Tim-Grove

My car has just run out of warranty and I’ve decided that I'm not paying dealer prices to service my car (they charged me 240 quid for oil and plug’s last year). I use to service my old Nova SR all the time so I’ve decided to do it my self.

I’ve been out and got all the parts and I’ve printed out this to which I will staple the receipt to.





3rd Year Service

F*02TWC
Mileage 24055




Front Brake Pads £25.00
Oil 10/40 semi synthetic £11.99
Oil Filter £7.99
Air Filter £7.99
Front Windscreen Wipers, £4.49 and £3.79

Serviced by myself on 26/04/05.


Would you be satisfied with this as service history if you were buying my car a few years down the line??.

Wish

iTrader: (2)

Personaly No.
But then again I would only want, and buy a car with Dealer service history.

LG John

Take pictures as you go along doing each of the items of work and use the date facility on the digi-cam. That way you can show that you undertook those items of work on that day and payed x-amount for the parts. Provided you can convince the buyer you are mechanically able they would probably be more satisfied at seeing such detailed evidence than they would seeing a stamp from 'Honest Joe's' backstreet garage where they probably only did half the work they charged you for anyway!

Freak

If it was a nova

yes

If it was a bmw, merc subaru or anything with any value or performance whatsoever

no

Richard_P

Depending on age of the car, If it's 4 or more years old when you sell then ye I would buy it as long as it's been serviced, keep all your old Mot's as they validate the mileage just as well as a service history. Get a file for the car and keep everything organised in it chronologically. Much more impressive than a service history, shows you've made effort to look after the car I'd say.

Tim-Grove

It isn't a valuble car, its only a cheapo Punto Sporting probably worth 5-6 grand at the most.

Bollox to them them anyway, I aint paying fookin extortionate dealer prices for something I can do just as well if not better. Last year they spilt oil all over my engine bay and over the exhaust manifold. I thought my fookin engine was on fire when I drove down the road, there were plumes of smoke coming from the engine bay.

dazc

I do the same with my second car now its out of warranty (and I plan on keeping it a while) and I truly believe that no one will service my car better than I do.

Every time I got fleeced at the dealers I got average quality oil and below average workmanship. Spark plugs not gapped and loose, charged for work clearly not done ect..

Just did all belts etc on last service as it was a big one, saved a fortune.
If you service it yourself you save money and can then also use better oil/plugs/tyres ect with the cash you've saved.

What you have to weigh up though is no one will know if you have done a good job or not, whereas if the book is stamped at least they will know that it has been done.
Resale time you will take a hit, but is this going to be as much as what you have saved? And you also have to bear in mind, (no disrespect here) that an Impreza is far more complicated than a Nova SR and could need things that the average guy may not know about.

My Scooby goes to an independant as its well modded, plus dealers wont really understand it or where to get parts for it from.

Choice is yours, maybe save money on changing brake pads, exhausts ect yourself and just get an oil change stamp at the dealers? Daz

dazc

Was busy typing, didn't see that it was a Punto.
Yeah, just do it yourself, it'll be right. Daz

mart360

Sorry guys, but anyone who pays dealer prices after the car is out of warranty
needs his bumps feeling,

I have now on two occasions looked at the service requirements for the recent cars i have owned..

on all of the services, 80% of the work required is a visual inspection..

the oil and filter are just about the only thing that gets replaced.

granted the 90k is a big one, but if you provide all reciepts in chron order, the buyer can see the work has been done.

the scoob had no history after 80K i did the cam belt, and all fluids within 1 year, and have reciepts for oil changes from the local tyre place.

i,m not worried if someone wants to try and nock a bit off when i come to sell. its priced to sell not pose!

the diesel, i did the last service myself, it consisted of oil change oil filter air filter and diesel filter. that was the hard bit. then i visually checked the brake pads f & r greased all hinges checked all pipes in the engine bay , and topped up the screen wash

total cost £80

i had the cambelt done by a local garage £166 all in

dealer £300 ex vat

main dealers no way!

M

Tim-Grove

just what i was thinking mart

gsm1

I'm sure you'd do a better service than the monkeys at plenty of these franchised garages but out in the market place punters insist on a stamped book. If you're looking at keeping the car for a good few years yet then it may not make a difference but if you're selling soon I'd use an idependent garage to do the minimum and at least get a stamp in the book.

Vegescoob

We keep our cars for 10 years. Out of warranty I do the maintenance.
All main dealers, whatever manufacturer, we have used, ain't as good as me.
Just my view.
But look at Which, What Car etc ref dealer servicing. Not good.

Tim-Grove

Yeah I’ll be keeping it for a good few years yet. Ive had it 3 years since new and ill probably keep it for another 3 year minimum I would think (got a house to buy next year).

Vegescoob

Sorry, not being rude, but look at values of current 6 year old Puntos.
No brainer, service yourself if you're keeping it till 6 years old.

Tim-Grove

Exactly. Thats why im doing it.

BOB.T

Go down the dealers and get a service sheet and just do what they do, put original parts on and keep invoices, job's a guddun!

Doc

Full main dealer service history is what buyers want but in my opinion its true value is bugger all except a false sense of security.

Just some recent main dealer examples.
They are not all the same dealer thank god

Why does a local main dealer ask if its a company car? Is the service different?
Why did a main dealer service a car which went in with a blown headlight bulb, not notice this and sign the service sheet as headlights checked?
Why did they replace a drive shaft under warranty and leave the fuel pump dangling off its bracket?
Why was a Panhard rod left unattached at one end after a service?
Why did a main dealer advise a cambelt change at 3 years was not required because of low mileage when the service manual clearly stated it should be changed at a certain mileage or 3 years?
A car was taken to a main dealer with a vibration. Dealer diagnosed a knackered gearbox and quoted £5800 for replacement (car just out of warranty) when the car was taken to a gearbox specialist he diagnosed a loose front wheel!!!!

I'm sure there are some good main dealers out there who service your car to the letter but equally a full main dealer service history proves absolutely nothing. Unfortunately there is no easy answer.

The_Gza

If i was looking to buy a car in a private sale outside of the 3 year warranty period, I'd trust an honest seller with the sort of receipts you plan on providing (on the sort of car you're talking about) far more than any service history from main dealer garage. Saying that, you'd have to be pretty convincing for me to put you in the 'honest seller' category