servicing cost v full service history upon selling

prydey · 06-07-2011, 05:45 PM

i've always been one to service my own cars but my last couple of cars have been serviced by ford due to warranty.

my fg is now out of warranty, so i'm no longer obliged to get it serviced by the dealer, but i'm also in the habit of changing cars every few years so it got me thinking. how much is a full service history worth come sale time? is the $200 give or take for a service worth it to keep the book stamped?

i'm beginning to think yes. its a relatively small cost and offers peace of mind for the next buyer. i'm not looking to sell any time soon, but i figure not only will it keep my service history/record intact, it will also continue to build my relationship with the dealer, which will help in the future, as my cars are always likely to be fords.

whats everyone else's views. is the service cost something you are prepared to pay, even though you are more than capable of doing it yourself, just to keep the cars service history up to date?

i guess i can put it this way. if you were looking at 2 cars the same and 1 had a full service history but was up to $1000 dearer, would you pay the premium? or buy one up to $1000 cheaper but trust that its been serviced by the owner. what would be the tipping point on price? i just used $1000 as an example.

ray38l · 06-07-2011, 06:03 PM

Well obviously people prefer a full service history. I would pay $1000 more for a car with a full service history.
Its a win for the second hand buyer but a loss for the seller due to them paying way more then they should by having a dealer doing the work. If you can do the service your self i reckon you should and just leave the major services to the dealer.
The added resale value for the seller isn't worth the initial expense imo.

2011G6E · 06-07-2011, 06:13 PM

As long as it's done by a reputable mob...the dealer themselves or Ultratune...it'll be "worth it". If it's done by Bobs Backyard Auto, no matter how good he is, it won't be worth as much as they are an unknown quantity.

prydey · 06-07-2011, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ray38l

Well obviously people prefer a full service history. I would pay $1000 more for a car with a full service history.
Its a win for the second hand buyer but a loss for the seller due to them paying way more then they should by having a dealer doing the work. If you can do the service your self i reckon you should and just leave the major services to the dealer.
The added resale value for the seller isn't worth the initial expense imo.

on average, my servicing costs have been about $200, rarely more, so if that got me an extra $1000 at sale time, i'd be in front.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducati888

You are not obliged to have your car serviced by the dealer to maintain your warranty. If they told you that then they lied to you, and if they did, what does that say about your relationship with them?

i said dealer rather than qualified mechanic as i find most people will use a dealer for their new cars. i'm well aware that the book can be stamped by a number of outlets. my relationship with my dealer is very good. last service (60k) cost me $180.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

IMO the car was in better mechanical condition than if it was dealer serviced.

not really debating this point. its more about the perception it offers a potential buyer. i'm pretty handy with the tools and its not like i wouldn't lift the bonnet myself, i'm just wondering if other people feel its worth spending $200/year for a stamp in the service book.

**Silver Ghia** · 06-07-2011, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

not really debating this point. its more about the perception it offers a potential buyer. i'm pretty handy with the tools and its not like i wouldn't lift the bonnet myself, i'm just wondering if other people feel its worth spending $200/year for a stamp in the service book.

As I said, I got what was I expected, which was the redbook etc value of the car. I doubt if the dealer would have given me any more if it was dealer serviced.

The AU Fairmont was similar except I sold that privately to a mechanic. He looked at all the right places and obviously knew what he was doing. So no, I dont think its worth the $200 / service done by the dealer, provided the person doing the service does it meticuously, and keeps all records to show the new owner.

prydey · 06-07-2011, 06:55 PM

seems to me there are some serious trust issues when it comes to other people working on their car. whether these are warranted or not, it is not really what this thread is about.

whilst it is applicable to my situation, it was more of a general question rather than offering me advice.

put yourself in the shoes of a buyer who isn't a car enthusiast, or handy with spanners. if you go to look at a car, generally you can tell how its been looked after, but there are millions of people out there who would have much more confidence in seeing a stamp in the book.

we are talking 'service' here, not major mechanical work. change of fluids and filters, update of the pcm, clear fault codes etc. its all about the perception of the buyer.

there are also many times when you don't know the previous seller, if you are buying from a used dealer. if you are keen on 2 cars, one with history, one without, most people would be prepared to pay that bit extra for the stamps in the book.

my last car (bf2 wagon) was bought by a business and one of the things they needed was a full service history. with so many cars on the market, you need to do all you can to give yourself the 'edge' over the competition.

