Car has done 35000 miles. Always main dealer serviced. Now due for service/mot. Told it will be 10/60k service which will cost ££. How important is main dealer service record for 10yr old car? Or recommendations for local options. Thanks
It depends on who’s looking to buy it when you come to sell it really. Some may look on a FMSH as a good thing, someone else may be happy with a service history from any garage, another may be happy with a pile of receipts for DIY servicing.
Is the service history for your own piece of mind or to maintain value in the car?
Are you planning to keep the car or sell it in the (relatively) near future?
If you may be selling it, then the questions become: What’s the difference in cost between a main dealer and an independent for the service? Is that more or less than the difference in value between a FMSH car and one without?
most likely to keep it until i can no longer get into it and/or afford to run it. i always keep records so wonder if main dealer makes any difference…
a bit of both but given its age not sure whether that makes a difference. also wonder whether, given that its mileage is 25k below the 10 year recommendation, the service level is strictly necessary. other than driving i don’t know much about cars so appreciate advice from those who do.
On an ordinary tin box car I would say that a main dealer service history is something nice to have, not essential and once you’ve paid the exorbitant prices for main dealer services are you getting anywhere near that value back when you sell?
On an MX5 I would say that condition is the only thing that matters. A tidy MX5 with specialist service history would be more valuable [to me] than a Mazda stamp in the book.
Correct me if I’m wrong [it’s not unlikely] but the services are at 12500 mile intervals so what exactly are they doing for the 60000 service? And how much are they quoting out of interest?
FDSH is a nice thing to have I suppose, but as blackbirdy says, you’re unlikely to recoup the costs in future value.
I do my own servicing, I keep and file (in a nice leaf binder), every receipt I’ve had since owning the car.
It’s a proof to any future owner that the car has been looked after and had very little expense spared.
Personally, I’d say that this looks better than a single stamp in a book.
But it’s each to thier own really.
A smaller Vat registered garage will perform a full service to manufacturers spec, substantially better value than the dealers.
thanks everyone - very helpful - as i seem to have a habit of keeping cars till wheels drop off, think the main dealer route is no longer sensible. if anyone has recommendations for garages around walton on thames, please let me know.