Car service history

Belloni

Belloni

Belloni

Soldato
Joined
17 Feb 2009
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So previously my car had full audi service history up to last time. I had to go away so I asked my dad to take it in for a service, I found out on my return that he didn't take it to Audi to get it done, just a garage up the road. So I now longer have "full" audi service history.

My understanding that come to selling the car, this will lessen the value of it?!

Basically, my next service is due, do I bother with paying through the nose for an audi service, or since now my dad went to garage, just get it done cheaper else where?! Since the book has already, in my eyes, been "ruined".
 
How old is the car?

Personally I think people over emphasise the relevance of Full (dealer) Service History. It's just one of many 'clues' as to how the car may have been looked after, but is by no means the be all and end all.
 
div0 said:
How old is the car?

Personally I think people over emphasise the relevance of Full (dealer) Service History. It's just one of many 'clues' as to how the car may have been looked after, but is by no means the be all and end all.
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It's an 07 plate.
 
I think once you lose the "full" main dealer history there is little to gain from going at AD again, I would find a quailty specialist
 
I don't get the obsession with dealer history :confused: The mechanics aren't necessarily any better. I'd rather go to a garage I trust than a main dealer. Unless it's something special, there's nothing a normal mechanic shouldn't be able to handle, save fancy electronic or specific stuff, which may require a specialist.

In fact, the main dealers seem worse in some respects, as from what I gather from friends' repairs etc, the diagnosis machine is the first port of call, rather than an actual inspection/check.

Unless you have something exotic, as long as you're confident it's been done correctly, I wouldn't worry.
 
It certainly wouldn't bother me unless it either had big gaps or it was a bit bizarre, e.g taking something like an M5 to be serviced a Kwik-Fit.
 
jellybeard999 said:
I don't get the obsession with dealer history :confused: The mechanics aren't necessarily any better. I'd rather go to a garage I trust than a main dealer. Unless it's something special, there's nothing a normal mechanic shouldn't be able to handle, save fancy electronic or specific stuff, which may require a specialist.

In fact, the main dealers seem worse in some respects, as from what I gather from friends' repairs etc, the diagnosis machine is the first port of call, rather than an actual inspection/check.

Unless you have something exotic, as long as you're confident it's been done correctly, I wouldn't worry.
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Resale value. A service carried out by a main dealer probably isn't any better than one carried out by an independent.

But when you come to buy a car and every service in the book is from a main dealer, it means the previous owner has spared no expense on the car, which can be a clue as to how well they have treated the car.
 
Conscript said:
Resale value. A service carried out by a main dealer probably isn't any better than one carried out by an independent.

.
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while you are almost certainly correct a main dealer service history car is generally worth more than one with indy stamps, it might not be logical but it is fact
 
I dropped mine off to Audi this morning for an MOT, got a brand new A4 courtesy car and a free car wash for £50 :D

Mine had so many problems when I bought it (not from Audi) that any potential buyer would be scared off if I showed them all the Audi paperwork lol

Did the garage stamp the book ?

MW
 
I think Dealer history is overrated, you probably spend more than what value the car will hold when it comes to sell it. There isn't going to be thousands of £'s difference in a car advertised as "Full dealer history" and "Full service history".

Heck my dad bought an A4 off his mate that had full audi history, had nothing but problems and had to fork out £500 3 times in one month just to keep it on the road.

Whereas my first car has been a Punto that I've owned for 2 years with no history whatsoever and I haven't had a single issue that's left me stranded anywhere. Yes, there's things wrong with my car but only things you would expect from a 13 year old punto; nothing a service would fix.
 
Conscript said:
Resale value. A service carried out by a main dealer probably isn't any better than one carried out by an independent.

But when you come to buy a car and every service in the book is from a main dealer, it means the previous owner has spared no expense on the car, which can be a clue as to how well they have treated the car.
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Pretty much this. I don't expect the work is any better at the dealer, but it gives me an insight into the cost attitude of the previous owner and is a useful filter - I filter out all cars without full dealer history. I am aware that by doing this I miss the odd gem but I also think I avoid far more dogs.

I still have mine serviced at the main dealer simply because it's much more convenient and hardly any more expensive.

In the OP's case, I'd say the 'damage' is done and he might as well stick to a 'specialist' in the future.
 
Whilst it may be an indication of how well the car was treated by the owner, it is not an indication as to how well the car was treated by the dealer or the mechanic, yet sadly, the uneducated motoring public will pay more $$ for a car with full dealer history, with perhaps the only silver lining being full recourse from the dealer if something goes amiss.
 
Django x2 said:
Whilst it may be an indication of how well the car was treated by the owner, it is not an indication as to how well the car was treated by the dealer or the mechanic, yet sadly, the uneducated motoring public will pay more $$ for a car with full dealer history, with perhaps the only silver lining being full recourse from the dealer if something goes amiss.
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Nothing is an indication of how the car was treated by the mechanic though.
 
Steedie said:
Free MOTs for life, yo!

Although that always worries me that they'll be looking to fail it to get their money back in some way :p
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If you have a Jaguar (not with Jaguar technically) extended warranty with the XF, it comes with MOT insurance so as long as what ever is failing the cars MOT is not a consumable, it will be fixed for free.

Yep free MOT on my car and it also gets a free wash and vac.
 
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