Is a car's "service history" a waste of money?

gck303

We are have been living in the USA for the past few years.

Americans don't have their cars serviced at franchised garages, and there is no thing as a 'service history'. Every three months, all cars will get a oil change and fluids checked. This costs about 25 GBP and is done on a 'while you wait' basis.

Periodically, a car will have its brakes or other things done. But this is always done on an 'as needed' basis, and never routine or as part of an annual service.

There is no MOT or annual safety check. Every year it will have its emissions checked, which consists of making sure the little orange light on the dashboard is not illuminated.

American cars run for years and most see well over 100,000 miles. Mine had 145,000 when I sold it.

So my question is:

Is a car's 'service history' a waste of money, and just there to scare us into paying 200+ GBP every year for work that is unnecessary?

frothey

if it's unnecessary, why do American cars have it done every 3 months? And without cheap Mexican labour, changing oil and fluids every 3 months would cost a lot more than £200! TBH my Audi only costs me about £120 a year in servicing, so no different really.

I agree MOT's aren't worth the paper they are printed on

Most cars will see 200k miles plus, its just the owners don't believe they will. You also have to remember that American driving is totally different to ours (ie they have decent roads!), and they tend to have big, unstressed engines so will last, but with abysmal fuel economy.

albionrovers

To me, in the UK service history is linked to validity of warranty. In other words, dealers have us by the short + curlies seeing as a BMW inspection 1 2 or 3 can be veeeeery expensive. Doesn't affect me, I never go >£5K on a car and I run it into the ground with the odd oil change along the way.

frothey

you don't have to get the car serviced by BMW - any VAT reg'd garage can do it. But you'll lose loads on the car from the fact it doesn't have full dealer history, and it's consumers that are to blame as most people buying a 3yr old BMW (Lexus/Merc/Jag/Audi etc) won't touch ones without it.

photome

frothey wrote: »

if it's unnecessary, why do American cars have it done every 3 months? And without cheap Mexican labour, changing oil and fluids every 3 months would cost a lot more than £200! TBH my Audi only costs me about £120 a year in servicing, so no different really.

I agree MOT's aren't worth the paper they are printed on

Most cars will see 200k miles plus, its just the owners don't believe they will. You also have to remember that American driving is totally different to ours (ie they have decent roads!), and they tend to have big, unstressed engines so will last, but with abysmal fuel economy.

Where do you get an Audi serviced for £120 a yaer

Lirin

I'd agree, I only have ever had one car with a full service history- it's not important to me. I'd prefer to rely on what I can see and hear when I'm looking around a car.

cyclonebri1

Service history is really only important in the sr few years of a cars life, as it ages and becomes lss valuable so does the service history.

I think equally important is the old mot's with the mileage record, (although I think it can be checked via the net nowadys), and any receipts for parts, repairs and waranty work

frothey

photome wrote: »

Where do you get an Audi serviced for £120 a yaer

I have an "agreement" after a "disagreement" with the franchise..... long story and I do work in the trade.

As an aside, if you holiday in the UK it's often worth looking to see if there's a dealer near where you are staying - labour rates are the vast majority of servicing cost (along with oil) and it is much cheaper in the south west than london, for example.

custardy

frothey wrote: »

if it's unnecessary, why do American cars have it done every 3 months? And without cheap Mexican labour, changing oil and fluids every 3 months would cost a lot more than £200! TBH my Audi only costs me about £120 a year in servicing, so no different really.

I agree MOT's aren't worth the paper they are printed on

Most cars will see 200k miles plus, its just the owners don't believe they will. You also have to remember that American driving is totally different to ours (ie they have decent roads!), and they tend to have big, unstressed engines so will last, but with abysmal fuel economy.

I disagree
there are too many people who would run death traps without a compulsory test.
yes it doesnt mean a car is roadworthy for 12 months but it at least makes sure it met some form of standard in that 12 month period

LandyAndy

custardy wrote: »

I disagree
there are too many people who would run death traps without a compulsory test.
yes it doesnt mean a car is roadworthy for 12 months but it at least makes sure it met some form of standard in that 12 month period

I agree. Witness the number of vehicles that went straight to the scrapyard when it was first introduced.

Lirin

The MOT is only good to a point. I ensure my car is road legal as much as I can, all year around, but unfortunately I do know plenty who have illegal mods or serious repairs that need done, and are left until the last minute.
The fee is actually fairly reasonable, given our Government.