Service History Issues

[BigJase88]

GDPR is stupid

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

You might need to get out more Mr Teego!.....!

Id be interested to know if those of you with a full and fastidiously recorded service history actually do ever get more in PX at a Mercedes main dealer than those with a patchy and difficult to prove history......In my experience (including 17 years working in a main new car dealer) the answer is generally no. It seems to affect values in private sales more and even then only when its selling to an enthusiast. Current condition seems more important to most than its history.
Even in my current game (caravans) we have to destroy all the paper records due to GDPR....this effectively often means that there is no record at all as many manufacturers have no digital system and many customers use indies anyway who cant add a service to the factory system......To my mind GDPR causes more issues than it solves!!

I take service records to extreme lengths and I can say that it makes no measurable or meaningful difference to actual resale value in practice. It might help secure a sale, but the only time someone would pay more is the rare event that someone is so keen to get a car with perfect history that they check and are happy to spend more than the rest.

 

[Benz17]

Thanks BigJase

But have you ever experienced the trouble of dealer won't print out for you or someone input wrong info into the digital system?

e.g.someone input the wrong mileage & devalued your car

Basically you are rely on the dealers to take care of your history, and I don't feel comfortable with it.

To solve this, I want to build a platform for all car owners to upload their service history in one place regardless if it's from dealer or indie garages. It would become a portfolio to hold 'source of truth' for this car's history, then it's much easier to manage & share & transfer to the next owner & it will never get lost.


Do you think this is a good idea& would you use it?

Thanks

2009 was my first Mercedes ownership, used indy for the services, had the car toll 2019, not once did the Indy enter incorrect details.

2019 bought my current W213, took up a service plan for 3 years which was discounted, and have used Mercedes Brooklands for the 2 services required, they have not as yet entered incorrect info on the service sheet.

Maybe I have been lucky, but not convinced that incorrect info would be that widespread.

 

[Drewski09]

Keep both

 

[Fady]

Dealers hand it to you when you pay your service - they give you a print out of the DSB and a paid invoice. Subsequent owners who buy a car without paper records can ask dealer for a paper copy, and they provide it as long as they can provide confirmation of ownership.

How often do dealers get it wrong? Has it happened to you?

I bought my car as a distance sale during lockdown. MB Approved Used with a lot of information exchanged via email including the list of previous services, servicing dealer and mileages. So details just listed in an email. At the next service I duly asked for a print out from which two sets of details were completely missing. I was told to get in touch with MB UK and, as I had the names of the servicing dealers, they were able to contact them and get them to update the records. I obviously did not expect to have to do this.

 

[markjay]

Thanks markjay

I am totally with you.
But if there is a place to upload everything regardless where the receipts are issued, would you use it?

It would be much easier to manage & share with potential buyers. And you can also transfer to the new owner once sold.


Let me know, cheers

Sounds like a great idea for an Internet startup :

 

[Benz17]

Inwould

I bought my car as a distance sale during lockdown. MB Approved Used with a lot of information exchanged via email including the list of previous services, servicing dealer and mileages. So details just listed in an email. At the next service I duly asked for a print out from which two sets of details were completely missing. I was told to get in touch with MB UK and, as I had the names of the servicing dealers, they were able to contact them and get them to update the records. I obviously did not expect to have to do this.

I would not have purchased the car without actual paper copies of the service history, dealer or no dealer. It is also upto us buyers to make sure we have all relevant documents prior to purchase, as WE are parting with our hard earned cash.

 

[markjay]

I take service records to extreme lengths and I can say that it makes no measurable or meaningful difference to actual resale value in practice. It might help secure a sale, but the only time someone would pay more is the rare event that someone is so keen to get a car with perfect history that they check and are happy to spend more than the rest.

I don't disagree in principle, but it does vary considerably depending on the type of motor, age, and type of sale.

 

[Fady]

Inwould

I would not have purchased the car without actual paper copies of the service history, dealer or no dealer. It is also upto us buyers to make sure we have all relevant documents prior to purchase, as WE are parting with our hard earned cash.

Fine if that's your own tact, but having asked the question, I didn't think it necessitated getting the dealer to place his hand on a copy of the Holy Bible!

 

[markjay]

Fine if that's your own tact, but having asked the question, I didn't think it necessitated getting the dealer to place his hand on a copy of the Holy Bible!*

*) Other religious scriptures also available

FTFY

 

[Fady]

FTFY

Salam Alaikum

 

[Benz17]

Salam Alaikum

Walaikum Salam

 

[Benz17]

Fine if that's your own tact, but having asked the question, I didn't think it necessitated getting the dealer to place his hand on a copy of the Holy Bible!

Having had the experience you have had with the dealer, I would have thought you would also have came to the conclusion to use the same tact next time you purchase a car at a dealer, or anywhere else.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I bought my car as a distance sale during lockdown. MB Approved Used with a lot of information exchanged via email including the list of previous services, servicing dealer and mileages. So details just listed in an email. At the next service I duly asked for a print out from which two sets of details were completely missing. I was told to get in touch with MB UK and, as I had the names of the servicing dealers, they were able to contact them and get them to update the records. I obviously did not expect to have to do this.