WMD351 · 06-07-2011, 06:55 PM

I think that to the majority of private buyers (who might potentially be a little naive) it would definitely be worth a premium.
I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be worth anything at trade in.
Personally, I wouldn't rate it at all based on some of the things I've seen.

**Silver Ghia** · 06-07-2011, 06:13 PM

I serviced the Ghia myself for the last 3 years which was after the warranty expired. I then traded it in with the Ford dealer who gave me a tradein about what I was expecting, I dont think I would have got any more if it was dealer serviced.

IMO the car was in better mechanical condition than if it was dealer serviced. I kept a written detailed record with the service book each time I did work on the car, flushed and changed the coolant, brake fluid, engine oil etc, including what was used for replacement. The future buyer of the car had much more information than if the car was dealer serviced.

Additional work was also done on the car, the transmission had been serviced a few times (which normally isnt done by the dealer), DBA4000 rotors fitted instead of the standard Ford issue, wheel alignments done by specialist etc, I know everything was done properly. The bodywork also had rust protection done in the known areas. I had doubts when the dealer did the coolant flush, I bet they only drained and refilled with ne coolant, ignoring the 3 or so litres of old coolant still left in the engine block, the coolant colour was the giveaway.

I will be doing it all again with the FG once the warranty expires. I'm not doing it to save money, I'm doing it so I know the work is done correctly and the best that can be done, also so I can keep a proper track of everything to keep reliability and longevity to the maximum.

Ducati888 · 06-07-2011, 06:14 PM

You are not obliged to have your car serviced by the dealer to maintain your warranty. If they told you that then they lied to you, and if they did, what does that say about your relationship with them?

Any qualified and licenced mechanic can stamp your book, find a good one and that's worth more to me than a dodgy service where all they do is check fluid levels and tick boxes without any due care (my experience of both Ford & Holden dealers).

If you are going to trade it, I doubt the dealer would look at the service book, but they might if they plan to sell it on their lot rather than off load it to a wholesaler.

As a private buyer, a well presented car and a well presented owner are more important to me than a service history. You can generally tell if a person is a dick or not, so if they are, walk away regardless. If not, get the car checked, ask questions and bag a nice vehicle if the price is right.

MattSAU2XR8 · 06-07-2011, 06:24 PM

If you keep all your receipts for fluids, parts etc. then it should all be pretty good. Obviously some things will still end up getting done at workshops, eg. mufflers and wheel alignments and clutches, but I can't really see that a dealer checking if your lights are working or if the bolts holding your suspension onto the underneath of your car are tight will help much with resale. Also a lot of people who look after their own cars do better maintenance, eg. change gearbox, power steering and diff fluids as well as just the oil. Probably look best if you ought an exercise book or similar and pasted all the receipts in and made notes on everything that you did. I've just got a big bag of receipts at present which will be a nightmare for the next owner to sort through :-)

galaxy xr8 · 06-07-2011, 06:34 PM

Yes it is illegal for any dealer to say your warranty will be void if you don't service through them.

brenx · 06-07-2011, 06:56 PM

IMO from someone who is in the know wouldn't care. For eg a mechanic buyer or someone with with decent knowledge wouldn't care. Why? Dealer servicing isn't really fantastic.

A service history from a decent service agent is another story.

prydey · 06-07-2011, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brenx

IMO from someone who is in the know wouldn't care. For eg a mechanic buyer or someone with with decent knowledge wouldn't care. Why? Dealer servicing isn't really fantastic.

A service history from a decent service agent is another story.

why are you differentiating between an actual ford dealer and a independant? this is more about the stamp in the book, regardless of who puts it there.

can people please look past their disdain and mistrust for ford dealers in this thread. can we just keep it about whether or not having a book full of stamps could potentially be worth more to you come sale time.

thanks guys.

galaxy xr8 · 06-07-2011, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

why are you differentiating between an actual ford dealer and a independant? this is more about the stamp in the book, regardless of who puts it there.

can people please look past their disdain and mistrust for ford dealers in this thread. can we just keep it about whether or not having a book full of stamps could potentially be worth more to you come sale time.

thanks guys.

