Is servicing important to you?

[ToeKnee]

I've read many threads about buying second hand cars and the importance of service histories so have created this poll to gauge people's reactions to the importance of servicing and whether it depended on the value and/or complexity of the car?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I voted for the last one but that is slightly different to the other three imo

 

[Will]

I guess the better poll would be, given a choice of four outwardly identical cars - with corresponding service records, which one would you choose as a buyer?

If I was buying a car with no history - even an older one, I would expect it to be significantly cheaper to reflect that - in view of the fact it may have not been maintained properly, cost more in terms of ownership and would be harder to sell in the future and attract a lower price

 

[ToeKnee]

So I suppose another question would be, if you bought an older car because it had full dealer history, would you keep it up, go indy or service it yourself/local garage?

 

[Deleted member 149005]

my choice or indy is partly determined by which is nearest...

 

[Deleted member 37751]

So I suppose another question would be, if you bought an older car because it had full dealer history, would you keep it up, go indy or service it yourself/local garage?

The general consensus of servicing expectations on the forum over the years seems to be: first three years = main dealer, from three to eight years = a specialist then after that the expectations lower somewhat.

Also worth keeping in mind that this forum - most motoring forums - is no way indicative of the general populace and the level of expectations on here are double the of normal folk who see cars as white goods.

 

[togthecat]

Depending in the indy, I would prefer some of them to main dealers.

 

[ToeKnee]

The general consensus of servicing expectations on the forum over the years seems to be: first three years = main dealer, from three to eight years = a specialist then after that the expectations lower somewhat.

Would you say that was the same whether the car was, for instance, a C200 compared to a E63S?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Would you say that was the same whether the car was, for instance, a C200 compared to a E63S?

Me? At a push I’d expect the AMG to be owned by someone different to the C200 so will naturally go for an indie specialist all the way through but I’d be pragmatic about it.

 

[Will]

The general consensus of servicing expectations on the forum over the years seems to be: first three years = main dealer, from three to eight years = a specialist then after that the expectations lower somewhat.

Also worth keeping in mind that this forum - most motoring forums - is no way indicative of the general populace and the level of expectations on here are double the of normal folk who see cars as white goods.

I’d say the opposite often applies on forums. And conversely many cars out there with full MBSH for example are owned/driven by busy people with less interest in cars. Often forum people = enthusiasts, keen to DIY or know about the various specialists and alternatives to main dealers for both parts and labour

It’s worth noting that main dealer servicing can now work out better value since the drive towards service plans has narrowed the gap, and as technology advances it’s probably getting harder for smaller garages to be able to keep up with the investments in training and equipment for the most modern vehicles.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I think there are too many variables fir me to cast a vote. “Older” is too nebulous to give an opinion. Are we comparing a 3-year old 45k miles Ford Fiesta 1.2 with a 7-year old 15k miles SL63? For me it’s a combination of many factors: age, mileage, owners, price, car

 

[MercedesDriver]

It really depends on the car tbh. For cheap shopping trolley cars I never looked for the service history but bought only on condition and "feel" but when buying MBs main dealer or reputable indy service history is a must. Having said that I can turn the blind eye if one MB service document proof is missing but not more than it.

 

[Yex]

I take my car to the local MB Gin Palace for it's annual service and MOT. It is a 15 minute walk back to my house, they are a registered AMG centre (not sure if that really counts for anything) and the service gets me Mobilo cover for a year as well, plus the tick on the anti corrosion checklist just in case my car ever develops the rear subframe problem. Outside of annual servicing I would certainly use a reputable Indie like PCS. I will need some work done on a minor oil leak and will be getting Ollie and his team at PCS to do the job for me.

I would have no worries buying a car serviced outside of the MB network if I could see the service history and my research tells me the Indies used have a good reputation for MB servicing and maintenance.

