Car servicing

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AMG

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On the subject of servicing, i do all of my own work to the car, and fill in book accordingly, keep any receipts i have etc. Hasn't really meant much as car usually isn't worth a whole lot when leaving me so service history is almost irrelevant.
However looking at changing the wife's A4 and most likely will be trading it in, so was wondering if a dealer will recognise that as service history or not?
 

davyk31

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Nothing to do with being VAT registered to sign a book, it's a simple as if you have a stamp u can stamp, if you don't have a stamp then guess what you can't. Plenty of mechanics just sign a book but plenty have bought stamps to look more official.

The VAT registered issue used to be related to mean someone was considered legit as regards servicing so that a warranty was kept in tact. Now however it's more to do with being able to used genuine parts and followed the recommended schedule rather than the credentials of who did the work.

But most importantly don't assume independents or small time garages are loads cheaper than a main dealer. Yes there is often a bit of a price difference but for say £30 more I know I would prefer to get the main dealer stamp in the book and then if there are any issues down the line you can often get a decent goodwill gesture from a manufacturer if they see you used them all the way for servicing.
 

salster

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you must be vat registered and use genuine parts to keep your warranty intact. all genuine parts used should have their part numbers listed on any receipt received.
 

mikey

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you must be vat registered and use genuine parts to keep your warranty intact. all genuine parts used should have their part numbers listed on any receipt received.
This is a bit of a myth. Worked in VW for 8 years and if a car is in warranty it's in warranty. Never once had VW request to see proof of independent servicing or receipts to honor a warranty claim either on a new or used car warranty. The parts and labour warranty needs a receipt of purchase from VW parts.
 

salster

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we had a Vauxhall corsa with an engine problem and the vauxhall dealer required proof of parts used to service it before it covered the warranty. and an independent warranty on a second-hand car sold by Charles Hurst required us to be vat registered before giving the go-ahead to replace a faulty injector. both these cars were in the last 6 weeks to so in our experience its not a myth.
 

Rallyfreaks

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we had a Vauxhall corsa with an engine problem and the vauxhall dealer required proof of parts used to service it before it covered the warranty. and an independent warranty on a second-hand car sold by Charles Hurst required us to be vat registered before giving the go-ahead to replace a faulty injector. both these cars were in the last 6 weeks to so in our experience its not a myth.
Agree, alot of 3rd party warranties supplied with used cars, as opposed to manufacturers warranty, will only give the go ahead for repairs with VAT registered garage. We have an RAC used car warranty on one of our cars and needed bit of work. The warranty co were 100%, just took it to local vat registered garage and they sorted.
 

300trophy

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This is a bit of a myth. Worked in VW for 8 years and if a car is in warranty it's in warranty. Never once had VW request to see proof of independent servicing or receipts to honor a warranty claim either on a new or used car warranty. The parts and labour warranty needs a receipt of purchase from VW parts.

Renault / Nissan certainly ask for proof of servicing for any oil fed/lubricated parts. I have had a claim debited in the past at audit for insufficient service history on a vehicle - hasn’t happened since, once bitten and all that...
 

mikey

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Fair enough guys. Like I say I'm only speaking from VWs new warranty and Das Welt used warranty. Only time service history was investigated was by an insurance assessor after a 3.0 TDi Touareg seized the engine!
 

stevieturbo

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Anyone can stamp, and a rubber stamp only costs a few quid. But a stamp alone means little....simply because anyone could stamp it, including yourself.

And some garages notion of a service varies vastly from what a service should cover !

For a dealer it'd be washing the car.
 

Head Gasket

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I've stamped many service books without being VAT registered. Now and again you receive a phone call from a new owner asking about the service history of a vehicle. I only service cars with either genuine parts or the OEM supplier of parts, backed up with receipts etc.

Vauxhall have been the only company to get upset about this. I serviced an Insignia last year that was still under warranty, stamped the book and wrote down everything that had been changed and looked at. The Vauxhall dealership rang me wanting to know who I was and what did I think I was doing servicing the car. I had a copy of the receipt for the genuine Vauxhall parts that were purchased through their parts department, but they were adamant that the service book needed to be replaced because it had been stamped outside of the dealer network, and it no longer reflected the dealer networks claim that it had a full main dealer service history.

This made me laugh, as the things I discovered during the service clearly indicated that the car hadn't been serviced at all over the years. Pollen filter clogged with all sorts, the original 3 year old air filter, the original 3 year old oil filter, brake fluid still original, screenwash reservoir full of sludge and slime that smelled of rotten eggs. The washers hardly worked and hadn't worked properly since before the last main dealer service. Just a few things that were found. I informed Vauxhall of my findings and told them that they should be privileged to have my stamp in their service book, as the service had actually been done properly. The main dealer stamps that they had put in the book were quite simply there to look good, and did not reflect in any way shape or form the maintenance history of the vehicle. They weren't pleased at the 'unfounded' accusations, but I had peace of mind knowing the next buyer was getting a car that actually had been serviced.
 

Wild Thing

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Same when we sold used commercials, a vauxhall vivaro landed in with just having been fully serviced 100 miles prior. Air filter was black and contained most of a birds nest, oil was like glue and about 1000 miles left on front brake pads. We are vat registered but the only circumstances we are ever asked for this senario is for 3rd party warranty claims and honestly i would rather stick pins in my eyes than do those conmens repairs
 

AlpineF30

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I service my cars myself and just have a folder full of receipts for everything. I find its a lot easier to prove work being done if you have proof the items were bought and a date on the receipts although a few garages may argue that as its not a stamped booked.

However when I sold my 535d about 6 years ago it had been serviced by me and the book was filled in by myself.

It soon was on gumtree with a 40k haircut and a full BMW service history with a new fully stamped book from BMW dealers in England.

After looking on ebay you can buy pre-stamped books so seeing a car with a full service history with only a book means nothing to me now.
 

Chris666

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The stamp vs warranty thing was scrapped a few years back for cars etc so a good independent using oem parts is all you need.

Doesn't apply to bikes though
 

CloudStrife

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Well my car is 5/6 years old so I shouldn't give a **** basically? Plus it's a Ford.

Basically as long as its looked after and I dont care about resale then **** the stamps?

With the sale in eurocarparts now would you buy the stuff yourself or are mechanics funny about that?

Thanks
 

Coog

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I service my cars myself and just have a folder full of receipts for everything. I find its a lot easier to prove work being done if you have proof the items were bought and a date on the receipts although a few garages may argue that as its not a stamped booked.

However when I sold my 535d about 6 years ago it had been serviced by me and the book was filled in by myself.

It soon was on gumtree with a 40k haircut and a full BMW service history with a new fully stamped book from BMW dealers in England.

After looking on ebay you can buy pre-stamped books so seeing a car with a full service history with only a book means nothing to me now.

Everything can be faked, including the invoices.
 

salster

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if its filters (oil,fuel,air) you will be ok with mann stuff , pollen filters you will be ok with a cheaper brand.
 
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