And what makes you think just because there is a stamp in the book that the work has actually been carried out ?.
I am sure there would be many vehicle's out there for sale that have a complete service history going by the book's but in reality may indeed not have, alot like a stolen re-shelled vehicle that comes with a complete service history ?.

xtremerus · 06-07-2011, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

And what makes you think just because there is a stamp in the book that the work has actually been carried out ?.
I am sure there would be many vehicle's out there for sale that have a complete service history going by the book's but in reality may indeed not have, alot like a stolen re-shelled vehicle that comes with a complete service history ?.

Surely a second-hand car yard wouldn't do that?

56L · 07-07-2011, 12:05 AM

I have had my pursuit 250 serviced once (the first service) by a dealer.I had to go down the road and buy the mobil 1 0/40 oil for them as they didnt stock it .I also use US made oil filters compared to the dealer tiawanese filters.

Dealers dont drain the 600ml of old engine oil from the oil coolers whilst doing oil changes either.

My car has never seen another mechanic for servicing,i have completed all myself,with over 300,000kms i have saved more than what the car is probably worth.

Tyre kickers just use the whole service handbook thing as a excuse to be a pain in the butt

Ben73 · 07-07-2011, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

And what makes you think just because there is a stamp in the book that the work has actually been carried out ?.
I am sure there would be many vehicle's out there for sale that have a complete service history going by the book's but in reality may indeed not have, alot like a stolen re-shelled vehicle that comes with a complete service history ?.

Ring the company stamped if you have any doubts. They would be able to confirm it.

galaxy xr8 · 08-07-2011, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben73

Ring the company stamped if you have any doubts. They would be able to confirm it.

And offcourse they are going to tell you that they didn't do all the work arn't they, but they stamped the book so they must have.

A family friend at the momment is going through a very hard time right now as of something very similar to this subject, he is a very good and qualified mechanic, he has been a head mechanic at Ford and Toyota dealership's before but deciding to go out on his own.
In trusting another dealer he knew he went in partnership with him, the dealer was buying used car's from auction's and getting him to service them and get RWC and then putting them on the dealer's lot, now they both had a seperate bussiness but running under the dealer's license LMCT.

The mechanic had to close up shop as personal commitment's had struct, the dealer took it upon himself to continue to stamp all the vehicles still comming in and giving them RWC as work that was susposedly carried out by the mechanic (this was actually done by his apprentice).
The mechanic is now facing charges as it is his stamp's that are in the book's once the VCAA (what ever it is) is now pursing the matter, he was told that he should have locked his stamp's away and no one should have had access, rightly so but no one should have been using them aswell, when he trusted the dealership, and he was not in the right state of mine at this stage to even think about work as he was just diagnosed with a serious illness, so thinking about locking his stamp's away was the last thing on his mind.

My friend is now in hot water becuase he made a silly mistake in trusting someone while he was not able to work, and that someone is now still able to practise and own a used car yard.

So what I am trying to say is that just because a book has been stamped, mean's jack in reality.

vztrt · 06-07-2011, 06:59 PM

Trade in I wouldn't waste my time. As for a seller it could get a better sale price but not worth the dealer service price.

prydey · 06-07-2011, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

As for a seller it could get a better sale price but not worth the dealer service price.

service intervals on new fords is 15000km or 12 months. whether you agree with it or not is irrelevant. this is the minimum requirement to get that stamp. to me, $200 (what my dealer charges for my servicing) a year isn't a huge cost.

vztrt · 06-07-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

service intervals on new fords is 15000km or 12 months. whether you agree with it or not is irrelevant. this is the minimum requirement to get that stamp. to me, $200 (what my dealer charges for my servicing) a year isn't a huge cost.

I know what the service intervals are seeing as I buy my cars new and not s/hand.

You asked for views on this topic I answered I don't see why you need to argue with people because they don't share your view.

prydey · 06-07-2011, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

I know what the service intervals are seeing as I buy my cars new and not s/hand.

