Benefits of getting a dealer service on a 6 year old car

cornbb

I have a 05 Subaru with FSH from the dealer that originally sold the car. Its due a service now and I'm having a hard time justifying 200ish euro for what will likely be an oil + filter + fluids change when I know a reputable local guy who will do that for a fraction of the price.

What are people's views on this? How many potential buyers would be put off if I put a blemish on the dealer service history?

kildare.17hmr

go to your local guy no need to go near a main dealer. local mechanic will do the same job cheaper and can stamp your service history

Eric Cartman

how long has it been since the car was at a main dealer ? If its been a long time It may be worth 1 trip to the dealer incase of recalls / software updates to ecu etc... then after that use an indie

Atlantic Dawn

On cars I have sold private or through garages the service history wasn't checked on any, having said that I would not buy a car without a history. I think once it's stamped and done at correct intervals it should be fine, no point in spending an extra €1000 over the next 4 or 5 years to get maybe an extra €250 if at all to sell with full main dealer history.

coylemj

Stamps in the service booklet are not worth anything in my opinion, you'll often get the main dealer selling a 2ndhand car which was owned by one of their longstanding customers 'and we've serviced it from new' - yeah right, show me the invoices!

If the service book has stamps from other than the garage selling the car then maybe but even then, how can you be sure the stamps weren't done for cash on a Saturday when the boss wasn't around?

I've bought secondhand cars from main dealers and it's just amazing how they gloss over the service history, they regard it as a nuisance if you ask about it. As far as they are concerned they have just given the car a service and you're getting a warranty so why the f**k do you care about it's service history?

coylemj

Eric Cartman wrote: »

how long has it been since the car was at a main dealer ? If its been a long time It may be worth 1 trip to the dealer incase of recalls / software updates to ecu etc... then after that use an indie

Careful there, I made that mistake a few years ago when I brought an oldish car to a main dealer and got taken to the cleaners. If the car has passed some milestone like 80,000 kms you could be looking at a mega service which will cost an arm and a leg and not really enhance the value of the car.

Run_to_da_hills

There is also the danger of a back street non dealer using bogus parts on your pride and joy.

anthony4335

I use a local independent as there is no local subaru dealer. However he is about the same price 340 for my last one ,the only item outside fluids and filters was 2 belts and the plugs. But I trust the guy as he looks over the car for any faults, maybe to get more work but it gives me peace of mind to know that he has checked it over.
I would say it depends upon how much you trust you local guy, and how often you get it serviced .Consider this , you pay thousands for a nice car ,why do you skimp on services (as long as it is not over the top).

Run_to_da_hills

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

There is also the danger of a back street non dealer using bogus parts on your pride and joy.

Bogus parts? As in spurious? I sold loads of spurious oil filters for Corallas and Carina to main Toyota dealers :pac:

mickdw

I wouldnt use the dealer in your case however a good independant who uses genuine quality parts should be used.
A poor independant service will involve changing the oil and filter. Wont do any basic checks and most likely wont drive the car. He will still call it a service but will hopefully be only charging a few quid labour.
A proper service should cover all the consumables as required by your cars service schedule together with brake wear checks and a complete underbody check for stuff like damage, worn suspension components, loose exhaust brackets, cracked boots or any items that generally need to be tidied up plus engine compartment check, wheel bearing play check etc

Gumbo

coylemj wrote: »

If the service book has stamps from other than the garage selling the car then maybe but even then, how can you be sure the stamps weren't done for cash on a Saturday when the boss wasn't around?

surely you wouldnt buy a car based on only the stamps, you need to take the garage details down and then ring them yourself to confirm the car was actually in woth them.

thats why i keep every single receipt for service and anything else to out in with the service book.

In regardss to the OP's question, if its 200e in a dealer and 150e from an indy/friend i would personally pay the extra 50 for the main delaer stamp, receipt and the off change that you may have some chance of getting a good will gesture if anything serious goes wrong.

my last 2005 E90 BMW got a 2000e good will gesture from BMW as it had full BMW history when the DSC unit went.