If they were missing from the Digital Service Book then how did the sales person know they had been done? Without knowing more it sounds like a sales persons blah rather than an issue with Digital Service Books. The same would be true if there were stamps missing from a book.

Unfortunately main dealers have assured me too many times that an approved used car has been serviced in line with the schedule at main dealers, only to find anything but that. Too many sales people take the risk that it won’t bite them and if it does then they’ll deal with it at that time.

 

[markjay]

....Too many sales people take the risk that it won’t bite them and if it does then they’ll deal with it at that time.

You mean IF they are still employed at the same place.... stuff turnover among salespeople working in car dealerships is among the highest from all market sectors in the UK.

 

[Jobsworth]

How often do dealers get it wrong? Has it happened to you?

I had to deal with one last week. The previous main dealer service had the distance wrong. The owner must have had the display set to kilometres, but the servicing dealer incorrectly assumed it was miles. Fortunately I could corroborate it with an MoT certificate to prove they were mistaken. Had to be corrected directly in Portugal as the time window for local correction had passed. Rare though. First one I’ve had to get resolved

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I had to deal with one last week. The previous main dealer service had the distance wrong. The owner must have had the display set to kilometres, but the servicing dealer incorrectly assumed it was miles. Fortunately I could corroborate it with an MoT certificate to prove they were mistaken. Had to be corrected directly in Portugal as the time window for local correction had passed. Rare though. First one I’ve had to get resolved

I’ve heard of it happening only once before and that was a kilometre/mile mistake. Mistakes happen but I think it’s rare B too.

 

[AMGeed]

You might need to get out more Mr Teego!.....!

Id be interested to know if those of you with a full and fastidiously recorded service history actually do ever get more in PX at a Mercedes main dealer than those with a patchy and difficult to prove history......In my experience (including 17 years working in a main new car dealer) the answer is generally no. It sems to afefect values in private sales more and even then only when its selling to an enthusiast. Current condition seems more important to most than its history.
Even in my current game (caravans) we have to destroy all the paper records due to GDPR....this effectively often means that there is no record at all as many manufacturers have no digital system and many customers use indies anyway who cant add a service to the factory system......To my mind GDPR causes more issues than it solves!!

I can only comment on my experience when selling my AMG last September. I had various enquiries and the first question from every single one was, does it have FMBSH? I know that had I answered in the negative, all interest in the car would have been lost, or silly offers would have followed.
As it happened, I had a full printout of all service work carried at by main dealers and some asked me to mail it to them for proof. I had no problem with that, but when it comes to main dealers or indys doing repair work, that is another story. Unless you have those repair invoices, how can you prove such an such work has been done prior to you having bought the car. This GDPR takes things too far. Why not just black marker pen out any sensitive info of the previous owner and pass it on? Then the car can have a complete and full history.

I don't care how many invoices for service parts are thrust in front of me, self servicing devalues an AMG. I wouldn't buy one and I'm guessing most of the prospective buyers of my car would have put the phone down had I said, no it hasn't been serviced either at a Mercedes specialist or the main dealers. I did it myself.
It may well be the servicing has been done perfectly well by the owner, but I'm not chancing it. The cars are dear enough to begin with and there is no warranty with a private sale.
My next car will have either FMBSH or a mix of MB specialist history with the car., and that is how I will continue to look after the car. I believe the following owner after me will expect the same.

In defence of Mr Teego, he will admit his AMG is old now, 17 years at least, and therefore no point in paying inflated main dealer service rates. But had I been looking for a CLS55, I'd still want MB specialist servicing in the service book if I was to even consider going to look at it.

 

[Fady]

If they were missing from the Digital Service Book then how did the sales person know they had been done? Without knowing more it sounds like a sales persons blah rather than an issue with Digital Service Books. The same would be true if there were stamps missing from a book.

Unfortunately main dealers have assured me too many times that an approved used car has been serviced in line with the schedule at main dealers, only to find anything but that. Too many sales people take the risk that it won’t bite them and if it does then they’ll deal with it at that time.

As said - transaction done as a distance sale due to lockdown. So on request, I received an email detailing the date, mileage and servicing dealer but then strangely absent from the DSB.

I am guessing that they maybe have an alternative method of looking this up - when retrospectively added, the the details tied in exactly. Also, when I communicated the missing entries to MB UK, I was left with the impression that it was not the first time they had encountered the situation.

 

[rf065]

You might need to get out more Mr Teego!.....!

Id be interested to know if those of you with a full and fastidiously recorded service history actually do ever get more in PX at a Mercedes main dealer than those with a patchy and difficult to prove history......In my experience (including 17 years working in a main new car dealer) the answer is generally no. It seems to affect values in private sales more and even then only when its selling to an enthusiast. Current condition seems more important to most than its history.
Even in my current game (caravans) we have to destroy all the paper records due to GDPR....this effectively often means that there is no record at all as many manufacturers have no digital system and many customers use indies anyway who cant add a service to the factory system......To my mind GDPR causes more issues than it solves!!

Your correct, and furthermore, when selling my 5 year old MB with over £11,000 of options when purchased new, I was offered the book price for the exact same poverty spec car purchased with no options whatsoever.
We're being taken for a ride with car dealers.