Its really up to you. If everything else checks out and the service history is otherwise spot on (are there any other docs like invoices showing what was done when it did have a service?) then it should be fine. Few owners, particularly of out of warranty cars, will take it in after 2000 miles in 12 months and spend £1k on a service just to keep a stamp in the book.
Just expect if you come to trade it in at a dealer, they could offer less for it.....in the big scheme of things towards the lower end of the market, I cant imagine it makes much difference. A 2-3 year old car within factory warranty with services missing then yes, does cause issues.
As always, when you are selling to a dealer or trading in, some missed services will mean sucking of teeth and thousands knocked off the trade value.....then when buying "oh its nothing to worry about, it only did a few thousand miles, no issue with skipping a service that year" ......
Its really up to you. If everything else checks out and the service history is otherwise spot on (are there any other docs like invoices showing what was done when it did have a service?) then it should be fine. Few owners, particularly of out of warranty cars, will take it in after 2000 miles in 12 months and spend £1k on a service just to keep a stamp in the book.
Just expect if you come to trade it in at a dealer, they could offer less for it.....in the big scheme of things towards the lower end of the market, I cant imagine it makes much difference. A 2-3 year old car within factory warranty with services missing then yes, does cause issues.
If I was buying, and there were two identical cars one with full history and one with gaps - I would always go with the one with full - providing the premium for such was not prohibitive.
If the dvla mot checks website ties up with all the MOT & Service history then that would also be an important chack.
If the dvla mot checks website ties up with all the MOT & Service history then that would also be an important chack.
It depends on how it has been used, personally given the price of a basic lubrication service compared to potential mechanical issues down the line, I'd still want to see a yearly service, for example cars which only do a few miles between services can suffer from condensation in the lubrication system with lots of start ups and short trips, so an oil and filter change yearly is still worth doing.
k if you use it or not, that's your prerogative.Manx V8V said:
It depends on how it has been used, personally given the price of a basic lubrication service compared to potential mechanical issues down the line, I'd still want to see a yearly service, for example cars which only do a few miles between services can suffer from condensation in the lubrication system with lots of start ups and short trips, so an oil and filter change yearly is still worth doing.
Obviously impossible when considering the purchase of a low mileage AM, to know how it has been used.
I am very aware of condensation following start up (we have probably all noticed water dripping from cold exhausts), so after ever start, the minimum drive is 25 miles (no hardship). On put away, everything is hot.
Bogie has it about right - it's a bit annoying that my AMG is oil change every two years at £200 and the Aston is every year a £700 odd, as I want to retain the value for a nervous buyer or 'any excuse for a knock-down' trade in, perhaps an unexpected sale in these uncertain times. Similar power, same exhaustive checks done too, sir.
Ho hum, suck it up...
Ho hum, suck it up...
skeeterm5 said:
Hi all
I am considering a v8 vantage convertible from a main AM dealer. The advert says full service history, the sales chap says full history but on inspection it isn’t. There are a couple missing when you apply 12 months or 10k miles.
The answer from the dealer is that it didn’t do many miles in those years so it is ok and many owners do the same.
Would this worry you? In particular resale?
Thanks
I would ask about its history and find out who did do the maintenance. In my case I only do a few hundred miles a year. So I only take to the dealer for major maintenance and fluid changes. The engine oil I change myself once a year using Aston filter, drain plugs etc. Since I have a lift, I can't see paying $1000 dollars for an oil change and I enjoy it. I am considering a v8 vantage convertible from a main AM dealer. The advert says full service history, the sales chap says full history but on inspection it isn’t. There are a couple missing when you apply 12 months or 10k miles.
The answer from the dealer is that it didn’t do many miles in those years so it is ok and many owners do the same.
Would this worry you? In particular resale?
Thanks
I’m probably in the minority given some previous comments, but my cars are serviced to the letter, regardless whether they’ve done any miles or not. Yes I know it’s a bit of a racket in some cases, but I’m a bit OCD and like to know the car is in tip top health.
For me personally I’d want to see the stamps in the book (MD or reputable Indie) to show work was done and preferably invoices for any other work.
I don’t need to be arguing over a component failure which may cost a fortune because I tried to save a few hundred quid on a service. I know that’s the extreme scenario, but in my view you’re always likely to get get a better response to issues if you can show an impeccable maintenance history.
We all know what these cars cost to maintain before we buy them, and I think once general maintenance starts to slide then it’s a slippery slope. What else has the previous owner saved money on for example........
Mine will be on Chasing Classic Cars one day when I’m dead and gone, and they’ll be marvelling over the low mileage original car with every receipt and piece of history
For me personally I’d want to see the stamps in the book (MD or reputable Indie) to show work was done and preferably invoices for any other work.
I don’t need to be arguing over a component failure which may cost a fortune because I tried to save a few hundred quid on a service. I know that’s the extreme scenario, but in my view you’re always likely to get get a better response to issues if you can show an impeccable maintenance history.