You asked for views on this topic I answered I don't see why you need to argue with people because they don't share your view.

sorry matey, not really argueing. sorry if thats the way it comes across. just discussing the topic.

PHANTMXR6 · 06-07-2011, 07:44 PM

If and when I sell my FG, the only dealer stamp in my service book is the first oil change it had.

As a tradesman there is no way I am paying for a dealer, be it Ford or otherwise, to do a job I am qualified and certified to do purely for a stamp.

I keep receipts from Ford for the genuine filters I use and record all the work I do in the service manual. I even sample my oil every service and have copies of that on hand also.

I think an oil sample history would hold more value than a stamp in a service book.

The other hidden cost that some are unlucky enough to have to pay to get there car serviced at a dealer is distance travelled to get to a dealer.

For me, a one way 500+km trip is what is required to get to a dealer, plus accommodation and fuel on top of that. Servicing then becomes quite expensive if you had to do that every time.

Just my experience.

FPV+fteT3 · 06-07-2011, 07:09 PM

When I look at 2nd hand cars the dearer type the service history is important to me. All my cars but the old excell have up to date books and a receipt history. I think it gives the lookers when you want to sell some piece of mind that mechanically the car has not been neglected. Any POS can look nice with a detail but it may not have had a service in 30,000k's. So back to the OP I would pay more within reason for a full service history rather than a car with no history. Dealer service is not as important as regular service done at regular intervals.

ray38l · 06-07-2011, 07:09 PM

Its definitely worth more to the average buyer. I was doing a service on my car and my mate said i shouldn't be mucking around with it because cars are designed to only be serviced by mechanics these days. He changed his mind once i took the engine cover off and he saw that underneath it there was in fact an engine there that can be worked on without special tools.
So yeah the general consensus by non car people is that the only one who should be fixing cars is mechanics.

Franco Cozzo · 06-07-2011, 07:12 PM

My service book for my Fiesta is all over the shop, its been serviced once by Ford, twice by Honda and now once by a local independant mechanic, but its all stamped and its had 4 services within 25,000km, 3 of those oil and filters.

GreenR · 07-07-2011, 03:19 AM

I think it comes down to the person looking to buy your car. Your average Joe would be at peace of mind with a full service history, book stamped, and maybe even by the dealer. However I would think if one of us or an enthusiast were looking into a car? The fact it is logbook, dealer and service stamped would mean not much at all.

dags41v · 07-07-2011, 07:36 AM

It doesnt fill you full of confidence if you read what the dealer/warranty service actually involves ...... visually check brakes, visually check wipers, top up washer fluid etc
It wouldnt really sway me between 2 similar cars and Im also not a fan of extended warranties ..... just dont seem to be worth the $$$$.

auxr · 07-07-2011, 11:00 AM

The OP has really asked a simple question - does a stamped service history sway a person to buy a vehicle that is $1000 dearer compared to the same vehicle that does not have a service history.

IMO, the answer would be yes.

SumoDog68 · 07-07-2011, 11:34 AM

I do all my servicing ( oil, coolant ,atf ,diff fluids,belts - Done lifters , brakes (rotors,pads ,flush) .I dont service my better halfs VW as it is under warranty and engine bay is unweLcoming and tight place :-)
With factory manual and quality tools (dont forget torque wrench) many jobs are quite simple. I am electrician by trade but enjoy mechanical work as a hobby.
As i prefer to own more than one car there is no rush to complete servicing and use the car. I buy cars out of warranty - warranty servicing not an issue. When you work on your car you take time and take care - no dealer can match that.
Certain things out of my skills or too hard to do at home i leave to pros - normally not dealers where oil is changed by 17yo apprentices.
My car came back frome dealer "service" and next morning there was an oil puddle in my driveway. Sump plug was hand tight... Never again would i let
them work on my car.
I only buy best quality parts and keep record of all work. Much better than
stamp in the book. I just bought another car and it has full dealers history -
which is better then none but my initial service unearthed some minor things
that obviously havent been done for years - all fixed now but it ll probably take
me some time to bring this car into sort of condition i want.
So to answer OP question - most people would pay extra for dealers history - but that does not automatically mean that they are buying a better car.
Real question is do you want a car in top mechanical condition for yourself or a book full of stamps for future buyer ?