 

[davymead]

I guess in my case I’d look to have a form of service history MD or Indy. MD not preferably.
The Indy I work for now part time have/are investing hugely over the years in the very latest diagnostic equipment enabling diagnosis/servicing/repair of any vehicle. The level of vehicles in the last year or so arriving in terms of quality/expense has changed immeasurably. A noticeable number of local high end car dealers now prefer us to Main Dealers ( no surprise there ) as we offer comparable service using MD parts, but labour at a fraction of the cost. We’ve been a member of the Good Garage Sceme for some time, which details in the form of a booklet, exactly what’s been done by whom, how long it took with costings clearly shown.

 

[markjay]

I bought my current W204 'with no service history". It was bought from a trader.

The car was in near-new condition, in spite of being 4 years old at the time. It has 4 identical Bridgestone tyres with equal wear. The engine oil was honey-coloured and looked fresh. The front discs and pads were brand new and looked as if they have just been replaced. So it was obvious to me that this car was well looked-after by the previous owner, and it was very unlikely that it hasn't been serviced, and I decided to buy it anyway.

The next day I walked into my local MB dealer and obtained the printout... as expected the car had perfect MB dealer service history. It seems that the trader just couldn't be bothered to obtain the service record and preferred to sell the car as is.

My point? Service history is very important to me, but by 'service history' I mean how the car has actually been serviced up to this point, as opposed to what piece of paper it came with.

 

[DITTRICH]

Those of us who buy higher mileage cars generally want to see a full service history and a clean MOT history with supporting invoices for any MOT failure repairs. My first MB was 16k miles 16m old. I still have it 225k miles now. My 2nd MB was 11y old and 170k miles. Kept to 254k miles. Sadly no longer. My 3rd MB was 4 3.5yo and 154k miles. If I had been more clued up, I would have started with a high mileage ex lease car with motorway miles on it.

 

[Dickster]

I’ve never been too concerned about service history. Obviously it’s a bonus but you can get a good idea from number of owners, condition, how it drives, the current owner, etc.. you can get a good feel for a car giving it a good look over and drive..however, I have worked on cars a lot over the years so I’m a pretty confident diyer.

In the end I base my decision on, will I regret walking away from this car? The answer was yes when I looked at my SL.

 

[geoffus]

I would love to have a car with full MB dealer service history but it would't be put off if it didn't. How many Mercs will you see, prob on lease, driven tough throughout their first 3 years, revved hard before warmed up, bumped up kerbs, cleaned by £5 drive in car washes, generally treated with lack of concern. All with full service history and described as one owner, MB Finance, cleaned up and sent to British Car Auctions.
Or a car bought from a private chap, average miles, independent servicing, maybe 3rd service mislaid but bottles of Autoglym and a trolley jack in the garage.
Trust your instincts, but buyer beware.

 

[GeeJayW]

We have a main dealer service contract for our C250d, so that’s where it‘s been for servicing/repairs and we have had good customer service too so far. Now the car is out of warranty, how repairs or minor service items are carried out will be decided on a case by case basis. If it‘s stuff I can do, I’ll do it, otherwise the car will go to someone I trust which may or may not include the main dealer.

The MX-5 has so far had main dealer serving, with the last two services at a different dealer with an acceptable (negotiated) price level. I replaced the brakes in 2019 and earlier this year had the rear bumper off to deal with some rust. So future work on the car will probably be done by a mixture of sources.

The VW Golf servicing/repairs have been a mixture over the ten-years or so that we’ve had it. Some main dealer, some local indie and some by yours truly.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Classic case study for questionnaire design. My answer is Yes to the last three. And, sorry, yes, price is always a factor.

Different vehicles in "the fleet" deserve different treatment.

But, dear lord, service a vehicle if you want to keep it working. It's still far cheaper, and more "Green" than buying new.

Although Bangernomics still makes a case for buying a £1000 vehicle and deliberately not spending anything on it, until it's scrapped. (The "Dog's car," for example)