We all know what these cars cost to maintain before we buy them, and I think once general maintenance starts to slide then it’s a slippery slope. What else has the previous owner saved money on for example........
Mine will be on Chasing Classic Cars one day when I’m dead and gone, and they’ll be marvelling over the low mileage original car with every receipt and piece of history
I also get mine serviced regularly regardless of mileage. I probably do enough (a few thousand) that it needs it anyway, but even if I did less I think I still would. Thinks still get picked up on the service even if you've only done relatively little mileage. Having said that - I think my 360 missed a couple of annual services around 12 years ago (before my ownership) which didn't bother me much when I bought it.
(Full disclosure - my Cayenne doesn't even get serviced when it is due! I might get it done this year actually - it's a remarkable car considering how much I neglect it).
(Full disclosure - my Cayenne doesn't even get serviced when it is due! I might get it done this year actually - it's a remarkable car considering how much I neglect it).
Big Ry said:
I’m probably in the minority given some previous comments, but my cars are serviced to the letter, regardless whether they’ve done any miles or not. Yes I know it’s a bit of a racket in some cases, but I’m a bit OCD and like to know the car is in tip top health.
Are you now on your 4th Vantage Ryan ?
Perhaps different engineering thinking, between anticipating a trade-in vs. a car being kept for say 20 years.
Jon39 said:
Are you now on your 4th Vantage Ryan ?
Perhaps different engineering thinking, between anticipating a trade-in vs. a car being kept for say 20 years.
1) 2009 V8 Roadster - SS
2) 2014 V8S (SP10) - Manual
3) 2013 V12 Coupe
4) 2017 V12S Roadster - Manual
I guess it is, but in all honesty I've done the same with every car I've ever owned, maintenance was always spot on regardless of how long I kept it.
For me the current one won't be going anywhere, as where would I go ? In the future if circumstances allow the perhaps a DBSS, but that's a few years away for sure, that would be in addition to the V12S though, not a replacement.
On this service interval topic, it is interesting now that Mercedes-Benz supply engines to Aston Martin.
As already mentioned by two contributors, Mercedes have two year servicing on some of their high performance cars, when low mileages are involved. Whether this is applicable to the 4 litre twin turbo V8 engine, I do not know.
With Mercedes-Benz engineering reputation, I think this must show that a two year oil change is allowable for low use cars.
Jon39 said:
On this service interval topic, it is interesting now that Mercedes-Benz supply engines to Aston Martin.
As already mentioned by two contributors, Mercedes have two year servicing on some of their high performance cars, when low mileages are involved. Whether this is applicable to the 4 litre twin turbo V8 engine, I do not know.
With Mercedes-Benz engineering reputation, I think this must show that a two year oil change is allowable for low use cars.
As far as resale value. I guess that it depends on the buyer. The 70k mile 07 V8V with fully documented service history will be worth more than one without. I'm not sure that a 15,000 mile 07 V8V that's had 3 oil changes is going to be worth much less than one that's had 13 oil changes and it will likely be worth more than one with 30k miles.
In short, buy on condition. These cars are not collectible yet and the prices will continue to go down for probably another decade before they bottom out. When that happens, they'll all be worth a fraction of what they cost new.
alabbasi said:
As another poster suggested, it's a bit of a racket. In the US, Mercedes Benz offers free servicing for the first 4 years and 50k miles. It pays for them to have long service intervals. I suspect that Aston Martin dealerships make a pile of money from charging for service and suggest that you do it often regardless of miles. Even though Aston Martin is now using MB engines, I suspect that an oil filter for one will still cost $30 and be a dealer only part whereas the same filter from Mahl or Hengst for the MB can be bought aftermarket for $6.
As far as resale value. I guess that it depends on the buyer. The 70k mile 07 V8V with fully documented service history will be worth more than one without. I'm not sure that a 15,000 mile 07 V8V that's had 3 oil changes is going to be worth much less than one that's had 13 oil changes and it will likely be worth more than one with 30k miles.
In short, buy on condition. These cars are not collectible yet and the prices will continue to go down for probably another decade before they bottom out. When that happens, they'll all be worth a fraction of what they cost new.
From what I see out there for sale, service history does not seem to have much affect on price. Over here all used cars are linked to a Carfax report which lists dealer service history, accidents, how many owners etc. Whether a car has extensive service records or very few service records, does not show much price difference. Mileage is a HUGE factor on resale for these cars. These cars may be considered exotic, but the are made up of non exotic parts, they are basically just cars. Paying thousands and thousands of dollars for basic service makes it no better that paying a reputable Aston certified independent to do the same service. As far as resale value. I guess that it depends on the buyer. The 70k mile 07 V8V with fully documented service history will be worth more than one without. I'm not sure that a 15,000 mile 07 V8V that's had 3 oil changes is going to be worth much less than one that's had 13 oil changes and it will likely be worth more than one with 30k miles.
In short, buy on condition. These cars are not collectible yet and the prices will continue to go down for probably another decade before they bottom out. When that happens, they'll all be worth a fraction of what they cost new.
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