I normally get the tin top serviced every 6 months and i was wondering wether its worth doing it myself to save me £400+ per year and just get them to do anything major that needs doing.
I know the downside is that the car wont have service history and if i ever come to sell her, she wont be worth as much.
Opinions please

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Originally posted by speedyxjs
I normally get the tin top serviced every 6 months and i was wondering whether its worth doing it myself to save me £400+ per year and just get them to do anything major that needs doing.
I know the downside is that the car wont have service history and if i ever come to sell her, she wont be worth as much.
Opinions please

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If your main concern is resale value then a service history is worth it. Though extra regular servicing by yourself will only do the car good.

In other words you'll have to work out how much you'd save doing the work yourself against how much you'd reduce the cars value from the missing history. Or get a big rubber stamp

I do all the work on my cars and write what I've done on the inside of the bonnet with an indelible marker plus the dates for the next service. Even when I got the Blueys cam belt changed (the one job I was to busy to do) the guy at the garage stuck the sticker at the bottom of the list I'd written

I also write the part numbers of all the bits I've fitted as sods law says I'll forget when I go to the shop or the guy behind the counter has lost the parts book.



[Edited on 25/2/08 by Mr Whippy]

Im not too concerned about resale value because she's only worth a few grand. I didnt know whether it was worth the effort (thought it was but best to check )

oh well just do it yourself then, no question

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Originally posted by speedyxjs
Im not too concerned about resale value because she's only worth a few grand. I didnt know whether it was worth the effort (thought it was but best to check )

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How about you find a friendly mechanic willing to stamp your service book for a pint ...... not that I would ever condone doing something like that.....

I have a doubt that once a car is outside a warranty that a garage service history make a difference toresale. Most garages will offer you bottom book regardless. If you can present a comprehensive list of receipts and workdone this must be as good as a stamp (i doubt many main dealer services are as thorough as one would be led to believe).

Certainly if you own a car 3 years and pay 400 a year the value will naturally drop more than 1200 with or without dealer stamps in the book.

Either do it yourself or find a decent independant who can do it for less. I got my BMW diesel done for 180 which i thought was steep until i saw he paid over 50 for the oil alone. He also stripped all brakes and did a thorough inspection (im sure it was done as he showed me the front pads were shagged and replaced them as part of that price). Same service at BMW would have been 300 - 400 ish. The guy is an ex-Mercedes mechanic and well respected in the area.

A friend's neighbour had a 'free' mot done on his (bought from new from the dealer) audi a6 tdi avant by the local dealer, it failed on rear pads being low-they then quoted him £140 to do the job -also saying the discs COULD need changing saying around £350 for the job.We went to our local gsf motorfactors £14 for pads £10.65 each disc (they didn't need changing) the pads still had around 5-6mm friction material left on them and their wasn't a mark/groove on the discs (the car has only done 18000).He then went back for the 'free' mot and was told because the work was done elsewhere they would have to charge for the mot.
No wonder people call them main stealers-what a complete ripoff

I sit in these offices and listen to people complaining about how much the servicing for their cars cost. It just boggles the mind how much these fools are paying. I have bought good cars for the price they pay for one service!

I also keep quite about the fact that I do cars cos then I'll get asked...

Apart from big jobs, things I haven't got tools for or haven't got time I always do as much as I can.

I have a folder full of receipts and keep a written list which I've typed up in the past come sale time and imho that is a full service history, just not a dealer one.

I note the date, milage and receipts, also helps to see how well things like brakes and tyres last and when they're likely to need doing again.

Car has done 165k (mine since 119k) and still going strong. Previous owner is on here and presented me a folder full of receipts for parts from work he'd done when I bought it. Always used the correct manufacturers spec oil etc etc.

Do it yourself, if anything it's good practise and helps fault finding if you ever have any problems as you know your way around your car then as you've been under it

Ned.

[Edited on 25/2/08 by ned]

At least if you do it yourself you know it is done correctly and that everything has actually been changed. A mate of mine is a self employed mechanic and sees cars that have been main dealer serviced, half the time you can tell that the regular service items haven't been changed for years.

My motto:
'The only good garage is a bankrupt one.'

But there again I was abused by the motor trade when I was a boy motorist.

a lot of later stuff needs diagnostic kit to reset the service lights but most modern stuff has gone back to chain drive so servicing is back to filters and fluid changes.

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Originally posted by froggy
a lot of later stuff needs diagnostic kit to reset the service lights but most modern stuff has gone back to chain drive so servicing is back to filters and fluid changes.

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some of the later cars (newest ive done is 52) can be reset by holding ODO buttons down and twisting bits, personally i would never go to a main dealer because if its not on their tick sheet they wont replace it, not nice seeing air filters that look like they have cleaned out a sump from a prehistoric mini.
Ive also corrected cock ups that main dealers have made just because ur pay more doesnt mean your getting a better quality service.
Just keep all receipts all helps, get friendly with a mechanic get original bits at trade n ull be away.

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Originally posted by froggy
a lot of later stuff needs diagnostic kit to reset the service lights but most modern stuff has gone back to chain drive so servicing is back to filters and fluid changes.

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