FSH, what does it mean to you

[krisby]

I bought my C320 last week, with FSH, I saw the big fat envelope but didn't actually look through it.
Yesterday I went to look through to see what has been done, only to find, it has a book full of service stamps from a main dealer and then an indie. However, apart from MOT history, there is no receipts for work done, so whilst I can see it has supposedly been serviced, there is nothing to say exactly what has taken place.
I don't consider that FSH, would you?

 

[kam05]

Service stamps can be faked. I'd rather see a pile of invoices detailing what work has been done and when instead of a fully stamped service book and no invoices.

I even keep invoices for small items such as bulbs and wipers!

 

[Abdul]

Depends on the age of the car.

My car is 14 years old it has a stamped service book, a couple old mot's and nothing more. That'll do me.

On a 5 year old car I'd expect receipts to be present for some work at least. Having said that if the owners like me they will have lost all the receipts anyway lol.

Kam05 is correct, a service book can be stamped by anyone but you can always call the garages and confirm that they've carried out the work.

A big pile of reciepts honestly doesn't do much for me, all it says in my eyes is that the owner was very organised with their paperwork and perhaps a little **** with receipts.

Buy on condition and verify the mileage using the VOSA website and service book.

 

[BTB 500]

FSH is a fully stamped book.
FMBSH is the same but with 100% dealer stamps.

Anything else is a bonus, IMO. People may be reluctant to pass on invoices with their address, phone number, partial card details, etc.

 

[flango]

^ Exactly as above. You shouldn't need to see the invoices behind the work if the book has been stamped, they mean nothing anyway.

 

[Dryce]

FSH just means stamps in the book.

When we traded our last two cars the dealers were only interested in the service book and the condition.

When my last car passed through the trade and ended up with a used car dealer not far away it was advertised as having a FSH with specific mention that it was serviced regularly a local independent for the last 5 years and there was also a specific mention that it had a full set of Michelins.

And I think under the circumstances that's the sort of brief description that would give me some reasonable comfort.

In an ideal world it would be good to know what other stuff had been done but I suspect that works the wrong way to some customers - a car that has had a lot of work done will look like trouble to some people - whereas others will figure that the previous owner has taken the hit.

Having experienced the W211 knowing that the front springs were done at a given mileage doesn't mean the car was abused. But does give an idea of when they'll next be due. But not everybody will see it that way.

 

[krisby]

FSH is a fully stamped book.
FMBSH is the same but with 100% dealer stamps.

Anything else is a bonus, IMO. People may be reluctant to pass on invoices with their address, phone number, partial card details, etc.

I guess so, its just when I've had FSH in the past I've seen the receipts, and found it was a bonus on some cars and a warning on others, i.e. my 528i, was good to see the radiator had been replaced as they are prone to failing around 100,000miles, and on the S60, saw plugs had been replaced last year at a cost of only £2.35 each, this concerned me as that is what a plug for my lawnmower cost, not for a 210bhp turbo, it did have a misfire too, sure enough, had pooh plugs installed so I changed them for volvo plugs that cost 4x times as much.
Without the receipts I wouldn't have known these things (ok, radiator can be checked visually), but a stamped book, as you say, can be faked, and only shows what services have been done, not supplementary things like A/C compressor, ARB bushes, tranny flush, etc.
But thats ok, got some opinions now, so I won't be demanding the rest of the service history from the trader, clearly I've just been lucky up to now.

 

[Major774]

Invoices over stamps for me.

At least I know what has been done and not just ticks

 

[IanA2]

Invoices over stamps for me.

At least I know what has been done and not just ticks

No, you know what has been charged for

 

[M11GUL]

I miss the days of service books from Mercedes. My current car was sold to me with a letter from Mercedes confirming where it had been serviced in the dealer network and the dates and mileages.

First time I had it serviced at my local dealer, they printed out all the duplicate invoices (excluding customer details) for me so I had it all to hand.

It doesn't matter if a service book or invoices are present/missing...as long as you can verify with the garages that have serviced the car you should be okay!

 

[John]

No, you know what has been charged for

Yes, absolutely.

I used to have a friend who worked for VAG in the mid 90s and when I stopped by his work once, during a service for a car, quote "I can't be bothered to change the air filter" and didn't bother.

No doubt the customer paid for it.

As the car gets older, how well it is running and the condition should give you the best indicator of what kind of life it had.

I personally prefer invoices and I've kept all mine to sell with it - I'd rather explain them but buyers never seem to look through them anyway.

Mine came with none but I phoned the garages in the book to check they did it and most remembered it and confirmed.

They could be lying of course but life is too short for all concerned!

 

[markjay]

I keep all the invoices, however I usually px my cars rather than sell them privately and the delears were never interested in anything other than the service book.

So I usually keep the invoices for a couple of months after selling the car in the hope that the new owner might try and contact me directly, but so far no one ever did and the invoices eventually got binned.

 

[brabD3S]

i agree with kam05 stamps can be faked! thats why as above mercedes done away with the service book and its all on record what,when,and were.
as m11gul says i also had a letter from mb and if no invoices or print outs are present you simply contact them and they forward copy,s to you free of charge.
anything mb past 08 i believe no more service books.

 

[jaymanek]

I bought my C320 last week, with FSH, I saw the big fat envelope but didn't actually look through it.
Yesterday I went to look through to see what has been done, only to find, it has a book full of service stamps from a main dealer and then an indie. However, apart from MOT history, there is no receipts for work done, so whilst I can see it has supposedly been serviced, there is nothing to say exactly what has taken place.
I don't consider that FSH, would you?

If those stamps are genuine then yes thats a FSH... Invoices are better but most dont pass these on with the car.

 

[flowrider]

Mercedes don't stamp service books anymore so now you have to take the sellers word that servicing is up to date or you have to go through the hassle of asking a friendly MB service centre to check for you. Bear in mind that franchises and owned MB dealers use different online service systems although both are accessible by all dealers.

David

 

[martyp87]

I'm just going through the manuals etc, for mine. My service book states, 10k, 20k, 30k, 40k, 50k, 53k, 59k & 64k. Currently sitting at 68.5k.

Not all services were done every year but the mileage ties up, would you class this as a FSH? I personally would but there are 2 years missing...

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

I think it depends on what the recommended service intervals are. Some are for example, every 12 months or 10000 miles or which ever comes first.
Others are every two years or when the car indicates it requires one, this I think is called service assist. So, in theory a two year has could be OK. On the other hand, if your car says 12 months intervals then two services are missing. Hope this helps.

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